WHY ARIZONA OPPOSES UNION WITH NEW MEXICO PY DWIGHT B. HEARD CHAIRMAN OF THE DELEGATION OF ARIZONA CITIZENS, WHO HAVE BEEN IN WASHINGTON PROTESTING AGAINST THE PROPOSED UNION OF ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO The editorial position taken by THE WORLD TO-DAY has been one of steady opposition to the admission of Arizona and New Mexico as separate states. The grounds for this opposition as stated have been the probability that the region now included within the two territories would be always sparsely inhabited, that the new state would be controlled by men representing special interests, and that it was not advisable to give a comparatively small population four senators. In the interest of fair play we are glad to print this article by Mr. Heard with its highly forceful arguEditorial comment upon its position will be found on another ments. page. HAT the vast majority of the citizens of Arizona are absolutely and unalterably opposed to the proposed union with New Mexico has been conclusively proved in the recent hearing granted the delegation of Arizona citizens by the committee on territories of the House of Representatives. One of the most interesting illustrations of the intense feeling of the people of Arizona on this subject was shown by a petition of protest presented to the house. committee, and signed by 3,100 persons, which was obtained within thirty minutes at the last day of the annual territorial fair, held at Phoenix, December 30, 1905. This petition reads as follows: We, the citizens of Arizona, in attendance at the first annual territorial fair, on Saturday, December 30, do hereby earnestly protest against the proposed union of Arizona and New Mexico to form one state. We are freeborn American citizens who have inherited as a birthright the principles enunciated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. Among these is the right to self-government. We fear that the Congress of the United States may be deceived as to the sentiment in Arizona by partisan zealots. We submit that we are capable of knowing what is for our best interests, and we affirm that with almost no exceptions our people are unalterably opposed to this obnoxious union. We do not believe that the exigencies of party politics justify forcing the people of Arizona under the domination of the people of New language and laws. Mexico, who are very largely different in race, We prefer to remain a territory indefinitely rather than lose our identity, and, finally, we respectfully submit that there is no necessity of settling this question until it can be settled right. The low rates made by the railroads had brought all classes of people to the fair grounds from every section of the territory, and the grand stand, holding over three thousand persons, was packed with a thoroughly representative crowd of Ari zonians. In order to ascertain what the real sentiment of these people was on the subject of joint statehood, a short resolution protesting against the joint Statehood Bill was read through a megaphone and all who were opposed to joint statehood were asked to rise. The grand stand rose as one man. In order to learn whether the above action was merely a temporary sentiment or the expression of the real feeling of the people, fifty men who had volunteered for the for the purpose, passed through the grand stand with petitions |