Bisbee daily review., 1909-01-02
STATEHOOD AND THE CONSTITUTION.

IT, as suggested 5v Governor Kibbey. they see fit to give the president the l authority to say vhelher the Arizona constitution is what it should be the republican majority may do so. but when they do 1t they will be clothing the president with power never before granted in recent years to the presi- dent in the program of making a new state.
 But. we do not believe such a pro vision in the Arizona statehood bin would deter the people of this terri tory from going ahead with their work of framing q constitution which they believed wouli be best for the future state, regardless of whether IL met the approval of the president or not.
 While we have little faith in the passage of any statehood bill by the present congress, y;ili such an event is possible. When 1t is passed will pc time enough 70 begin the discus 5ion of what should be contained in the constitution of the new state, but certainly there should be no discus sion over the necessity and desire that the constitution shall provide a government by the people of Arizona. The right of self-goyernment has been the boon which has spurred the state hood desire to effort in all the territories of the pdst: this desire to govern ourselves is the handspring of the Arizona statehood ambition.
 It is to be regretted that Governor Kibbey failed to specify the individ- uals in Washington and in congress who are opposing he admission of Arizona because of fear as to the rad realism of the constitution which would be framed py the state. If this opposition was known we believe it would be easy to convince the gentle men that their fears as to the qualifi- cation of Arizona 10 provide a satis- factory constitution were groundless- The Phoenix Rep Iblican says that Solomon Luna had found the same op- position in Washington as told about by Governor Kibbey. We read an in terview with Mir Luna published in the Albuquerque Journal on his arriv- al from Washington, but we found no intimation of opposition because otI anxiety as 10 the constitutions of the new states.
 As remarked a few days ago. the constitution of the new state of Ari- zona should be conservative and free from any taint of ropulistic doctrine. It should be an instrument upon which might be builded laws suitable for promoting the development of the magnificent resou-ces of Arizona; there should be nothing to alarm cap itaI which is needed 10 develop the mines of the new state and 10 build additional railroads for facilitating mine development, but at the same time there should be provision for regulating public utilities of all kind, so that oppressive burdens may not be placed upon the people.
 To insure a constitution in every way worthy of the great state of Ari- zona our ablest men should be chos- en in the several counties as members of the constitutional convention and with little regard b politics. These men should proceed with their work, not as politicians, but as men desir- ing only the welfare of the future state and the good of the loyal citi- zenship which has ftIed the territory to join the sisterht cd of states
 With such body Of men as could be chosen in Arizona there would he no question about the approval of the constitution by President Taft or by congress and for this reason no harm could come to Arsona, even if the plan suggested by Governor Kibbey were adopted. thesgh we feel that such a statehood t:E would cause much humiliation at home and place us in the light of "suspicious char acter" before the woild.
 If Governor Kibbey has his gay about the statehood bill and the con stitution framed oy Arizona fails toI meet approval in Washington the re- sponsibility will lie al the door of the republican party. Of which he is the head in Arizona