Weekly journal-miner., 1910-09-07
Taft Urges Rational Constitution.

That President Taft will approve of Constitution for Arizona that not confined to fundamental laws IS generally conceded his expression from the White House.
 The Young Mems Republican Club of Ga county wired him and asked If the inclusion of clause in Arizona Constitution reservng the people under sensible restric- tions the right of initiative and referendum would initiate against executive approval"
 His reply was: My attitude with respect to the char acter of the Constitution was sufficiently shown by my speeches the Territory It would be inappropriate at the present tme in of my subsequent official relations the Constitution which IS to be adopted, any (Signed) "WM. H. TAFT.
 President Taft made himself plain in his speeches in Arizona as to his conception of the character of ConStit ton that should be adopted Here what he said in his speech in Phoenix October 13, 19O9
 Il want to call your attention to the responsibilities that will be upon you citizens of the country. You will have select your own officers you will have select your Congressman and Senator's but before all that you will have make fundamental law called your Constit ton which govern your legislature your lawmakers and your executive thereafter and that IS responsibility which very heavy and to which invite your careful attention The trouble IS that you anxious for Statehood de ermned have it, that matter what your Constitution B if is presented you you will be disposed to vote for Statehood and for the Constitution. At least that has been the experience of other Territories.
 Now we have had Constitutions made by Territories coming into the Union which voted and approved and which did not approve themselves to those men who looked forward and understood what Constitution ought to be It ought be simple. It ought be general It ought be comprehensive. It ought not to include every ma 
 tiona convention thinks would be to follow in legsa tion You ought leave something to your legislature Don't make your Constitution read like statute Bel statesmen and make read like fundamental law Studyl the Constitution of the United States and what the greatest instrument of fundamental law and s and how simple how has been elastic and yielded to the deand of increasing country and is today the wonder of the world.
 Don't allow every fact every principle, however sound, to be inserted in that Constitution
 Trust something to your legislature thereafter and don't bind them and you in such way that you will be struggling for twenty-five years to get away from some thing that made in haste and not with the of deberaton that you ought exercise in making path that ought to last for fifty one hundred years.
 'l am talking You will find in your Con- sttuona convention gentlemen who have radical progress i've ideas Many o the germs of truth ought be carried out at least in the statutes but don't asn yourselves by the views of people who make laws for hun dred without knowing exactly what the conditions are under which those laws to be made talking for the sake of talking expect that you are going to make Constitution here. hope you will. I am go- ing to do the best can to help give you the power make it, but don't load yourselves down and your future