Arizona state miner., 1927-02-26
ARIZONA'S | ON c
ST R j Gel T OR
ST A 7 { H D D D
Tucsonan Relates the Many
Incidents that Lead to the
Final Admission of the
State Into the Union in
1912.

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 is
sue in their own personal fights;
promises were made and broken over
the state, friends maze enemies and
two states pitted against one another
because of the proposal to join them
as one. l&N
Monday afternoon at the Woman's
club of Tucson, all Of the years of
struggling were told authentically, in
detail, but not without measure
of humor and humanness by John
B. Wright. The program observed
the birthday of the state, February
IA, St. Valentine state.
1.-THE radicalism in AriZona's fight
for statehood wouIu have shocked the
most liberal leaders of the original
thirteen states" said Mr.. wright prior
to tracing the history of Arizona from
it's acquisition by the United States
from Mexico by the treaty of Guada
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 Ari-
zona became the terrltory OF Arizona.
statehood talk began in 1872,
when Richard G. Mccormick, Re-
publican ex-governor of the terriS
tory was the territorial delegate to
congress- continued the speaker,
tracing the fight through Grant,
Ourey, G. c. Bean and Marcus A.
Smith. All bills before congress
were killed because of insufficient
population, wealth and commercial
Importance.
State Was Busy
the people in the territory were
also working for statehood. A con-
stitutional convention with AZ dele
gates met in January, 1890. In 1898
another statehood convention met
in Phoenix. Again in 1901 and 1902 |
efforts were made to get into the
great United States as state.
Politics was playing an important part
in the fight for statehood anu its op-
position in congress, being Demo-
cratic, the Republicans invariably
voted down and proposed measures
to make the dream an actuality. At
one time there was proposal to
make Arizona and New Mexico one !
state. This was fortunately defeated, |
as the state residents were up in arms
and a Phoenix convention of 31OO per
sons voted to a man against it.
But the fight continued and bill
got through the lower house pro
posing statehood of Arizona and New
Mexico as one state, Roosevelt was
backing the proposal. A bitter fight
took place in the senate. The litera-
ture of the day took Arizona's side |
in the fight.
After this upheavel the clamor sub
sided for a few years, Mr.. Wright
said In 1909 Taft was elected on a
platform which promised statehood to
Arizona The president visited the
state and spoke his views of statehood
in Phoenix, October 13, 1909.
II want to congratulate you on hav-
ing such territory, such energy and |
such enterprise" said President Taft,
in part. 81 want to say that so far
as l am concerned, l am going to
help carry out that promise as far
as / can," referring to a pledge to
statehood.
President Keeps Faith
President Taft made good his prom |
ise and bill was passed in the house |
and senate June 16, 1910 and was
signed, after amendments by President |
Taft, June 20, 1910.
The state put on show" according |
to Mr. Wright, when the bill went
through, but soon turned attention to
the drafting of a constitution, calling |!
a convention for October, 1919, for
which George w. P. Hunt was elected |
president.
"Then the convention got down to
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 Republicans |
and very few of the more conserva-
tive Democrats sprung up against some
of the most radical clauses which were |
known to be opposed by Taft and the
administration.
The situation grew strained as the |
state fight over the constitution con-
tinued, but eventually it was approved,
and the initiative. The acceptance
by the Union of the new state con-
vention was another matter, but
Washington sneered at the initiative, |
shifted at the referendum, and had !
spasms over the recall" Amend
ments had to be made to the consti-
tuition and when the resolution for
admitting Arizona to statehood was
passed the president promptly vetoed |
it. Congress talked of passing it
over President Taft's veto, but COM
promise was agreed upon, and finally
the president signed the resolution
August 21, 1911.
Mild Celebrations
Throughout the territory celebra-
tons followed Tafts signing Of the
statehood resolution. In many ways
the election afterWari was a complata