Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1910-10-28
PHOENIX, ARIz., OCTOBER %. 1910.
Mr. Hunt and the Republican Members.

Mr.. Hunt and the Republican Members
The policy of negation assumed by
the republicans will in nowise detract
from the general good. If they are
unable to place the commonwealth
above partisanship it is nobodys fu-
neral but their own. If they persist
in suIking in the minority tents IN
stead of participating with manly
zeal in the building of our ship OF
state they must bear throughout the
future the reputation of political en-
titles whose embittered hearts were 100
small to submerge party bitterness IN
enthusiasm for the general welfare. -
The Daily Globe.
The foregoing is especially graceful,
coming as it does from the political
organ and mouthpiece of the Hon.
George Washington Peter Hunt, presi-
dent of the constitutional convention
the paper edited by Mr.. Hunts secre-
tary in the convention.
The republican members of the con-
vention have not voluntarily assumed
any policy or position of 'negation." >,
Against their wishes. they were
made mere ciphers in the convention
through the arbitrary policy of Presi-
dent Hunt in his appointment of COM
mittees.
Long headed democrats, members of
the convention, urged President Hunt,
we have been informed, to place some
responsibility upon the republican
members These democrats hoped
that Mr.. Hunt would appoint repub
licans to some of the chairmanships,
and would give control of at least one
or two committees to republicans. But
Mr. Hunt, blinded, we suppose, by
bitter partisanship. declined to take
the excellent advice offered by his
party colleagues.
1t was the idea of the democrats re-
ferred to that it will be unwise to
send to Washington a constitution
that is clearly a strictly partisan
document. Inasmuch as nearly half
the voters of the territory voted for
with American traditions and with
the constitution of the United States
as its model, these democrats rea-
soned that the constitution which is
to be presented for approval or re-
lection at Washington ought to carry
with it some evidence. either in itself
or from accompanying information,
that it was the product of both demo-
Gratis and republicans in the conven-
ton. They reasoned that the presi-
dent and the republican leaders might
view it with more kindly considera-
ton if it could be shown to them
that, although it bore the earmarks of
democratic policies throughout, it was,
after all, a document which had been
framed by democrats and republicans
jointly These democrats reasoned
that when the judges of the document
at Washington reflected that the peo-
pie of the territory had been nearly
evenly divided between a conservative
and a radical constitution, and that
the representatives of the conserva-
tive element had been denied any
hand in making. the constitution, there
would be strong disposition to hest
tate, to say the least, in accepting
the radical constitution presented.
They reasoned, further, that the mere
fact of the ratification of the consti-
tuition by the people at the polls
would not add any special weight. be-
cause of the natural assumption at
Washington that any constitution for
INFLATED by the convention would be
accepted by the people.
These suggestions were made by
some of the most radical and pro
gressive" democrats in the conven-
ton, simply as a matter of political
foresight. But Mr. Hunt, in the role
of boss. withheld from the republican
members all opportunity to share in
any responsibility whatsoever. 1t in
dictates, therefore, more assurance
cheek, IL you please-than we had
credited Mr.. Hunt with possessing,
when his paper, I'm the light of the
record made by him. accuses the re-
publican members of failing to as
sumo their share of responsibility.
They would have been more than
glad to accept responsibility, if Mr..
Hunt had given them a chance.
But President Hunt can rest him.
self in peace. The republican mem
bers will make a record" before the
convention adjourns. They viii offer,
in due form, proposals which would
form a constitution. And at the prop
er time they will make the republican
attitude known from the floor. To