Arizona republican., 1910-08-06
DON'T MAKE HODGE POOGE
 OF THE CONSTITUTION
It Must Be Document That Will Pass
 Muster.

abling act was passed authorizing the
 Arizona Al the time of the passage of the act great demonstrations of joy
 were the order of the day throughout the territory. While such demonstra- tions might have seemed premature, the great majority of the people felt so sure that the citizens of the terri tory, by their representatives in the constitutional convention assembled, would adopt such a constitution as would be acceptable to the president and congress that they insisted upon jollifying in advance. The time for the holding of the convention is rapidly drawing near and more and more it becomes evident that such jollification was slightly premature.
 President Taft was here in this city prior to the passage of the enabling act and told the citizens of this territory in no uncertain terms just what they could expect when they submitted their constitution for approval. The people of Arizona should make no mistake and remember that President Taft has backbone which I lately heard com pared to a telegraph pole, stiff and un- bending It has been the desire of the people of this territory to become q state in the Union for more than twen- ty years last past. The opportunity is now presented to them and it would certainly be a calamity if, disregarding the dictates of common sense and pru- dence. they should be carried away by the promises of cure-alls for govern ment ills, who proclaim that the adop- ton of each particular factions hob by will lead to perpetual bliss in the new state of Arizona. At this time the hysteria should be crushed down and put aside, each individual citizen who has an interest in the welfare of the territory of Arizona in that he desires the said territory to become a state, should exercise calm, sober, dispas- sionate judgment and face the thing which confronts him today, which is q condition and not theory. Many new ideas are put forward as tending, f fadopted, to ameliorate the condition Jf the people Some of these theories may be good or they may be bad Time alone can tell as to these things. How ever, it is not necessary in order to make these experiments to have iron clad provision in the constitution es- tablishing them for all time to come. But the cry of the people supporting these different theories is. We tried to pass them in other states and they were declared unconstitutional, so now We propose to put them directly in the constitution" Their remedy is too far reaching they don't stop to inquire whether or not a constitution could be framed which would empower the legislature to pass such legislation and not have it declared unconstitutional without being tried by the people. A constitution giving the legislature the power to pass these acts and experi- ment with these theories can be adopt
 ed. We have been assured that con stitution adopting directly these many fads and fancies will not meet the ap- proval of the president and congress. Now, then, does it not seem sound req soning and good sober sense that such constitution as will permit of the legislature adopting these things If they see fit should be adopted, such constitution being assured of meeting the favor of the people who will ultim- ately pass upon it. than to embOdy such provisions directly in the consti- tuition which we are assured will be rejected.
 The adoption of the constitution is not a political matter and any person or set of persons who seek to make political capital out of the adoption of constitution are certainly not work ing for the benefit of the people at large but for political aggrandizement. ! The people of this territory desire to become a state. Let them ponder seri- ! ously the situation that confronts them. Le them not be carried away by pas sion, prejudice and sentimental ideas, but let them get right down to sober
 thought as to the best method of se
 curing the boon of statehood.
 I have heard it stated by advocates of different propositions that they are determined to have their theory adopt ed absolutely in the constitution, and that if they can get their one pet hob by in they don't care what else is adopted Any set of people who pur- sue that line of thought betray mar
 rowness of mind and purpose and near ! sightedness as to the great ultimate
 benefits to the people, which shows them to be absolutely lacking in that broad wisdom which should be pes l sessed by every individual who sits in the constitutional convention as dele gate.
 l am writing this at this late hour, not as the representative of any inter est, personal or corporate, not with any | hope of political advancement, not with any desire to secure to any party ad vantage in the future state, but pure | ly as prospective citizen of the great l est state in the Union. Dark as the future for the adoption of a constitu ! tion may look at the present time, l still have that hope and confidence in
 the ultimate good sense and wise Judgment of the people of this territory which makes me believe that in the end the delegates to be elected to the coming constitutional convention will be men sufficiently broad minded to adopt a safe and sane constitution, re-
 posing in the proper bodies the power to adopt and try all theories that may be advanced, and present to the presi- dent of the United States one of the best constitutions for a state govern
 ment that has ever been adopted in the United states of America.