Arizona republican., 1910-09-02

unconstitutional The congress is com posed of senate and house of repre- sentatives. Each state, large or small in area, and populous or otherwise. has only two senators. Each state has the number of representatives to which it is entitled according to its population. So that the whole plan is representation by states or districts. The people of each state elect their senators and members of congress without consulting the wishes of the people of any other state The said constitution further provides that the senators shall be elected by the legis- lature of the state.
 A Wise Provision.
 All the states thus far have fol- lowed the provision of the cOnstitu- ton of the United States. or, rather, have formed their governments with an executive, legislature, with a sen ate and house of representatives, and a supreme court They have all formed senatorial districts and also districts for the election of represen- tatives. Representative districts are so formed that each county can elect a representative without the aid or interference of the people of any other county, and the same is true with reference to the election Of state senators. Further, history proves that each state has been divided into as many districts as it has congress- men, so the congressman are elected by the people of each district. To me the above is a wise provision. As former state senator, l found that able and honest men from other dis tricts of the state were active in trying to secure legislation that was demanded by the people of their dis tricts and would be to their interests which would be destructive of the interests of my constituents. Had the proposed measures been submitted to a majority of the people of the dis tricts the interests or my constitu- ents would have been sacrificed. The interests of an agricultural district are not the same as of a mining dis trict, and so on. Physical and climatic conditions have to be considered by the statesmen of every state of this country, and also of the nation. which embraces a domain from ocean to ocean, and from the washing bill lows of the Gulf of Mexico to the snows of Canada.
 Initiative and Referendum.
 Initiative and referendum means the destruction of our form of gov ernment: it means the destruction of representation by districts. and by persons of your own choice; it means h c they please and force those located in sparsely settled sections to yield to their interests. It destroys the respon- sibility of the executive, and places the responsibility upon the majority, which assumes no responsibility Fur thermore, it places legislation in the hands of the masses, when but few of them care anything for the matter under consideration. Initiative and referendum has not been discussed in this territory. Six months ago the principle was scarcely mentioned. Even when persons were being solic- ited to form county conventions, the principle was not discussed. It is true that nearly all the county conventions drafted platforms favoring it. Ii
 
 a thunderstorm from a clear sky. The speech of a United States sena- tor from Oregon was sent all over the territory, and it seems to have shaped the course of our conventions. This speech was in favor of initiative and referendum, recall. Australian bal lot system. election of United States senators by direct vote. nomination of all candidates by primaries, etc. etc. He admitted that the election of United States senators bv direct vote was unconstitutional He did not state the fact that two of the largest papers of Oregon explained the awful condition that exists in that state by reason of said provision.
 An Alleged Panacea.
 know the people do not understand the proposition I know that some think that if the initiative and refer endum is adopted the people of Ari- zona, when Arizona becomes state, can vote for United States senators all over the United States and recall and turn them out of office. Some think they will have a chance to get rid of "Uncle Joe' Cannon. Others doubtless think they will have a chance to remove certain members of the United States supreme court. Some distinguished attorneys of Ari- zona. if we believe what they have said. entertain opinions equally as CT roneous as some last above mentioned.