The Washington times., 1911-03-05
ARIZONA BOOMERS
GLAD Of OUTCOME
See Statehood Ahead as a
Result of the Owen
Filibuster.
O'NEILL, OF PHOENIX,
DESCRIBES MERITS
Declares Constitution Is Ideal Law,
Opposed Only by
Antiques.

4
was a long list Of them. But It is easy
to guess who were the best pleased.
They were about half score of Arizo-
ma boomers who had come to boost
statehood, and they were tickled "out
of their footwear over the filibuster
by Senator Owen and the result of the
vote on the admission of Arizona and
NeY Mexico.
I'VE didn't expect statehood to get
through at this session." said Eugene
Brady O'NeiIl of Phoenix, but we did
want to do all possible to get it soon.
The vote on the Owen resolution
makes it perfectly certain the State will
come in at the next session. and that
Arizona and New Mexico will be States
] before the year is over.
! Senator Owen did a great piece of
work, and he will be able to get any
thing he ever wants in our State in fu-
ture. Incidentally, he did a service to
the whole United States. The resolution
was defeated. without doubt, because of
the progressive provisions in our con-
stitution: but that vote assures that
after March 4 we will be backed by
majority of the Senate, and will come
in"
| UIcdl Law.
Mr.. O'NeilI has been here as the head
of a delegation of Charles H. Akers,
! Col. H. L. Pickett, H. S. GriswoId, F.
NJ. Avis, Gen. w. P. Hunt and Judge
John j. Hawkins. He has been in Ari-
zona many years Speaking of this con-
stitution he declared it the best organic
law ever proposed; not the constitu-
ton Of the Republican or Democratic
party, but the constitution of the prog
ressive element of both parties.
| Never before in Arizona had the line
been SO closely drawn between the peo-
pie and the corporations. During the
campaign for the election of delegates
to the constitution convention, men
were nominated on platforms declaring
! for a progressive constitution, others
| for a conservative. Progressives were
supported regardless of party, while
conservatives were supported by the in
| lterests, Federal office holders, territorial
officers, the subsidized press, and that
class of lawyers who have made liv-
ing doing coarse hand writing for the
corporations.
THE progressives were largely in the
ma ajority in the convention. While they
were Democrats, they were not elected
because of that fact, but because they
were progressive. Never in Arizona has
| there been body so blind and deaf to
corporation Establishments and fearless
of corporation threats. These men full
filed the pledges they had made TO
the electorate Of Arizona. They were
snaea6ened s1aame ID. by Gov: Richard E.
ressiVe constitution. the President
would disapprove 1t and Arizona would
| not be admitted.
Our governor was appointed not at
the request of the citizens of Arizona
not even on the request of a respect
able number of its citizens, but at the
behest of the special interests. He re-
signed judgeship paying a larger sal
ary than the governorship.
While in Washington some months
ago he proclaimed that the constftu-
tion then being prepared would be re-
1ected by its people. The only thing
convention was the preamble: We, the
people of Arizona, grateful to Almighty
God for our liberties, do ordain this
constitution
Why He's Opposed.
1t Is needless for me to say that the
governor is bitterly opposed to the re-
call. and do not blame him, for were
1t possible for the people to exercise the
| recall they would have a new governor.
Misrepresentation as to what is and
| is not in our constitution have not only
| been made by the governor, but, 1 am
sorry to say, by our Delegate in Con-
gress, Ralph Cameron. When the con-
| stitution was submitted for adoption Or
rejection there were aligned for # the
progressives of all parties; on the other
band, against it were the Federal and
| Territorial Officeholders, actuated by a
desire to feed a few months longer at
the public crib: the satellites and hire
| lings of the railroads, the tools and in
struments of the big mining corpora
| tions, and the mossbacks and ANTIQUES.
| who do not know the war is over
| Only three daily papers advocated
ratification of the constitution, includ-
! ing the Arizona Gazette. of Phoenix,
published by Charles H. Akers and II.
R. Tuttle. progressive Republicans, and
| the Daily Globe, of Globe. Opposing the
constitution were fifty-five daily and
| weekly papers. Nevertheless, the con-
| stitution received more than rs per cent
| of the votes!
The people of Arizona are progress
ives, and they are not willing to elimi-.
| nate a line of the constitution. Should
| Congress attempt to eliminate anything.
I believe the people would repudiate the
action. Rather would they suffer the
abuses of Territorial government for
years. until the awakened conscience of
the United States should secure justice.
Advances Are Rejected.
THE members of this delegation have
been approached by parties wlS have
| suggested modifying the recall pro-
| vision, so that it would not apply to the
| judiciary, intimating that If such
course was pursued the Territory would
| be admitted. These advances have been
rejected, for if there be one thing the
people of Arizona want, it Is the recall
| of the judiciary. ..
For twenty years there has not been
a man appointed to the bench in Ari-
| zona whose appointment has not first
received approval of the corporation in
| terests The men appointed have been
| carpet-baggers and broken-down hack
| polfticians Neither by their acts nor
by their Interpretation of the law have
| they convinced Arizona that they are OF
| a superior clay. Arizona people want
the recall to apply to the judiciary as
| much, if not more, than to any other
officials, and the reason is over the
| judiciary of the past.
| "As a legal proposition, if we go back
to Chief Justice John Marshall we must
agree with him that 1t was never con-
| tenplated that Congress should under
take making constitutions for the
states and that the founders Of our ma
| ton never contemplated that the whims
of a President should have anything
| to do with the creation of new State
and its admission"