Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1910-11-04
INITIATIVE AND
REFERENDUM
Arizona Convention in ,'Throes
of Big Debate on Direct
legislation
GRAND JURY IS ABOLISHED
Constitution Makers of Neigh
boring Territory Seems to
Have 1t in for Courts.

Phoenix, Ariz., Nov. 1.-THE long ex-
pected debate on the initiative and
referendum in the constitutional con
vention began today. Before the
noon recess, three minority reports
and two amendments to the report of
the legislative committee were defeat
ed while the committee of the whole
had under consideration the substitute
offered by Representative Baker of
Phoenix, former chief justice OF the
supreme court. The proposed elimi-
nation of three counties from the APP
phi ability Of direct Legislation was
defeated.
Foes of the Courts.
Declaring that AriZona's cOnstitu
tional convention is the first assem-
blage which has the power to carry
out the pledge in the national Demo-
cratic platform restricting the use of
the injunction, NJ. G. Cunniff, of Yava-
PAL county made a sensational speech
in the convention today in which he
arraigned the courts for "usurpatiOn
of power never given them,' in with
holding from persons rights guaran-
teed by the federal constitution.
The speech was a defense of the
proposition introduced by him and
which was adversely reported by the
Judiciary committee. 1t was a fea-
tuTe Of the debate in which the Dem
ocratic members of the convention ar
raigned others of the majority.
Mr.. Cunniff said the Democratic
party was committed to the policy
of checking such usurpation by the
courts. In many instances, he de
clared, the courts have abrogated the
rights of individuals at the behest of
special vested interests.
Mr.. Cunningham, chairman of the
Judiciary committee, defended the
report, declaring the penalty clause
in the proposition providing for i'm
peachment and removal is too drastic.
He characterized the entire PROPOSE
ton as retrogression to the dark
ages.
The proposition was finally de-
feated by a vote of Is to 81.
Grand Jury Abolished.
A virtual abolition of the grand
jury system was decided upon by
vote of 80 to 12 in the final passage
of Delegate Lynch's proposition. 1t
provides there shall be criminal trials
only by indictment or information af-
ter hearing before a magistrate,
but superior judge is given power
to call grand jury session.
suffraeists Had Their Day.
Little was accomplished in the
open convention yesterday The
morning session was brief and the
afternoon session was equally so,
partly because there was no business
ready and partly because there was
to be a public hearing at three
O'Clock by the committee on elections
of the equal suffrage question and
for this occasion the leading advo-
Gates of votes for women had been
brought from the four corners of
the territory.
The hearing was held in the cOun-
Gil chamber Chairman Jones of the
committee, after calling it to order,
stated that the further proceedings
would be under the direction of Mrs.
Frances Munds, the head of the Ari-
zona Womens Suffrage Association.
At three O'Clock the galleries were
well filled and Judging from the dem
onstration the audience was largely
in sympathy with the movement.
Mrs. Munds occupied place on
the platform of the president of the
council surrounded by the scheduled
speakers. She first introduced Mrs.
]. A, Hopkins of Miami, Gila county
who she said was one of the large
number of persons designated by the
census officials as without occupa-
| ton; that is, she was nothing but
housekeeper. Mrs. Hopkins who is
very young matron read a well
prepared paper dealing with the
equal suffrage question from gen
eral point of view, taking the ground
that the admission of women to suf-
frage would be better for the women,
better for the men and better for
the state.
The next speaker was DR.. Agnes
Wallace, of Prescott, who spoke in
behalf of professional women and
wage earners. Both had found them
selves handicapped for lack of the
suffrage and she related the expert
ences of herself and others who had
been denied public positions which
they were well able to fill because
they were without votes and conse-
'quently without political influence
which in the appointive officeholder
under the present system takes the
place of efficiency.
Looking Backward.
Perhaps the hit of the day was
made by Mrs. Virgil Parks of Tue
son. Her paper was a story well
told, of conversation supposed to
have taken place in the year of Our
Lord 1860 describing the struggle
and success of the women of Ari
zona fifty years before in securing
recognition in the Arizona constitu-
tional convention.
A little boy of the story having
failed to understand his grandmother
the relator, who said suffrage had
been granted, as he was leaving to