The copper era. (Clifton, Graham County, Ariz.) 1899-1911, 1911-05-12
MARK SMITH ISWARMLY
WELCOMED TO WASHINGTON.
Former Friends Of ArfaOna's Democratic
War Horse Gather About Him at Ma.
tons Capital and Vie with One
Another in extending Hearty
Greetings
Washington Post.)

AANSA SACiS was ehC 5OJ u SACSSA"F
one long absent one much missed
from old familiar scenes. For had
not the Hon., Marcus Aurelius, called
Mark for short, labored eighteen
long years as delegate in congress
to make Arizona a state? And now
when statehood seems near at hand
what wonder that those who wept
when he wept over hope deferred,
sang songs of victory when he
warbled in Joy, rejoiced the more to
see Mark come upon the scene the
same old Mark, only. more so and in
fine fettle for the windup.
No one could think of MarkSmith' g
arrival without thinking also of
statehood for Arizona, and that the
Arizona star in the flag was almost
stitched in. There were immediate
congratulations of the Arizona leader
that his great light while he was an
actual member of congress prevented
the calamity of admitting Arizona
1 L
return of Smith recalls his day and
night conflict with those who tried to
unite the territories. 1t was a time
of danger to Arizona, and Smith did
his work we'll. And what will be his
reward? He is too modest, having
been born in Kentucky, to tell that
he would like to be one of the first
two senators, but that is the honor
his friends at home and here want
him to win. Mark Smith entered
congress twenty years ago in the
middle of Grover Cleveland's first
administration. John G. Carlisle
was speaker of the house, and there
was really quite democratic atmo-
sphere at both ends of the avenue.
At nine elections Mark Smith was
chosen by Arizona to be her voteless
member of congress, but even If he
could not vote he could guide the
votes of others when Arizona was
interested. While the Hon. Mark
is not SO old that he is inclined to be
reminiscent, he cannot forget that
as young man he grew up under
Sunset Cox, Sam ]. Randall, Roger
Q. Mills, of Texas; Wilson, of West
Virginia; Senators Blackburn and
Beck, of Kentucky; Vest, Daniel and
Wade Hampton, also Butler, of
South Carolina. These names recur
to Smith and other democrats who
served with them in house or senate.
81 am here to modestly do what can
for statehood. 1 know Arizona
deserves statehood and deserves 1t
now. While delegate in congress
1 kept in view the eventual admission
of Arizona as a state, and 1 was
anxious to see her come into the
union without discord or rancor. Ny
long service in congress even as a
modest delegate gave me opportunity
to study and learn all that was good
and best for new state, and please
recall that many new states came in
during my congressional service.
81 am not here to give any order
or insist on how statehood shall be
brought about, but 1 am not so
overwhelmed with modesty that 1
cannot indicate some things that
ought not to be done, along with
telling what would be best for the
future happiness of new state. We
know out in Arizona that ours is
bound to be great commonwealth,
20
strictly on the level with other great
states. have not beOn in Washing
ton long, and it is my first visit since
our dear old friend, Champ Clark,
has been made speaker. 1 have
something more than the joy of
democrat in seeing Champ with the
gavel, as we we're students in college,
Pennsylvania in Kentucky, and we
imbibed wisdom at the same fount
of learning.
away out in Arizona we read and
rejoiced not alone over Champs
election as speaker, for we knew
that was certain, but we were made
glad that he had taken hold in a
way to cheer every democratic soul
on the map. That is the result of
his Kentucky schooling and his west
ern bringing up. Not only do we re-
joice over the start made by Speaker
Clark, but 1 can be forgiven little
citation in my own soul over the
of many old congress
sional comrades who worked faith
fully by nv side; voted faithfully,
too, while [ didn't vote, and now,
bless you, it is good to see them
chairmen of the big house committees,
and high up in doing business for
the nation. must confess to some
as witness these worthy
house members, who were my col
leagues, and who waited long for
They have come into it,
and there is no fear in my heart as
to their action on Arizona, or any
other measure for the public veal
that is brought before the congress
of the United States.
anyhow, it does seem mighty
good to get back to the old familiar
scenes, and 1 am not discussing the