The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1950-05-02

Alaska has been an organized ter
ritory for 38 years. That is Longer
than the territorial period OF the
majority of the % states that went
through territorial status before be.
ing admitted to the Union.
The proponents of immediate
statehood for Alaska have made
much of this fact, using it as ar
argument for passage of a statehood
enabling act, any kind of statehood
enabling act, at once. 1t is little
like arguing that person is entitled
to a college diploma because he
lived four years on college campus
What actually counts in prepare
ton for statehood is not the length
of the apprenticeship but what was
accomplished during it.
The most feasible measure oil
Alaska's accomplishments under
territorial government is a compari-
son with other territories that have
since become states. Arizona and
New Mexico are the most susceptible
to comparison: they are the newest
Of the states, both had longer-than-
average periods under territorial
government, and both are large in
area and were rather sparsely popu-
lated when they became states.
New Mexico and Arizona were, OF
course, a long step ahead OF Alaska
from the start. They were guaran-
teed eventual statehood by the
treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo BY
which they came under the rule OF
the United States. There is no such
guarantee in the treaty with Russia
by which the United States acquired
Alaska.
New Mexico, Arizona
Despite this guarantee, however
New Mexico and Arizona remained
territories for 81 years before Con-
gress saw fit to admit them to the
Union. They came very close to
being admitted as one state in 1850
Arizona was then a county OF the
Territory of New Mexico. The terri
tory fully expected to become state
along with California and went SO
far as to adopt a state constitution
and elect two US. Senators. At the
last minute it was denied admit
lance by the historic Compromise OF
1850.
Thirteen years later, in 1868, the
county of Arizona was set up as a
new territory and commenced her
own long fight for statehood, a
fight that was to last another 40
years.
New Mexico continued her state
hood battle on an almost continu-
Gus front and if contemporary re-
porting is to be trusted it was a
live issue, not merely with hand
full of political office holders but
with nearly every individual in the
territory.
A second constitutional conven-
ton was held in 1876, another con-
stitution was formulated and a
statehood bill was introduced III
Congress. 1t passed both houses and
failed to become law only because
of nonconcurrence in an amend
ment.
New Mexico's third constitutional
was held in 1889. 1t lasted
nearly a month and again framed
a constitution. Presumably the peo-
pie Of the territory were by then
reasonably familiar with state con-
situations and had pretty well made
up their minds as to the kind OF
constitution they wanted. A state
hood bill went to Congress again
that year and was followed by other
bills at each session of Congress for
the next 81 years until the enabling
act was finally passed on June 20,
1910.
Land Grant Made
In the meantime, in 1898 the
United States granted the Territory
of New Mexico 100000 acres OF
land which could be leased or sold
for the support of the territorial
institutions, plus two sections OF
land in each township for the COM
mon schools. Land surveys were
rapidly completed so that nearly 70
percent Of the territory's lands had
been surveyed by the time statehood
was granted.
New Mexico also did great deal
for herself during her territorial
years. County government had been
perfected for 20 counties long be-
fore statehood was achieved and
the following territorial institutions
were in full operation dozen years
before statehood: a university. an