Politics, Labor, and the War on Big Business: The Path of Reform in Arizona, 1890-1920

2. Stirring the Political Pot

29 StirringthePoliticalPot In the early 1890s Arizonans had two major causes: statehood and free silver. The two major parties agreed on these goals, but neither was willing to offer much in terms of political reform or to challenge corporations in the interests of labor. This left room for the emergence of a third party. The pressure for change in this direction was stimulated further by a chain of events— a severe economic downturn , the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, and the Pullman Strike. Arizona’s population grew from 88,243 in 1890 to 122,931 in 1900.1 Many prominent Arizonans viewed favorable economic and population trends as proof that the territory was ready to make the transition to statehood. Statehood meant selfgovernment , a step upward in status, and full participation in national politics. It also meant getting away from “carpetbag rule”—being governed as the South had been after the Civil War by appointed officials from the North and the East. Opposition to statehood in the US Congress was rooted largely in partisan considerations. Republicans were in charge and saw little value in creating a T w o 30 s t i r r i n g t h e P o l i t i c a l P o t state that was likely to send Democrats to the nation’s capital.2 Many members of Congress were put off by Arizonans’ commitment to free silver in the 1890s.3 In calling for free silver, Arizonans joined a national effort demanding that the federal government return to the bimetallic gold and silver standard it had abandoned in 1873 by purchasing silver bullion for conversion into silver dollars without limit at a ratio of sixteen grains of silver to one grain of gold. The movement for the free coinage of silver was popular in Arizona as a general inflationary policy that would allow debtors to pay off their creditors with less valuable dollars but, more important, as a way of reviving the silver mining industry. The latter was a goal upon which both mine owners and mine workers could agree. The silver issue also fit well with the aims of a long line of farmers and workers who, in the anti-monopoly tradition, saw free silver as a way to ensure economic opportunity and political equality.4 In an effort to prompt congressional action on statehood, the territorial legislature called for a Constitutional Convention to meet in September 1891 in Phoenix, ignoring the customary practice of waiting for congressional permission to frame a constitution. Democrats dominated the convention, holding an advantage of 16 to 5 over Republicans. Among the provisions in the proposed constitution the delegates put together was one that made silver as well as gold legal tender in the payment of debts, whether private or public, incurred in the state.5 Delegates valued the silver provision on its own merits and hoped to give stimulus to the cause. Delegates also hoped the provision would encourage people in mining communities in Arizona to vote for the constitution and that it would help secure support for Arizona statehood among senators representing silver-producing states in the US Congress.6 When submitted for public approval, the proposed constitution passed by a vote of 5,440 to 1,280. Not surprisingly, it did especially well in mining areas.7 The stand in favor of free silver, however, seems to have backfired in Congress, generating more opposition than support for statehood. The chairman of the all important Senate Committee on Territories was among those most vocally opposed to the constitution and the silver provision.8 Congress had already strengthened the free silver lobby by admitting several western states (the Dakotas, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming) in 1889–1890. Many members hesitated to add more states in which the silver movement was strong. In spite of setbacks in Washington, during the 1890s many political insiders believed that Arizona would soon become a state. Since statehood meant the Arizona legislature would select two US senators, considerable national interest was directed toward Arizona politics. Populist organizers came to the area to build up the territorial party in hopes of making an impact on the legislature (see chapter 3). Executives with the Santa Fe and the Southern Pacific also gave careful consideration as to how they might influence the choice of the new US 31 s t i r r i...