A Bill (H.R. 12707) "to enable the people of Oklahoma and of the Indian Territory to form a constitution and State government, and to enable the people of New Mexico and of Arizona to form a constitution and State government," was introduced in the House of Representatives by Hon. Edward L.
Documents Leading to Statehood
A Bill (H.R. 18166) "to enable the people of New Mexico to form a constitution and State government, and to enable the people of Arizona to form a constitution and State government," was reported from Committee on Territories of the House of Representatives, as a substitute for pending statehood measures, by Hon. Edward L. Hamilton of Michigan, January 14, 1910; debated and passed January 17, 1910.
Statutes At Large Volume 36 Page 557 "An Act To enable the people of New Mexico to form a constitution and state government and be admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States; and to enable the people of Arizona to form a constitution and state government and be admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States." Sections 19-35 cover Arizona.
The first version of the Constitution of the State of Arizona was signed December 9, 1910 by the members of the Constitutional Convention of the Territory of Arizona and is from the collections of the Arizona State Archives. This version of the constitution was vetoed by President William Howard Taft because it included a provision for the recall of judges.
A Joint Resolution (HJR 14) "approving the constitution formed by the constitutional conventions of the Territories of New Mexico and Arizona," was introduced in the House of Representatives, by Hon. Henry D.
S.J. Res.
Page 39 of The United States Statutes at Large Volume 37 contains, "Joint Resolution To admit the Territories of New Mexico and Arizona as States into the Union upon an equal footing with the original States" authorized statehood for Arizona if certain conditions were met.. ...Arizona's admission was conditioned upon the adoption by the people of Arizona of an amendment to the constitution excepting the judiciary from the recall provision.
Congressional Record Volume 47 pages 4118-4141 contains the U.S. Senate "New Mexico and Arizona" debate from August 18, 1911 which highlights the issues surrounding the admission of New Mexico and Arizona into the Union of states. The debate centers on whether Arizona should be admitted to the Union if the state constitution allows for the recall of members of the judiciary. President Taft was opposed to allowing recall.
This case is mentioned in the U.S. Congressional floor debates about the judicial recall provision in the Arizona Constitution because it established that when a state is admitted to the Union on an equal footing then the conditions of the enabling act are no longer valid.
The Statutes at Large Part 2 page 1728 contains the proclamation by Presitent Taft on February 14, 1912 making Arizona the 48th state. When the people of Arizona by their votes eliminated the recall of the judiciary, to satisfy the President’s demand, they did so with a mental reservation, and at the very next election, on November 5, 1912...