Arizona republican., 1911-01-31
The Effect of the Vote.


 ratified by the voters at the election of February 9, is conceded on all sides The only doubt is as to the size of the majority
 It is also conceded by everybody ex- cept those who have some sort of fever in the head. that all the reliable evidence so far received supports the contention that President Taft IS op- posed to some of the distinguishing features of the constitution, and that unless he changes his mind" he will formally disapprove it.
 Beyond this point. all is conjecture so far.
 It is the acknowledged prerogative of kings and presidents to change their minds.
 Will Presient Taft change his mind with reference to Arizona's constitu- tion?
 There are people of good sense who argue m good faith srat it is reason able to expect that he may. Their reasoning is faulty. however. it seems to us. Their argument is predicated upon two assumptions:
 First-That the more Mir Taft thinks about the result of the last election the more he will consider that it was victory by forces whose prin cipies are set forth in the Arizona constitution.
 Second-That a tremendous major ity for the constitution here would lead the president to conclude that it would be unwise for him to stand against such manifestation of public opinion.
 on analysis. both of these proposi- tions are found unworthy of consid- eration.
 In the first place, MT. Taft is not of the calibre of the professional pol itician. For this reason professional politicians cannot readily grasp the reasons which will control the presi-
  He will deal with the constitution from the standpoint of constitutional law and American statcsmanship. Pet ty political considerations will not sway him in the slightest degree.
 But laying aside this fundamental fact. and paying attention to the ar -h.f d.. find? We find that the result of the last election showed a general re-ac- ton against the Payne-Aldrich tariff law. which gave victory to the con servative wing of the democratic party the wing which has insisted for years that Bryan was wrong. and that the democratic party could win only by making the tariff the issue.
 In not one of the states carried by the democrats at the November cleo ton were the doctrines of the Arizona constitution at issue. or even dis cussed.
 Mr Taft. if inclined to play poll tics" could not find in the election re- turns of the several states a single argument in favor of approving Ari- zona's constitution. We come now to the effect of the local vote on the constitution.
 Would very large majority for the l constitution lead MT Taft to consider | it more favorably? All sound reasoning. it seems to us, 1 leads to contran, conclusion. A | great majority for the constitution could only have the effect of convinc- | ing Mir. Taft that the notions of Ari- Zona people were inconsistent with his l ideas ss to the principles which should guide self governing people
 A small majority for the constitution might lead MT. Taft to believe that there is in Arizona such a proportion | of conservative people as to justify belief that radicals and socialists would not absolutely control a state ' government
 We ought to show the president. if we honestly can. that a large propor- tion of Arizona people are really con seTvative
 And this cannot be done by giving an overwhelming majority for the con stitution.
 Nor can it he done by sending to
  Westinghouse proposed in some quarters-a "Coxey's army" to "de- msnd' of MT. Taft his approval of the constitution
 If NIT. Taft could be brought to change his mind" as to the approval f of this constitution. it would be by representations from citizens of this territory who have his confidence.