The Washington herald., 1912-01-28
Rr ROBERT STEIN.

Under the title Lower California and
q bit OF Sonora would give seaport to
Arizona" the author, writing in The
WASHINGTON Herald OF July ?. 1911, sug-
gested that the most fitting birthday
present which the nation could offer 10
the newborn State of Arizona would be
a port on the Gulf of California Copies
Of the article were sent 10 every news
paper IN Arizona and the three southern
counties OF California, TO all the papers
in San Francisco. Portland, Tacoma
Seattle. and the West Indies, TO some
fifty papers in Canada, and TO half a
dozen prominent men in Arizona, New
Mexico. and California. Most of the good
seed thus scattered broadcast probably
fell by the wayside or among the spiny
cactus One lucky grain appears TO nave
found 4 fertile soil in the mind OF Hon.
Ralph Henry Cameron, Congressional
Delegate from Arizona for the last two
years. According to a recent dispatch,
that influential leader Is determined not
10 rest till the barrier that keeps ms
State from contact with the sea Is aool-
ished II is safe to say that the mere
announcement of his purpose has caused
real estate in the Sonora desert to jump
from zero TO a conspicuous height
Arizona Another Egypt.
With a lively campaign thus in pros
pect. it seems worth while TO inquire into
the advantages OF the plan and the
chances OF its realization.
Tie extensive lowlands at the mouth
Of the Colorado River, now a desert.
could. py irrigation, be converted into
a second Egypt, capable OF supporting
several million inhabitants. Since the
river is ours, It seems only proper that
It should irrigate our land and feed our
people.
The opening OF the Panama Canal will
greatly increase the sea-borne traffic OF
Arizona a glance at the map shows that
for a large part OF that traffic the com
paratiycly smooth waters Of the Gulf OF
California. when adequately provided with
buoys and lighthouses, would represent
the most convenient route. a well-ap-
pointed port at the head OF the gulf will
then become a necessity. and since 1t
will be fed almost entirely by the COM
merce of Arizona, it would be a very
torture of TantalUs for the citizens OF
that State to see the smoke Of that port
rolling along their southern horizon and
yet to know that II is on foreign terri
tory. In that port, the wealth OF Ari-
zona would necessarily be to a large eN-
tent concentrated. and thus the young
and ambitious Commonwealth would con-
sistently be forced to contribute to the
enrichment of a foreign city. The popu-
lation of the city is bound to be almost
exclusively ArizOnian in origin and sym
pathy, and would necessarily make con-
stant efforts for union with its hinter-
land. thus constituting for Mexico a con-
stant danger of insurrection. The union
OF the seaport with Arizona is in fact In
evitable, and rather then let IL be de-
layed till it is effected by violence, after
a period Of tension and disorder. it would
seem TO be the part Of wisdom to accom-
pIish IL peaceably as soon as possible and
thus avoid the ilI-feeling which could not
fail to be generated between the two re-
publics by long continued agitation.
The value Of Magdalena Bay in Lower
California as a base for our navy has
long been recognized. II our Pacific
coast We're ever attacked by a hostile
feet there would always be the danger
that that fleet might seize defenseless
Magdelena Bay and use it as a base of
operations against US, just as it would
use the Hawaiian Islands If they were
still unanneXed and unfOrtified Were
Lower California in our hands, We should. |
Of course. build a railway throughout its
length and thus insure the bay against
seizure.
Mexico Against Sale.
The sanguine plan seems to be shivered
against a cold fact. The Mexican con- |
stitUtion does not indeed provide the |
death penalty for any one proposing a |
sale of territory, as is sometimes assert |
ed. but popular sentiment on that point |
IS said to he so strong that a Mexican
statesman making such a proposal would |
condemn himself to political death |
However. the fierce determination that |
preCmdes a sale need not preclude an
exchange. The Sonora desert '(2O,OOO-25. 600 |
square miles,, is at present absolutely |
worthless TO Mexico, and Lower CalifOr- |
MIA C5S.32S square miles. 5000 inhabitants), |
is not worth much more. MagdaIena |
Bay is OF no value in the hands of Mexi- |
CO, though it would be of great value to !
US. If the piece Of land offered in ex-
change were not deemed an absolute |
equivalent, we should, of course, be glad /
10 throw in the requisite sum Of money |
TO boot.
Again We seem to be blocked. We have
not at present any land that We should |
care to part with and that Mexico would |
care to accept. But can't we acquire |
Something that may fill the bill?
II, for example, British Honduras were |
ours, It would form a most tempting |
object OF exchange. 1t has 1900 inhabi-
tants now and room enough on its Z, |