Arizona republican., 1911-02-28
"The Next Regular Session"

Upon the construction al Washing
 ton of the words in the enabling ac
 for Arizona and New Mexico. dur
 ing the next regular session." will de- pend the question whether New Mex leo will become state immediately after the adjournment of the pres cnt congress.
 Upon the same construction would depend any question of delay as to Arizona in the event of presidential approval of Arizona's constitution.
 The questionable language appears in Section 22 of the act for Arizona, and is the same as Section which relates to New Mexico. We quote the language as to New Mexico:
 And if congress and the president approve said constitution and the separate provisions thereof. or. if the president approves the same and con- gross fails to disapprove the same during the next regular session there of. then and in that event the presi- dent shall certify said facts to the governor of New Mexico, who shall. within thirty days after the receipt of said notification from the presi- dent of the United States. issue his proclamation for the election of the state and county officers" etc
 Lawyers of Ari>ona generally, so far as we have been informed, have construed this language to mean that the next regular session" of congress referred to by the act would be the regular session follow ing the presidents action on the con- stitution The Republican. and all other papers in the two territories have followed the lawyers construc- ton
 We now understand. however. that President Taft places an entirely diff fcrcnt construction upon this word ing although we cannot vouch for the accuracy of our information. The president. it appears. understands that the next regular session" re ferred to was the regular session which followed the passage of the bill-which is the present session.
 If our understanding of the presi- dents construction is correct, the failure of congress to disapprove New Mexico's constitution at this session which comes to an end on Satur- day of this weck-will be followed by the presidents certification of the fact to the governor of New Mexico. and by the immediate calling of d state election in that territory.
 It has been assumed all along, that if the president approved New Mex icos constitution and disapproved the constitution for Arizona. the matter of congressional disapproval as to each constitution would go over to the regular session of next winter. which would give the .parti- sans of the Arizona constitution some tactical advantage in their ability to indefinitely delay action on the New Mexico constitution and thus force the partisans of New Mexico to come to the aid of Arizona But the lat est advices as tO the presidents construction of the meaning of the language in question remove. if they are correct. this point of Arizona advantage.
 If the report of this new constrIc- ton is authentic. the situation in nutshell is this: Congressional dis approval of New Mexico's constitu- tion at this session is an impossi- bility. and New Mexico will be state within three months And. still assuming that the president will dis approve the constitution for Ari- zona. the future as to statehood for this territory will be determined without any complications as to the admission of New Mexico.
 IL must be said. however. that there is nothing in the presidents message to congress advising that body of his approval of the New Mexico constitution that bears out the advices we have received as to his construction of meaning of next regular session" For the fulIerl information of our readers we quote the message in full:
 The act to enable the people of New Mexico to form a constitution and state government and to be ad- | mitted to the union on an equal foot ing with the original states. as pass | ed June 20. 191G, provides that when | the constitution. for the adoption of | which provision is made in the act, !! shall have been duly ratified by the | people of New Mexico in the manner | provided by the statute. a certified | copy of the same shall be submitted | lo the president Of the United States I