The Coconino sun., 1927-03-04
INTERESTING STORY TOLD OF HOW
ARIZONA OBTAINED STATEHOOD

1t was a long and bitter fight that
Arizona waged for statehood. Thru
out the United States the battle was
felt, periodicals and newspapers tax
ing sides, writer's dipping their pens
and spraying opinions everywhere;
politicians made the territory an issue
in their own personal fights; prom
ises were made and broken over the
state, friends made enemies and two
states pitted against zone another be
cause Of the proposal to join them as
one.
Monday afternoon at the Woman's
club of Tucson, all the years of strug-
Cling were told authentically, in de-
tail, but not without a measure of
humor and humanncss by John B.
Wright. The program observed the
birthday Of the state, February II, a
st. Valentine state.
.tThe radicalism in Arizora's fight
for statehood would have shocked the
most liberal leaders Of the original
thirteen states" said Mr.. Wright prior
to tracing the history Of Arizona from
its acquisition by the United States
from Mexico by the treaty Of Guada-
lupe Hidalgo in 1848 and by the Cad
sen purchase from Mexico in 1853. In
1863, congress divided the territory Of
New Mexico into two territories, and
what was then the county of Arizona
became the territory of Arizona.
Statehood talk began in 1872 when
Richard c.. McCornick, republican ex-
governor Of the territory was the ter
ritorial delegate to congress-" contin-
ued the speaker, tracing the fight
through Grant, Ourey, c.. C. Bean and
Marcus Al. Smith. All bills before
congress were killed because of insult
ficient population, wealth and com
mercial Importance.
The people in the territory were
also working for statehood. A consti-
tutional convention with az delegates
met in January, 1890. In 1893 an
other statehood convention met in
Phoenix Again in 1901 and 1902 eff
forts were made to get into the great
United States as q state. Politics were
playing an important part in the fight
for statehood and its opposition in
congress, being democratic, the re-
publicans invariably voted down any
proposed measures to make the dream
an actuality. AT one time there was
proposal to make Arizona and New
Mexico one state. This was fortun-
ately defeated, as the state residents
were up in arms and a Phoenix con-
vention Of 3,100 persons voted to a
man against it.
But the fight continued and a bill
got through the lower house propos-
al. A bitter fight took place in the
senate. The literature of the day took
Arizona's side in the fight
After this upheaval the clamor SUB
sided for a few years, Mr.. Wright
said. In 1908 Taft was elected on a
platform which promised statehood tc
Arizona. The president visited the
state and spoke his views Of state
hood in Phoenix, October Is, 1909.
II want to congratulate You on hav-
ing such territory, such energy anc
such enterprise" said President Taft
in part. II want to say that so far as
| am concerned, | am going to helE
carry out that promise as far as
can," referring to pledge to state
hood
President Taft made good his prom
Use and a bill was passed in the house
and senate June 16, 1910 and waI
signed, after amendments by Presi
dent Taft, June 20, 1910.
The state sput on show accord
ing to Mr. Wright, when the bill wen
through, but soon turned attention tx
the drafting Of constitution, calling
convention for October, 1919, fol
which George w. P. Hunt was elected
president.
ssThen the convention got down tx
work and by December 10 had drawn
up the most radical and, so-called
progressive constitution which any
state had ever known. Bitter opposi
tion on the part of the republican;
and very few of the more conserva
tive democrats sprung up against
some of the most radical clause:
which We're known to be opposed By
Taft and the administration.
The situation grew strained as tht
state fight over the constitution con
| tinucd, but eventually it was approved
and the initiative. The acceptance b,
the Union Of the new state convention
was another matter, but Washing
ton sneered at the initiative, sniffet
at the referendum, and had spasms
over the recall.v Amendments had tc
be made to the constitution and wher
the resolution for admitting Arizona
to statehood was passed the president
promptly vetoed it. Congress tallzeJ
Of passing it over President Taft's
veto, but compromise was agreed