Arizona republican., 1910-03-04
The Final Stage.

has had before it for several weeks the statehood bill passed by the house. and the preliminary draft of q senate bill prepared bv Senator Beveridge and introduced by Senator Dillingham;. The committee has held several ses- sions. and heard at length the views of some Arizona and New Mexico citi- zens who wished to be heard. The gentlemen from Arizona who made statements before the committee were: Delegate Cameron, former Delegate smith. the Hon. Robert E. Morrison and the Hon. Lorenzo Hubbeli. MT. smith directed his remarks chiefly to the proposed nulnicauon- of the Hampton educational qualification" law. and to the question of Pima county's indebtedness ($319,06D which was validated by congress through an oversight He thought that congress ought 10 relieve the county of this in debtedness. but when asked by mem 
 bers of the committee whether he would have the territory as a whole made responsible or have the debt paid by the national government, he was not prepared with definite sug- gestion. but insisted that something ought to be done about it" Against the proposed action of the senate in the matter of the educational quail fication." AIr Smith. of course, could make no valid argument, although he spoke at length; and MT. Morrison and MT Hubbell strongly sustained the points made against the law by Governor Kibbey and Governor Sloan. Delegate Cameron having introduced into the record of the hearings copies of Governor Kibbey's veto messages and Governor Sloans letter to the Hon. Mike Burns.
 Today the committee will meet to give final consideration to the state hood legislation. and a bill embodying
  will be perfected at today's session, in all probability. Within a few days. if not today, the bill will be reported to the senate. and very likely will gain the right of way on the calen- dar within a week or two, and will continue to hold it's position until dis sl l,x af irnfa ruptions for appropriation bills and an occasional bill that calls for no debate.
 All the probabilities point to the passage of the bill in due course. It is equally probable that the bill will pass substantially as reported by the committee. and regardless of any ob- jections that may be made by demo- cratic senators. That the democratic senators will strenuOusly object to the notification of the pet educational qualification law of our legislature is to be taken for granted. They will naturally regard former Delegate Smith as the authorized spokesman of the Arizona democracy, and will do their best to carry out his wishes m amending the bill. But it does not appear reasonable that either MT smith or his democratic friends in the senate will dare take the responsi- bility of defeating the bill.
 The fate of the bill, after it passes the senate and reaches the house, can not be very doubtful The Hamilton bill being left to sleep in the senate committee. the senate bill will reach the house as entirely new legislation on the subject. It will be referred to the house committee on territories. That committee, in due season, will make a report. It may report the senate bill without amendment-which probably will be the course taken and it might report amendments which would throw the bill into conference after it's passage by the house.
 But the latest news from Washing ton indicates that the senate bill will encounter no serious obstacles in the house. At the White House on Wednesday the president had long conference with Senator Aldrich, Speaker Cannon, Representative Payne and other republican leaders. It was agreed that the various White House" measures should be crowded through, and that all amendments in opposition to MT. Tafts views should be defeated. Ii is not much of a secret that the Hamilton statehood bill. which passed the house without consideration, was prepared in accordance with the views of certain statesmen from New Mex ico. and that the presidents wishes were neglected through the fault of somebody.
 It looks now as if today will mark the beginning of the final stage Of Arizona and New Mexico statehood Iegislation-a question which has x-axa5 congreSs fOr twenty wears