Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1910-10-27

States has prospered; 1t would not
be proper and effective form OF gov
erHment in this great nation. True
conditions have changed since the
constitution of the United States was
adopted, but the theory of this gov.
ernment has not, that there should be
three departments of government,
the executi g, the legislative and the
judicial. For that reason | am a pail
bearer but rot q mourner at this
funeral.
We are not here for the purpose of
establishing daily, ordinary law, but
under the constitv on of the United
States, to enact q fundamental law to
protect the rights of the people, which
the courts can use as yardstick to
determine whether acts of future leg
islature are constitutional or not"
He then entered upon a brilliant
grafton upon the results achieved in
such abundant measure under the
form of representative government es-
tablished by the fathers. He quoted
Jefferson and other Democratic lead
ers in its praise.
Il am in thorough accord with the
report of the majority as this is not
the time to incorporate the initiative
in the fundamental law. There is no
doubt, that corporations and special
interests, have at times dominated leg
islatures and for that reason | fay-
or some form of referendum, such
as is provided for in the majority re-
port; that's why | favor corporation
which with the supreme court will
have supervision of the corporations.
The acts of the legislature are to be
placed in the hands of the people as
the final arbiters to decide whether
such acts shall be placed on the stat
ute books" He referred to the clause
which will punish bribery and to other
provisions which place the people in
power and deserve from them the
encomium;
well done, good and faithful serv-
ants Despite the accusations and
the agitation of the minority, the peo-
pie will rise in their might 10 vote for
the adoption of the constitution. The
minority, true to the fable of the
nature fakirs, are merely shedding
crocodile tears over the corpse of the
adaptive child
Applause followed Delegate Falls
peroration.
Fergusson's Address.
H. B. Fedgusson moved that the Fer
gusson minority report be adopted in
place of the majority report He fol-
lowed with an address IN which he de-
Tended the initiative.
He spoke of the wrongs inflicted on
the territory by the base misuse of
the representative form of govern
ment. He said:
What is the reason for the uni
versal movement for relief against
the prostitution of the great office of
legislators for the people to the sery-
ice of special interests? 1t is not the
desire to abrogate representative gov
ernment, The majority of the commit
tee by recommending a referendum
clause, itself acknowledged that it is
wise to place a check on the power
Of the legislature, just as the veto of
the executive is such check. A pub
lie Office should be considered a pub
lie trust, and trustee like Caesars
wife, should keep above suspicion.
The people should have the only su-
preme power, the public officers are
only the servants of the people. The
influence and power of illimitable
wealth, of which without conscience
wealth that is cruel and without pa
triotism, shouted: "After us the
Deluge. God help this nation after
we had gone!"
The speaker then reviewed the eff
fects of the initiative and referendum
in Oregon, how, as he alleged, it put
out of business the special interests,
the political bosses, how it has pre-.
vented the sale of county and legis-
lative Office under the guise of party
assessment. He told how sheriffs and
other county officials have come to
New Mexico legislatures to have their
fees doubled. He spoke of the Oregon
as great rebellion of the