Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1910-03-03
aARK SMITH DEFENDS
kRlzoNA'S ELECTION LAW

aARk SMITH DEFENDS
kRIzoNA's ELECTION LAW.
Mark Smith appeared before the
committee on territories OF the Unit
ed states one day last week for the
purpose OF calling attention to the
what IS known as the fraudulent rail
road bonds. which after being con-
ested and beaten in the courts. even
to the supreme court OF the United.
States. were legalized by an act OF
congress when Hon n. O. Murphy
was the delegate from Arizona. Mr..
Smith contended that congress
should provide for the payment Of
these bonds in the statehood bin, so
as 10 relieve Pima county from a
debt which was fraudulent and IN
oolIectable until congress validated
the debt After Mr.. Smith had con
Guided on the matter of the Pima
county railroad bonds the following
appeared in the record OF the COM
mittee meeting:
The Chairman. Mr.. Smith, if you
have concluded upon this bond fea-
ture, / wish 20 ask you a question
about another phase OF this bill.
would like to know if you have any
thing to say concerning the qualifi-
cations of voters in the Territory
and the provision Of the bill con
corning such qualifications under
which you were elected, Mr. Muir
ply was elected, and other delegates
we're elected. down TO this new legis
lation by the legislature. under
which new qualifications have beer
prescribed.
Mr.. Smith Nothing in the worlC
except this: The chairman himself
is conscious of the fact that by his
Investigation great publicity hal
been given 10 the ignorance OF thos'
Territories. We have fought il
every way for statehood: we have
tried TO DO all We can; we have
tried TO build up a great State; ans
We have tried in every way posi-
bic 10 get into the Union as one
The territorial legislature that plac
ed the educational qualification Il
its election law was, think. abou
four-fifths Democratic. That wa
the last legislature The then GOV
erRor Of the Territory. whom yo
probably know (Mr. Kibby). toll
me personally before that electio
came off for the legislature. tina
we should put an educational quail
fication in our election law" Blu
let that go by the way ] do nc
care what he said.
I opposed for years and years her
Congress passing a law TO preyer
gambling in the Territories. and
was as much opposed to gamblin
as any man in that body. ] tOl
Congress that If they would i
those people alone. they would pas
law that the people would enforc
And they did it long ago. Whe
the Senate was trying TO pass hi
10 stop it, the people themselves.
their next legislature. did 1t.
And with respect TO all OF n
things that grow cut of the wester
conditions. we reach up toward thu
higher and older part Of this gTes
country. We copy New England
We copy some Of the most high
educated States in the Union: an
we are amazed when we come b
fore Congress today to find thi
they seriously question our right 1
fix the qualifications of elector
which qualification consists of notl
ing aside from our old laws exceI
an ability to read the Constitutio
OF the United States.
It is going backward and rever
ing the operation in every statehoo
bill since Alabama was admitted u
70 this date. to question the risl
OF a local community TO fix tn
qualifications OF electors. That rigl
has never been questioned by Cor
Eress. and the first time this que
tion was ever brought up was
the bill which the chairman intr'
duced.