Arizona republican., 1910-12-19

. stitution was mentioned He replied 1 that that was quite another matter that such q resolution might be en- tertained because the article was one that affected the state of Texas. There could be no elimination of any part of the Arizona constitution and moreover, if that could be done, con gress would not be disposed to doctor" the Arizona constitution to make it passable A majority of the members of both houses, said the governor. are opposed to admission. and they are openly glad that the present situation here has been brought about.
 Congress Unfriendly.
 Said Governor Sloan: T was wholly unprepared to find the senti- ment so unfavorable at the White House and among the members Of both branches of congress, republi- cans and democrats, with regard to the initiative referendum and recall l features Of the constitution. l was also surprised to learn that the oppo- sition to these provisions is so wide spread throughout the east and south. Among lawyers. the opinion is quite general that the initiative and refer | endum. as applied to legislation. are unconstitutional. in that they are de- partures from the republican form of government guaranteed by the Con stitution of the United States to every state in the Union. and required by our enabling act as a condition for our admission.
 | side fran, tba cnnctftufinnaIitx- aP these provisions, the belief is wide spread, and this belief is expressed freely in Washington. that they are | objectionable in themselves. first, be- cause they are an attack upon repre- sentative government. which is the essential feature of a republic, and, | second. because they threaten the stability of our governmental insti- tutions and, in the long run, will be found to destroy the very liberties of the people for whom advocates of these measures affect to be solicitous. "ProgressiVes' Also.
 Tt is a mistake that many of the advocates of these provisions make that they are in line with progressive legislation. As a matter of fact. some of the most progressive men in the nation believe the initiative. refer endum and recall to be vicious in the extreme and it is not true that that element in both political parties which , is known as insurgents, can be relied 1 upon to support these provisions in any contest that may arise in con- gress over the approval of our con- stitution. Many of the strong in surgents express themselves as op- posed to these provisions. and espe- cially the recall"
 As an illustration of the senti- 1 ment regarding these supposed signs l Of "progressiveness the governor | related a meeting with Senator Bev- eridge a progressive" who declared [ with some glee that he had been vim dicated in his long opposition to statehood, though he yielded to the passage of the present enabling act. l He said to Governor Sloan, Didn't tell you that you were not ready for statehood?"
 The governor also talked with a | prominent democratic senator who had a large part in the passage of the enabling act. He said that Ari- zona would not be admitted under the present constitution and that un- ;, less it was admitted under the ex- isting enabling act, another act would not likely be passed in the next twenty-five years.
 Interest Dying Out
 The governor continued:
 Another thing that is discourag- ing in the extreme is the total lack of interest apparent on the subject of statehood under any conditions. It ought to be remembered that the enabling act became a law almost ! by accident. It never would have become a law had it not been for the active and earnest support of the president The opposition to our ad- mission at all is just as strong now f as heretofore. and I may say Is stronger in view of the general op- position to the constitution which has been framed by the convention. It is my opinion that it is improb- able that congress will ratify by af- flrmative vote, any constitution We may hereafter submit. because of this opposition to our admission, and our only hope therefore is in the ac- ton of the president and the fail ure of congress to affirmatively dis approve of the constitution. I say the only hope. because under the enabling act. if the president disap- proves or congress disapproves of our constitution, that ends the en- abling act. and we are left in the same situation with regard to state hood that we were in before any act for our admission had been in- troduced in congress
 'I repeat again that if is hopeless to expect that the constitution sub