Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-12-22

49,
Mr.. owen concluded saying hat
| the time is coming to open the doors
of New Mexico, and added: "Gou
| never made a place where people
| could be brought with a better con-
| science on part of the ~bringers.
| There were cheers as Mr.. owen fin
ished.
During Mr.. owens speech o. A.
| I~arrazolo and several friends entered
| the hall and there was tumultuous
| applause which was renewed as n
| noted democrat arose at about ssaV
p. m, to speak.
Mr.. Larrazolo spoke with the fire
| Of the orator warmed up to his SUD-
| ject; he spoke ~convincingly and his
| eyes blazed as he poured out a tor
| rent of sarcasm and logical reason
ing against the objections raised by
| opponents OF the constitution recently
written. Mr.. Larrazolo, hou
tired by his journey, was ! goou
voice and it filled the hall. His
| humor. toe. was not lost, and II
tickIed the crowd who finally gave
| the speaker q fine ovation as he con-
| cluded his speech.
LarrazoIo's speech.
Mr.. Larrazolo spoks as follows:
"If amendments to 1t are needed, l
believe in the loyalty, the PATRIOTISM
and the intelligence OF citizens 10
have written these amendments
whenever they say so.
The Bosses
II have heard that New Mexico is
| boss ridden If it is true that there
are bose over you II you are not
free. YOU yourselves have allowed
yourselves to be controlled by other
men, but you will be controlled by
bosses only as long as you permit the
yoke to rest on you, say, my
friends, this constitution can be
amended whenever you desire 1t and
in the you desire.
every native citizen must unite In
supporting his constitution. Why?
| Because il secures to you people OF
New Mexico your rights-every n
OF them; the rights also of your
| children and in such a that
| they can never be taken away. Ii
| YOU want to acquire your freedom
| and transmit this sacred heritage in
the land hallowed by the blood OF
your forefathers who fought to pro-
tect it. Seize your opportunity ana
do not let it slip through your hands
to your lasting regret and that OF
| your descendants.
hftLOilb IL ~ NottihS
"This is your opportunity and GOO
only knows when, If ever. it will
come again. You nave been told that
a vote against the constitution Is not
a vote against statehood, but you
were told that twenty years & ana
YOU see what 1t meant. 1t was q
vote against statehood Just as 1t VIII
be today. Do not wait until you are
put in the position of Arizona which
in two years will be able to disfran-
chise every Spanish-speaking ciu-
zen."
AS Mr.. Larrazolo concluded, there
was a burst of applause and a rush
toward the speaker, scores grasping
him bv the hand, and telling him that
never had he spoken with more
fervor and never in behalf of a
greater cause.
This concluded the meeting, though
many fingered in the hall to talk 70
the various speakers.
my friends, 1t gives me great
pleasure to address such a gathering
of respectable and representative
citizens. We are here tonight to con-
slider the greatest question that mas
confronted New Mexico. / shall not
be able to take much of your time
this evening for am somewhat tired
Dut J. a W BiN1 " ~ 49,
reasons why / am in favor of the
adoption of the constitution. You
know that / am a democrat, and ]
hope that / may be permitted to re-
man in my party. Uaughter)
II addressed the voters of this and
other counties some time ago ex-
planning what. in my humble opinion,
should be written in this constitution,
dwelling on such progressive meas
ures as the initiative and the referen-
dunn | told you then and | believe
now they are good measures | DO
not believe they are republican nor
do | believe they are democratic
measures. / believe they are meas
ures of self-government, a govern
ment which annot be obtained in
its full sense without them If we are
to have q government by the people,
and for the people,
"But some or the people elected to
the constitutional convention, it APP
pears, were not in sympathy with
these measures. So now we are sim
ply confronted with the question
shall we have statehood by adopting
this constitution or shall we remain
in slavery? II the name of God |
saw to you: in the name of your chill
dren and in the name of a free and
independence loving people ! say to
you most decidedly, take this con-
stitution which now is at AXE.
CHEERS and applause.)
81 have preached hat doctrine to
you and now | am putting ii In rae
tice. / assure you that neither party
could so bind me as to work against
the people.
II do not know what the resolu-
lions passed are, as | refused to take
a seat in that convention thus
bound as / was. | shall quote. how
ever, from a newspaper / have here
what the resolutions are or are sup
posed to be. Here we have a num-
Der of reasons given by that conven-
vention for opposing the constitution.
Let's read the reasons and discuss
each i'm detail.
Reasons for Opposition.
First, is the difficulty of amend !
ment.' 1t is pointed out that it is so
difficult to amend that 1t might be
impossible to ever write the initiative
in it. But what are the provisions
regarding the amending of this con-
stitution? | think | make no mistake
in saying hat every state constitu-
ton, except that of oklahoma, makes
provision that il cannot be amended
except in a period of many years and
by an overwhelming vote. Yet ours
within two years after its adoption
every eighth year thereafter, per- |
the submission Of amendments
II A