Arizona republican., 1911-07-12

We are brought face TO face with a
peril seen plainly at a distance a
year ago, and whose existence now
even the most fatuous and foolish
admit Statehood under the constitu-
ton we have adopted is impossible.
according to the Associated Press
dispatches of yesterday
The warning against the calamity
which only a change in the constitu
ton can avert was early and should
have been ample. 1t was sounded in
the very terms of the enabling act
which gave TO the president and the
congress power to reject the consti-
tuition, whether repugnant to the con-
stitution or not Though that was an
unusual provision. it was by no
means = new one. since such power
had been exercised by congress with
respect to constitutions of Kentucky
and Nebraska
1t is poor satisfaction, in the pros
pect of the loss of statehood or of the
delay and humiliation which will at
tend our admission, for The Repub-
lican to remind its readers that it
foretold this catastrophe, for it is as
true now as ever that
"Of all the horrid, hideous notes of
woe,
Sadder than owls songs or the mid
night blast,
Are those portentous words. I told
you So
Uttered by friends, those prophets
Of the past
Mindful of the danger which threat
ened, The Republican. and others
who earnestly desired statehood first,
sought TO avoid partisan conflict in.
the preparation of the constitution. A
non-partisan or a bipartisan con-
vention was advocated, for it was ap-
parent that if a party fight for con-
troll were inaugurated. arousng pas
sion. policies naturally popular would
be raised, and if triumphant, as they
would certainly be. they would be in
cluded in the constitution, fatally
overlooking it.
The Republican favored a simple
constitution, one to which the pow
ers. to whose hands the enabling act
had committed US would raise no OBJ
lection; we favored an easily amend
ed constitution. so that once we were
admitted we could settle among our
selves, under a state government, be-
yond The reach Of outside interference,
such differences as might arise.
But our democratic friends were
unable to resist the temptation to
promised an easy victory. but at
what an appalling cost to Arizona.
once the campaign was under way.
The Republican could easily foresee
the outcome 1t maintained a stub
born out hopeless fight in favor of a
simple constitution. 1t opposed the
policies which it believed would be
successful, attacking less the policies
themselves than the expediency Of
their adoption. This paper enter
tanned slender hope that the peo-
pie might after all see the danger |
and avoid it, but as the campaign |
progressed the hope waned. Vitu-
peration took the place Of argument |
against those who were urging state |
hood first" They were denounced as
instruments of special interests. those
opposed to the rule of the people, |
when it must have been apparent as
no rule Of the people until admission |
had been secured. Statehood first" |
was as logical as it was necessary. |
Those who were opposed to statehood |
or the rule of the people could have
chosen no surer means of defeating it /
than by supporting a constitution
which would evidently fail Of ap-
prevail
Then came the convention and the
prompt adoption Of those provisions
Of the constitution which we believed |
would bar the statehood door. They
were adopted defiantly. AS the con-
vention proceeded, discretion was
abandoned and to onlookers it APP
peared that the purpose of the lead
ers was to furnish the congress and
the president provocation for denying
us admission.
Some of the delegates attempted to
halt in the ruinous course and asked
advice OF national democratic lead