Arizona republican., 1911-03-03
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constitutions; that all he has to de- termine is whether they are in ac- cordance with the enabling act and whether they conform to the cOnstitu- ton of the United States.
 President Tart has taken the posi- ton that, under the enblins act, he has wide discretionary powers in ap- proving ar disappearing those consti- Jutions. He is reported to have de clared that his discretion extends tO questions of economies and of govern mental policy. Whether the president made such a declaration ar he did not. Mir James in d masterly speech that held the closest attention of his hearers: forcibly declared that under the act of June 20. 1910. the only discretion conferred upon the chief executive is in the matter of the legal aspects of the case.
 The speech of Mr James is signif- icant from the fact not only that it was in and of itself a masterly effort and that he is one of the strongest champions of statehood on the dem ocratic side of the house. but it is significant also in that it will give to the statehood question that national significance toward which it has been travelling for months IL is well un derstood here by this time that in tereSt in the question of statehood for Arizona is no longer confined tO Ari- Zona itself It has been commented upon by all the large city dailies and has been a prolific source of debate in the two houses of congress II is coming to be understood here more and more that the question involves much more than the mere admission of a state into the union. IL has be- come a matter of national import as defining the line of demarkatiOn be- tween the progressive and the re- actiOnary interests. That is fact which is forciblv illustrated by the ollie James speech"
 Not one word Of the foregoing was received by wire IL is a pure fabri cation and moreover most unskillfuily done Associated Press correspondents at Washington never allude to mas terly efforts" by orators in congress. They never disclose any bias of Senti- ment in reporting any proceeding They never depart from known facts as in the expression that the constitu- ton has been prolific source or debate in the two houses Of congress. Only once had there been any allu- sion to the Arizona constitution. That was by Mr Lodge and the name of Arizona was not mentioned. Then again the question was touched upon by Mir James and others on Wednes- day evening. Just twice.
 Again. in it's editorial columns last night. the Gazette assured its readers that the first election under state hood election might he held 'in the early summer when every body else knows that in the most favorable circumstances; the president and congress were both hearty in accord with the constitution. admission would not be possible be- fore early next winter.
 One is almost compelled to believe that the course of the Gazette is due to sheer ignorance rather than to an intent to deceive. A deceiver is sup posed to possess some degree or cum ming.
 On Tuesday afternoon. the Gazette printed telegram from Washington signed by tue statehood committee, describing the result of a conference with the president and purporting to be q synopsis of a statement by him
 The telegram was no doubt honestly framed but so awllwardly. that its meaning was uncertain. It was not only confusing but contained an evi- fentlv wrong impression by the con- mittee-that the president had told it that the special session of congress would act upon the constitution. a thing imnossible under the enabling act.
 The Gazette in an added interpreta- ton Of this telegram tnobody else could interpret it. declared that II could only mean that the president would approve the constitution which would be approved by the special ses- sion
 But what il meant. The Republican nor anvbodv else knew The Repub- lican accordingly wired to the White House that night requesting that 1t be given the presidents exact words to the committee. They were pub lished by this paper the next morn ing.
 Thereupon the following evening a funny thing happened. The Gazette assailed The Republican in columns, called it corporation sheet" etc. for having taken the pains and gone to the expense of getting accurate anu intelligent information regarding the White House conference. an event m which every person who really wants statehood is most deeply interested. Nothing had yet happened which was calculated to foreshadow the fate of the constitution.
 Throughout the long struggle be- ginning last summer. this paper has been denounced by the Gazette as a traitor for printing warning news from sources from which danger could come. The Republican assuming that its readers were not osriches. prefer ring to hide from danger by sticking their heads into hole whence they cannot see the coming peril. has printed unpalatable truths. rather than palatabIe falsehood regarding develop ments in the statehood situation.
 The Republican believes. that If the worst is coming. the reader of aver age intelligence would rather be ap- prised of its coming than to he lnlled into fancied security from which he may he aroused by the crash of his hopes
 Thus The Republican has printed ou tbo nave good and had. without