The copper era., 1911-05-26
ARIZONA'S FATE
NOW IN HANDS
OF THE SENATE
Democratic Members of the House
Attack the Recall of the Judici-
ary-2eSOIutiOn Admits Arizona
But Separate Vote Must Be
Taken On Amendment.

Washington, d. c., May 23.-The
joint resolution admitting Arizona
and New Mexico to immediate
statehood, but withholding approval
of the constitutions of both until the
people have voted on proposed amend
ments, passed the house of represen-
tatives this afternoon by viva voce
vote. No roll call was demanded on
the final vote.
The resolution requires Arizona
to vote on an amendment removing
the recall provision as it applies to
judges. New Mexico must vote on an
amendment making its constitution
more easily amendabe Neither state
is required to adopt amendments
proposed by congress.
Whether they are approved or reject
ed by the proposed referendum, the
constitutions of the new states will
stand finally approved when the re-
spective votes have been taken.
The resolution passed in the form
proposed by the democratic majority
of the committe on territories.
Efforts were made by the republicans
to force Arizona to vote out of its
constitution the recall of judges and
to give the immediate and unqualified
approval to the New Mexican contitu-
tiou. Both provisions were rejected
and later when Representative Mann
embodied them in a motion-to recon-
nit the measure they were voted down
The democrats said the proposal to
force Arizona to reject the recall was
an effort % keep that state out of
the union. Nevertheless, leading
democrati ora tors bitterly denounced
the recall of judges during the
afternoons debate, while republican
insur Seuts refused to juiD Minority
Leader Mann in the proposal to force
Arizona to give it up.
Representative Martin w. Little
ton of New York made a strong attack
in the afternoon, not only on the
recall, but on the initiative aud
referendum. In urging the immedi-
ate approval of the New Mexican
constitution, preventative Mann
said the house had passed a resolution
approving that constitution before
the close of the last session and that
the republicans were prepared now
to act again for the immediate
approval of the document and for the
immediate admission of the state.
The. spirit of antagonism iu tn e
lower house of congress in reference
to statehood matters dwindled do own
to determination of getting rid of
the troublesome matter and passing
it up to the senate, with the feeling
that the members of that body are
more inclined than those of the lower
house to fight out the problems sug
gested by the statehood documents,
and there was consequently lament
able lack of popular interest in the
debate in the house. No doubt the
principle reason for this was due to
the fact that the policy of the demo-
cratic majority has been settled in
advance, and that all efforts to de-
feat the ma jority committee report
were destined to prove futile. There
have been just enough speeches made
on the matter to place the different
elements of the lower house on rec
ord, in order that future campaigns
may have the benefit of plenty of po
litical thunder and the proof of the
position of the two great parties.
The republicans have sought to up
hold the stand of President Taft and
have done so in their minority COM
mittee report, as well as during the
debates on the New Mexico and Ari-
zona constitutions. In the senate no
one need expect that statehood will
fail to produce fight equal in bit
terness to that brought out in the
closing days of the last congress. I'm /
like tie house, the senate will not be
ruled to any considera BILE extent by
the position of political parties, and
while it may be expected that the So
called regular republicans of the SEN
ate will support the position of Presi- !
dent Taft, which in the case of the
Arizona matter is against the recall
pro DIVISIONS of the constitution and n
the New Mexico matter for absolute
approval of the constitution in its
original form, yet there may be indi-
vidual expressions among this class
of republicans. The progressive re-
publicans have taken a position very
much like that of the democratic
majority in the house and may be ex-
pected to follow a practically similar
course. Among the democratic send-
tors there is the same divergence of
opinion as that already indicated
among the republican sOlons, and the
final result must necessarily be ar
rived at according to the individual
preferences and views of senator's,
rather than through any Political
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