Bisbee daily review., 1910-08-10
THE PLAIN TRUTH
 OF THE SITUATION.

OF THE SITUATION.
 The Review is more than glad to print OF this page a communication rom Mir. W. P. Sims. bearing upon the all absorbing subject in Arizona today.
 Mir. Sims is outspoken in favor of the initiative and referendum princi- pie as part of the constitution. He points out and correctly, that the ini- tiative and referendum is not the doctrine of any particular party. but that both republican and democratic states favor it and have adopted it. The Review does not object to the proper application of that doctrine, and does not understand how anyone can harbor such objections, so long as he does not arrogate to himself a sense of superior wisdom, which assumes to cast a fatherly- guardian shin about the common people, lest they do themselves harm. For it is only the simple truth that the initi- ative and referendum principle har- monizes with every sound theory of popular government. If there is sound logic in our ideas about the wisdom of giving the people the largest measure of popular govern ment. then the plan of the initiative and referendum must be acknowl- edged as the proper vehicle for car rying out the idea to it's full and logical conclusion. There is no es cape from this reasoning. Either the people are fit to rule themselves, oI they are not; either they need guard ians in the person of party leaders and bosses, or they are capable of doing the bossing themselves and giving orders to their elected ser wants.
 But the Review wants statehood This newspaper is so sincere in it. desire for statehood that it would submit to almost every endurabl, humiliation rather than have it's mo tives called into question. Unde ordinary conditions the situation il Arizona with reference. to the ador ton of the initiative and referendum principle would be no different fror the situation in other states wher the battle has been fought and wor In every instance the opposition ha come from those who thought tn people could not be trusted; thos who. in their monumental concei imagine themselves divinely appoin cd to guide. admonish. coddle an nurse the common people; those wh would SO maintain things that the could confer public bounty upo special privilege. and do it at th expense of the people; those wh having been elected to office. or a piring to office, looked upon tt movement as a personal affront. { a reflection upon their ability | rule" In essence. the opposition a larger measure of popular go eTnment is nothing but the last fe ble resistance from the ancient tn ory of royal or kingly prerogativ handed down from the time when ass wearing a crown knew mo than a philosopher. CT thought ] did-and was able to enforce tl idea.
 This species of arrogance di hard. We still have it in this cou try, and in some instances it
 powerful It happens to have pow over Arizona now in the matter
 statehood. Every assurance has be given in advance that this pow, in the person of a standpat pre- dent and a standpat congress. W not approve the Arizona constituti if it contains the initiative and ref endum provision. Shameful and initiating as it is. ft is a condiu 10 confront The Review does T