Arizona silver belt., 1897-10-21
THURSDAY. OCTOBER al, 1897.
HOME RULE WILL NOT SAVE US

We publish III this issue of THE SILVER BKLT, at the request of W. O. O'Neill, plea for home rule for Ari- zona. He states that an effort is to be made to organize Home Rule League, which it is intended to mako territorial in its character, without regard to politics, to be based upon tbe principle of the right of the people of the terri tory to elect their own officers.
 Recent discreditable acts of the Me Cord administration have occasionsd much indignation, and feeling pre- vails that the law in referen to the tenure of our territorial officials should be entirely removed from federal con trol and the officers from governor down made elective by the people. In theory the proposition seems plausible and right. It is more in consonance with the spirit of American indepsnd- snce and republican form of govern ment, but when that is said the argu- ment for home rule for the territor. is closed.
 While we appreciate the serious detriment and menace to Arizona of the continuance in office of McCord and his retainers, and would be grati- fled to have them removed, neverthe- less in the light of the past history of Arizona we can not discover in home rule, as advocated by our friend Buckley, remedy for our political ills A retrospective view gives no encour- agement to the opinion that Arizona would be better of with men elected by the people filling all the offices than with portion of them appointed by the president, as now. The enormous debt under which the territory groans has been incurred chiefly through legislative extiavagance and corrup- tion and the mismanagement of county affairs by incompetent and unprin- cipled officials of the peoples choos. ing. We can not evade the responsi- bility and penalties of our own acts. Our legislatures have been rotten, county officials often incapable or dis honest. Our political parties at home are equally as perverted, and controlled by charlstans, as in any state of the Union. "A stream does not rise nboye its source, and people will be judged by the acts of officials whom they elect to serve them. If as MT. O'Neill says, foreign influences have controlled the policy and acts of terri torisl officials, the agents of the for. eign shylocks live amongst us and dominate our politics.
 How then can we escape the baleful consequences of our own actsp How can we reetify our past mistakes and retrieve our territory in public estima- iion--of those who seek investments in mines, in railroads and in the develop ment of the resources for which Ari- zona is justly famed? The reforms must begin with the people; they must be radical and far reaching. In dependence of political parties is abso. ntely necessary before any good can be accomplished, and parties must be held strictly accountable for the mis. takes and wrongdoings of their crea. lures elected to office. Economy in territorial and county affairs mus. be ihsisted upon. If the proposed league were organized upon these lines il would have our approval and support, but if it's sole purpose is to advocate ihe election of territorial officials now appointive by the president it is our opinion that the league will fail to effect any good for Arizona.