Arizona republican., 1909-10-19

put it onto Washington. You cannot
 say if they only understood what the
 needs of New Mexico were then we
 would have good officials all the time
 You have got to do the selecting
 yourself You have got to do some
 thing else-you have to pass consti-
 tuition that shall serve as a funda-
 mental law, for a hundred years, it may be, because constitutions are not
 easily amended.
 And you are going to have intro duced into that convention great
 many men who are going to try to make people good and just by statute; that are going to accom- plish everything by law and who in tend to put so many limitations on your legislature that it cannot move at all.
 And now you have got to meet that issue, and if you want to get in with a constitution that bucks and gags you, and ties you in every way. that is the kind of a responsibility you have got to assume, but l hope you won't.
 T hope you won't, because I mean to become as responsible as I can for your admission into the United States, and I want you to come in and stand up like other states with out the burden of a constitution that is a mere statutory provision for de- tails. but with a fundamental law that shall be like the constitution of the United States. simple, compre tn vested rights and personal liberty. but not going into all the details that present condition presents that may cease to be of the slightest import ance except as a burdensome re- striction in the next ten years.
 Tn other words, make yourselves statesmen and send statesmen to your convention when you draft a consti- tuition.
 The trouble is when you are mak- ing a constitution you will take any old thing if you can only get state hood. I know that. Well, there ought to be a provision by which you should first vote on your constitu- tion, and then vote on your officers. and I hope you have the strength of character enough to vote down poor constitution.
 If you could get one, why then come in with it. but if you do not then have courage enough to vote it down. I don't know whether you will have or not. You have that yet to prove. I like to look into your faces and see that you are Americans and you are just as conscious that you are going to be the most per feet state in the union as possible. You do not assume that these bur dens with respect to statehood amount to anything only give us statehood and everything else is heaven be- yond
 Well, you will find that little different when you get into it, but it is no reason why your desire for in dependence, for statehood. for a larger measure of self government should be denied to you, but I ask you in your own interest, not as a partisan, not representing any par ticular party, but anxious that every state that comes into the union should add to the force, the intelligence and loyalty to that union.
 Anxious for that I ask you to be most careful when you make up your and when you select your first state officers"
 The reports of the banquet tender ed to the president at Albuquerque on the night of the 18th, make it clear that some of the statesmen there took advantage of the Oc- casion to insult MT. Taft, as the AL buquerque paper had insulted him. At the banquet he talked along the same lines as in the day. Following him the politicians harrangued for two hours. while the president sat patient ly listening. They openly expressed doubts of his sincerity. He finally said, with superb irony-which of course. was lost on the bunch, how ever:
 T am like a judge I knew once. who at the end of a long argument by counsel, said: MT. Wolfe, in spite of your argument, I am still with you" He concluded his remarks at the banquet with these patient words:
 Let us be sensible. I am not con- tending against your coming in. am only contending that you should come in sane.
 The gentleman across the table used the term possibly as if he still suspects my sincerity and good will Well, of course, a man cannot do any more than promise and then try to carry it out. I do think you may have had in times past req son to complain because Of promises made that were not fulfilled I do not know. I am not sufficiently vers- haps, you have a right to distrust me, but heretofore I have tried to tell the truth, tried to carry out such promises as I have made. You will bear me out tonight in the view that I have not softened exactly what I intended to say by reason of a fear that you might criticise me after ward
 It is unfortunate that MT. Taft must take home with him the i'm pression that at least some of the people of the two territories are wild and woody.
 The Indians raIlure.