The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-08-03

choice OF United states senators.
2-The initiative, referendum and
recall.
3-Commission control of rail
roads and other public service cor
porations.
Adequate taxation of corpora
tions.
5-Simplified ballot and corrupt
practices provisions.
These are all regarded as ode
tails" which should be left to FIJI.
ture legislatures. (The more flu
ture the better.) They are all
looked upon as evidences of "un-
safeness' and a lack of that proper
sanity which Pres. Taft commends
But none of them is more dreaded
as a sure enough evidence of
March-hare madness than the mi
tiative and referendum. To be guilty
of any lurking favor for the initia
tive and referendum is to qualify
for immediate incarceration in the
administrations political madhouse.
/ went from Santa Fe to Albu-
querque where Territorial Delegate
Bull Andrews sits on the hotel
piazza and holds political court.
and where former Delegate Rodney
has been spending some days.
talked to the representative of the
local newspapers and to people
whose only interest is that of pub
lie spirited citizens. They all con-
firmed the story.
ssTbaf'c Tho done said one
safe and sane. You know what
that means. It's the get-together
of the corporation interests against
anything like a government by the
people. The adoption of constitu-
ton is the one chance a people
have. 1t is a chance to put few
rings into the corporations noses
and to arrange by things like the
initiative and referendum forx a
little governing by the people. or
course, the corporations hate it.
And so do all the special interes
boys from Taft and Gov. Mills
down. And of course, they will do
everything they can to defeat any
popular features in the cOnstitu-
ton"
Can they do it, I asked.
every possibly" my informant
answered You see what they are
doing now really amounts to max
ing threats. That is the meaning of
this talk about safe and sane. Our
statehood proposition has string
to it, The law provides that the
new constitution must satisfy both
congress and the president. Now
Taft has made it known that he
disapproves of popular government
features in a constitution. He dis
approves the initiative and referen-
dunn That is a feature he breads
most. Now the question is, would
he dare refuse us admission to the
Union If our constitution should not
suit him? Some think he would.
They fear his threats. They want
the territory to be a state and they
hope that later on. they might get
provisions which now they do not
dare to fight for"
The constitutional convention
will number hundred delegates. |
find that the Republicans are seri-
ously countinge on controlling two
thirds of this number The Demo
Gratis. though in minority, are quite
militant. At the meeting of their
central committee at Albuquerque
they declined to commit themselves
to any declaration in favor of safe
and sane" and would not consider.
any suggestion for a bipartisan or
norma rtiZan convention
But it is evident that in the final
test the convention will not divide
on party lines. 1t will be fight be-
tween the safe and sanes" and
the friends of popular rule.
II is rather early yet for congress
sional gubernatorial and senatorial
Blooms. A few have ventured forth,
but they are nipped by the frosts
of uncertainty as to whether, after
all, Pres. Taft and the people OF
New Mexico will not come to logger
heads over the safety and the san
ity of the new states constitution.
Among those who cherish hopes
are: Territorial Gov. Mills-sena-
torial hopes-Territorial Delegate
William Fl. Andrews, ditto; Thomas
b. Catlin OF Santa Fe, ditto; Felix
Martinez (Dem.), ditto; H. B. Fer
guson (Dem), ditto; ex-Delegate
barnard Rndov ditto