Arizona republican., 1910-08-08
PHoENIX, ARIz.. AUGUST s, 1s1
The Only Safe Course.

Ou anu EOdluI Qdy lLcfS was an application of the initiative and referendum principle in working the political machinery of the two parties in Marieopa county
 Nominations of delegates to the county conventions were initiated" at republican and democratic caucuses, Friday evening.
 There was a referendum" of these nominations to the voters of the two parties at the Saturday primaries.
 In the initiative" proceedings there were in the city of Phoenix perhaps one hundred voters, all told.
 In the referendum there were, it is safe to say, not three hundred votes cast in the whole county by voters of the two parties.
 These proceedings involved one of the most important matters that could possibly be laid before the citi- zens of the county. This important matter is the making of the consti- tuition for the state of Arizona,
 
 If voters don't take enough interest in the constitution to take hand in naming the candidates who will ask for their votes for the constitutional convention, is it reasonable to expect that any greater interest would be manifested in the referendum" of any bill in direct legislation?"t
 Is not the constitution quite as inn portant as any piece of direct legis- lation is likely to be?
 The example of the caucuses and primaries to which we have referred does not stand alone Everybody is familiar with the fact that the most important questions that have been referred to the voters in Arizona-the question of bond issues and conse- quent increased taxation-never bring out more than 8 handful of voters at the election.
 And yet it is argued that, whereas the voters do not take enough intel est in legislative elections to nomi- nate and elect the best men for the legislature. some mysterious influence would lead them to turn out and vote at referendum elections on miscellan- eous bills originated by the ''initia- tive"
 The fact is, and it has been demon strated over and over again in Ameri- can politics, that voters will not go to the polls at special elections un- less there is before them a question cial questions submitted to them at regular elections are ignored by 2 greater proportion Of the voters in marking their ballots.
 Miscellaneous legislation, submitted on referendum. would arouse practi- cally no interest and would pass by default
 Consequently, under the initiative and referendum alone. it would be easily possible for powerful special interests in Arizona, controlling few counties. to get legislation that would be inimical to the public welfare and which could not be passed in a legis- lature made up of conscientious, thinking citizens in full conference and debate.
 That. at least, is the judgment of the thinking people of Arizona This is why republicans, although they are willing enough to have the constitu- ton empower the legislature to make statutes permitting the initiative and referendum" and other progressive" legislation, are not willing to imbed in the constitution the so-called pro gressive' provisions as permanent features of our state government
 If experiments are to be tried, they should be tried under such safeguards as will permit the people to abandon them if they are found unsatisfac- tory
 A liberal constitution" then-a constitution which will not forbid, but will permit the people, through their legislature to try experiments. ought to have the support of every well balanced citizen.
 With such constitution, we can try the initiative and referendum, prohibition, and all other schemes for the betterment and welfare of the people.
 On the other hand, to adopt the radical program that is so noisily urged by a few people is not only unwise. as relating to our own future. but it's adoption would assure the de- feat of statehood at Washington.