The border vidette., 1911-01-21
Ex-DELEGATE SMITH
Desires President Taft to Say Just
 ''Where He Is At"
Tucson, January 10, 1911

adopted aud 1t ought to be SO adopted,
 unless the president, as he is in moral
 duty bound, shal Il a1thoritatively state
 to the people his purpose to disapprove the con stitution in it's present form
 and ia such statement specify the exact provisions to which he ot jActs.
 "It he ~ill specify the provisions that will surely meet bIs disspproval and cause him to nullify the whole constitution. and thus secure state hood, when such provisions are e1clud- ed, then the people can vote with intelil gent certainty as to reaults. In the absence of such specific knowledge. but one course is left any man, and that ia to support the constitution at the Febru uary election.
 'If the President shall fail or refuse | to thus frankly state his position, we are justified in assuming that he will 1 approve it just as it is. Every sincere friend of statehood must feel alike on this question.
 I've face fateful problem. We can make any constitution we please when we ore free. I would eliminate | any clause in the constitution. 1t by so Going we would get early statehood, | for we'll 1 know, if the majority want that clause restored after statehood. the majority will put iS back and should put it back We can't get state | hood by ourselves, but when we get it we can control our state to suit our selves.
 s'If the president fails to exhibit the frankness e.rly suggested in this let ter, then there can be no question of our dutN There is nothing in the present constitution to scare any body away from its support.
 "The initiative and referendum are now. before the supreme court in a case testing the constitutionality of that principle. If it shall be declared constitutional. then the people have right to invoke it and use it. If, how ever, it shall De declared unconsti.u tional, it can do us no good or harm for it then becomes a dead letter The recall is unquestionably constit utional and no president can decently oiject to any people exercising a constitu- exercise might eontravene his judge ment or opinions. MT. Taft will think a mighty long time in the light of pres ent public opinion before he will veto our constitution, where our RIG HIT to act as we did act. is conceded by all |
 Il have been afraid that he might disapprove the constitution on ac count of the recall of jud ges, but have never been afraid of it's operation in Arizona and, until the president tells us authoritatively that he WILL disspprove the constitution on that ground, I will adhere to nay present belief that he WILL NOT so disap prove it, unless he plainly speaks to us to the contrary. Neither will be antici- pate the decision of the supreme court on the initiative and referendum and disapprove on that ground.
 "In the light of these facts, and in the silence surrounding the president, why should we turn down a constitu tion and reassemble the convention to have it acting as much in the dark ss we find ourselves now acting. The political atmosphere every where Is saturated with the initiative, referen- dum and recall. The president is a candidate. He breathes the air we are talking about. The earth is rum bling and his ear is at the ground II take Sloan's statement cum grano sails. He does not bind, nor pretend to bind the president in his statements to the public. The closest cut to state hood as things now stand is to vote for the constitution. I am not afraid of line in it.
 "I have hurriedly written this to you Ton can gee it is not iutented for publication, but is only a conf dential talk between two lifelong l friends. Gan you send me copy, in