Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-12-22

land. This constitution is better thar
three-fourths of the states have. l
am a democrat. but | am not that
kind of q democrat as to be unable 10
see this. While the corporations
have had their agents here to obtain
special concessions. | know 1t to be
n fact that they had these men here
for | saw them--I don't suppose they
were here for their health repeat
TO YOU that II that was their mission
they failed most slgnally. They failed
to secure anything, or | am unable 10
read the constitution or understand
English, or l am a third rate lawyer
The constitution gives us a commis-
.sion which absolutely controls rail-
roads. telegraphs and telephones. ex-
press companies and all public SER
vice corporations IT has the right 70
regulate rates and compel the rail-
roads to erect buildings, BRIDGES.
crossings, and switches, yes even
stockyards, TO give reasonable pas
senger rates and to see that no ais
elimination is made. II gives abso-
lutte and complete power to the peo-
pie to see that no injustice Is done.
l say that this railroad commission
has the power 70 10 all that, n az
for finding fault with the privilege
klfCil WI " thtibib' ~ Pr
high court | would like to know since
when did the democratic party be-
come a party of anarchists? The
democratic party as ! know II Is y
party of free men (cheers) of equal
rights to all. If the humblest citi-
zen is given the right to appeal why
should we deny it 20 the corpora
tons? The commission has the right
to do all that | have o you, ara
II the corporation Is not satisfied II
can go to the supreme court.
when | hear people say that this
constitution ties us hand and foot, !
say / deny II. 1t is II thing 20
make an assertion and quite another
to prove Il. / do not mean, how
ever. that the constitution is perfect
or contains all that / would like, but
i do say 1t is q constitution suitable
to make us free people to live hap-
PLY under II.
You may ask IL i am abandoning
my principles? No, my friends. am
simply changing nay position. J want
us to stand on higher ground, TO pc
freer aud a mere independent men
and instead of pctitioning and sup
~plicating to be masters who Will have
the right to command. tApplause.)
..Has tho constitution any defects?
] am sorry that l, as n democrat,
should be called upon to comment
u~nfavorably on the appeal made by
my own party to fight against this
very constitution for | find myself
called in to criticize the reasons they
rave to oppose this constitution.
II desire to consider these reasons
as voiced by certain resolutions
passed at a convention held here Sat
urday. / do not know just what
these resolutions were that passed,
because | was not present at the
time they were passed. 1t is true
that San Miguel county, in a spirit OF
irony had rendered me the honor to
be a delegate to that convention at
the same time telling me to work
against the constitution. (Laughter.)
Duty TO the People.
Now, / take this opportunity 70
call your attention to the principles
which | advocated to you on numer-
Gus occasions for the past ten or
twelve years. | have said to you that
while / do believe in party loyalty !
do not believe that 1t is the duty OF
a citizen to surrender his conscience
to any man or any set of men. or 70