The Arizona sentinel., 1910-10-27
Constitutional
 Convention
What is to Come?

of introducing proposed pianks in the constitution. The people of Arizona have had an opportu. nity to form a judgment of the capabilities, capacities and per sonal principles and intentions of the representatives they chose by their ballots in September. It is motley assemblage of all sorts and conditions of men, with all sorts and conditions of polit- ical and economical beliefs.
 The propositions introduced are of wide variance in charac- ter. This was expected. Some of them are planned to be sensi- ble, efticaclous and conservative; it is to be feared that all of these fall at least a trife short of the mark. Some of them are fearful and wonderful. None of them are worthy of unqualified en- dorsement.
 It has been fully anticipated that there would be battles royal in the convention over the meas ures that would be proposed. The democratic party, put into absolute dominance in the con- vention by the suffrage of the electors of Arizona, went through the campaign with no definite and coherent programme of prin cIples, save on one or two counts, and in these it did not pin.ltself 10 any absolute form. The peo- pie Of the territory practically gave it trusting vote of conf l. dence, a white card to be in- scribed with legislation and handed bach fer approval or disapproval. The party was pin ned to pledges on one principle solely-that of direct legislation Owing to the. different com plexion of the population in the various counties of the territory, fthe character of the delegates varied in conformity. The dele gations contain some political radicals of the most pronounced stripe; they also contain some opposing pronounced conserva- tives; there is also a third ele- ment of practical politicians who have TO especial personal beliefs to farther, but who may ordina- rily be depended upon to trim their sails skillfully to shifting winds and aid to hold the bal ance of power and action along safe lines. With the properly used influence of the minority republican contingent, there should be grounds for hope that fairly acceptable constitution could be framed.
 The tendencies of the conven- tion, collectively and individual ly, as evidenced by the proposi- tions introduced, has been full of surprises. The delegates who, it was anticipated, could be relied upon to shape the course of formation along rea- sonable lines, are either made quate to the responsibilities placed upon them, or are yield ing to the delusive pressure of political radicalism to conserve personal ambitions, or are par ties to conspiracy to have 8 : constitution framed that Con- gress and the President would be sure to reject. It is difficult to clear any of this element of delegates from one or more of these implications.
 The people of Arizona have endorsed direct legislation. They would be sure to reject any con- stitution that did not contain it's expression in some form accept able to them. Any attempt to override this plainly-voiced de- mand would not only be dishon- orable, but absolutely futile. The delegates, and the people of the territory themselves, are not agreed on effecting this premier expression of ultra modern po- litical principles and methods. Some want the "Oregon plan" or something even more radical adopted; others are familiar and regardful of the ill results of 6 radical use of this eficacious