Arizona republican., 1910-12-05
A Transparent Purpo SC.

A Transparent Purpose.
 From a partisan point of view, and that is the point from which the majority of the constitutional con- vention have been viewing things for the last fifty-five days, a blunder was committed on Saturday in the course of the elimination of the educational qualifications provision from the suff- rage proposition.
 The ground work for the blunder was of course, laid when, the pro vision in that form was adopted.
 There were before the convention two propositions on this subject, both fair. But at that time the partisan spirit was uncurbed by fear and both were rejected, in favor of what was practically the Hampton act, designed to disfranchise the large body of Mexican citizens, establish democratic control over such counties as Pima and Apache and perpetuate the con- trol of the party over other counties which were already democratic or uncertain.
 This project was matched out of the bitterness of democratic defeat two years ago.
 But after the agreement by the ma jority on this infamous partisan measure, there came a sober second thought It was remembered that it was at the instance of President Taft, that on account of the Hampton act. our existing election laws were dis regarded by the framers of the en- abling act and it was provided that all elections in connection with state hood should be held under earlier laws.
 Perhaps. If only the president and the congress were to be considered the convention would not have be- come frightened to the point of backing up" In other measures from which it has shown no intention of receding, it has been as defiant of Washington as it was in the inclu- sion of the objectionable educational qualification clause.
 There is something the politicians in the convention fear more than the displeasure of the president and con- gress-the defeat of the constitution by the people. Indeed it is suspected, that the laeders are prepared for a re- jection of the constitution at Wash ington, in which case they believe that their position may be strength ened by an appeal to the disappOint- ment of people of both parties who they think would naturally feel re- sentiment against the republican party.
 But the rejection of the constitution at the polls would be a different thing. That would mean the over throw of the men who framed it.
 From all quarters of the territory there have come mutterings of dis content and threats of the defeat of the constitution. If the Mexican vote should be added to the opposition. the would be doomed as was admitted on the floor of the conven- tion. Hence the need of eliminating the measure aimed directly and sole Iy at Mexican voters.
 If that had been done quietly, the first mistake of adopting the meas ure in the first place might not have been irreparable. In addition to the admission of a fear of the conse- Quences of such adoption, the major ity was put into the worst possible attitude by the defeat of the amend ments of MT. Wood and MT. Ellin- wood, both admittedly fair proposi- tions. In rejecting these amend ments, the convention disclosed its purpose to leave the constitution in such shape, that if we are graRed statehood and when the Mexican vote IS no longer neeueu DN llt ueHioSIdliS politicians, the hateful measurs for the Acknowledgement of Mexicans may be enacted by a democratic leg lature Nothing could be clearer last Saturday than such a purpose.
 We think that the Mexicans will not be deceived thereby any more than President Taft and congress will be. The most ignorant of Mexican voters will grasp the purpose of the com vention and we believe that the more intelligent of them will see that the Mexican vote is not cast for con- stitution which was framed with view to their ultimate disfranchise- ment
 The time will probably come when crimes will not occupy a front page position in the. newspapers of this