Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1905-07-25
EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN
IN FAVOR OF JOINT STATEHOOD
From Nosalss. Oasis

Il is not only possible but quite probable that con-
gress will override our objections to joint statehood and
pass the joint statehood measure at the next session
thereof. We had as well, therefore, begin preparations
for a vigorous campaign against the adoption OF a con-
stitution. AS the campaign must be an educational and
nonpartisan one we cannot commence the work TOO early.
Florence Blade.
The Blade is correct in some particulars but away off
in many more. Not only is It probable that the Hamilton
bill will pass congress next winter, but L is quite certain.
Then when 1t comes 20 a campaign for adoption oil a con
stitution the educational process will be all the other way
than the one the Blade is looking. When the people come
to study a modern state constitution and contract there
with the obsolete, antiquated, rigid and inelastic organic
act of the territory of Arizona, they will be apt to be
found voting for adoption of the constitution. When they
realize that the territorial organic act as one in the franz
ing of which they had no voice, and cannot amend no mat
ter how much they wanted to do it, and realize that the
constitution proposed is an instrument of their own hand
work, which they can amend at will, they will be apt to
stand for the constitution.
The prediction is here ventured that It will be very
like the election in California upon adoption of the con
stitution of 1879. All the great financial, monetary and
transportation interests of California opposed adoption,
as did all or nearly ali she newspapers. In San Francisco
there was but one of the great dailies-the Chronicle
which supported the new instrument; and throughout the
state the newspapers which advocated adoption could be
counted on the fingers of a mans two hands. All the
noise and all the shouting was on one side-that opposed
to the constitution; and when the polls closed the man
ayers of the opposition to adoption declared the proposed
fundamental law was defeated; but when the votes were
counted out of the ballot boxes it was found that the in.
strument had received a tremendous majority. The PEG.
pie had been in "a campaign of education'-such as the
Blade suggests. They had contrasted the proposed new
fundamental law with the one it superseded, and found
that the new one gave them more power and made their
chosen servants more readily responsive TO their de.
mands.
Whenever the people are given a chance to enlarge
their own liberties and hold to a stricter accountability
their own servants they are prone to seize the opportun.
ity. When the people of Arizona come to IAN educational
campaign" on a state constitution they will speedily and
accurately realize the wide difference between electing
their, governor, state officials and judiciary and accepting
men chosen at Washington-and they will be very apt to
vote for the constitution. They will realize that a con
stitution will give to them numerous powers in the way
Of regulation of transportation, taxation and other mat
ters-powers they donot possess; and they will be apt tc
vote to themselves those powers by adopting the consti
tuition.
1t will be indeed an educational campaign-and the
people will be the schoolmaster.