Graham guardian., 1911-09-01

the law is unconstitutional. Nine
men, constituting the United States
Supreme Court, can declare the
work of months. perhaps, of the
two houses of Congress, several
hundred members, null and void.
This is absolutely true and the
people themselves are to blame for
it. The PEOPLE of Arizona will be
to blame if they allow themselves
to be hlufed out of the right to
make their own laws by President
Taft.
Don't forget that the recall of
the judiciary, placed in Aiizona's
constitution after we become a
State, will be just as obnoxious as
ever to President Taft and those
who are opposed to an honest judic-
larry, and those interests will have
the power to Submit the recall of
the judiciary to the judicial branch
of the government, the United
States Supreme Court, which will
undoubtedly find the recall as un-
constitutional as it has other laws
passed IN favor of the people.
Yet with us it is not so much the
question of the recall being elimi-
mated from our constitution in order
to enter Statehood as it is the prin-
ciple underlying the foundation of
popular government, the right of
the people to make the laws under
which they have to live. We refuse
to believe that Mr.. Taft has any
power as president to say what laws
we shall or shall not have, and in
in this particular we quote from an
article in the Outlook, written by
ex- President Roosevelt, who says:
1T is the negation of popular
government to deny the people the
right to establish for themselves
what their judicial system shall be.
Arizona has the absolute right to
try the recall, as any of the existing
Statcs has the absolute right to try
it or not to try it. and to have an
elective or appointive judiciary, as
it pleases. To keep Arizona from
Statehood because she has adopted
the recall rs applied to the judiciary
is grave injustice to Arizona, and
an assault upon the principles which
underlie our whole system of free
popular government"
How does that strike you? An
assault upon the principles which
underlie our whole system of free
popular government, and Arizona,
in order to secure Statehood, must
submit to that assault. Think it
over. you jealous patriots.
From the Literary Digest we
learn:
The attitude Of the President in
undertaking to impose constitu-
ton upon the people of Arizona"
is essentially in conflict with the
spirit of our constitutions, declares
the Milwaukee Journal Qnd. Rep,
and similar objections to this course
are found in the editorial columns
of the New York Press Qnd. Rep,
Minneapolis Journal (Ind. Rep,
Philadelphia Record Qnd. Dem.),
Cleveland Plain Dealer, Qnd. DEM.
Los Angeles Tribune (Ind.), Spring
field Republican Qnd), and New
York American. 1t will be interest
ing now to note, remarks the Grand
Rapids Evening Press Ind }, first,
whether Arizona will be frightened
into returning to the old system,
and second; whether other States
will heed the Presidents denunc-
iation." TO quote further:
1T is very probable that after
Arizona is admitted without the re-
call it will proceed to adopt the re-
call. Thus the ultimate value Of
the Presidents special message
of warning must rest on its effect
on other States. Will it stop the
demand arising in so many widely
separated communities for check
on the judiciary? Will it be the
floodgate that will halt the tide of
the new movement?
The question has an attraction
aside from any personal opinion
held as to the merits of the innova.
ton. What really will be decided
in the future is whether centralized
government, typifed in the Pres
ident, has so gained in power and
prestige during the last few years