The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-28

the Presidents veto il overridden, or |
whether congress backs down to . GER |
tain extent and yields to the dictate |
OF the White House by requiring that
the recall be eliminated from Arizona's
constitution, it will have but little eff
feet on future agitation Of this latest
and growing movement.
What Martin Says.
Representative Martin. of Colorado,
one of the Democratic members OF the
house committee on territories, sum-
med up the situation thus:
"The Presidents veto of this state
hood bill has made a national issue of
the recall. l may as Well be frank
and say that the initiative. referendum
and recall is gaining ground in this
country, regardless OF what congress
does or does not approve about it. The
will of two or three hundred lawyers
| here in Washington is not going to
shape the mind of the people. These
doctrines are sure to take hold in this
country, and as a result there will
probably be number of politacal
funerals later"
The statehood bill passed both the
senate and the house by a large vote.
In the house the majority was over
whelming in favor of admitting both of
1.-THE territories to the Union. The
house thought it had gone far enough
when it required that, Arizona should
vote again on the recall of the judi
ciary. 1t was also required that New
Mexico. should consider a proposition
to make it's constitution easier to
lamend.
| This left the matter up to the peo-
pie. If Arizona still wanted the re-
call, congress was willing that she
should have it. If New Mexico prefer
red its present constitution, congress
was willing that she should have 1t,
providing that second election so
registered the will of the people.
The President, however, set his foot
down on the recall, regardless OF a
second election. He let it be known
he would never approve statehood
bill with such provision as is in the
Arizona constitution. The President
gave the people of Arizona no alter
native. They must either eliminate
the recall or stay out of the Union.
Temper Of Majority.
| The temper of the majority of the
: two bodies of congress, especially the
, house, was not improved when the
, veto message was presented. There
, was immediate talk of overriding the
: veto. The house thought it had the
i. votes and the senate stood Every
close" Then was suggested a posi-
: BILE compromise SO that the states
: might no longer be kept out. The
: house committee agreed to talk OF
t compromise with the understanding
2 that no matter what the result might
: be, it should not be construed as ar
: admission on the part of the house
that it was wrong and the President
4 right.
r 1.-The position of the house." said one
$ member of the committee, ''is that the
3 people of Arizona and not the Presi
t dent have the privilege of framing
. constitution. The veto of the Presi
9 dent means that he is debating the
S constitution of a sovereign state. Ever
: if congress yields to the Presidents
t demands, it will not be an admission
1 that we think he is right about this
; matter, but our action will be based
e on the desire to let in these territories
/ without further wrangling."
Lawyers in the house point out thai
the President admits that Arizona may
2 slap the recall back into its constitu
9 ton as soon as it is admitted to the
! union. Oregon has the recall and she
+ is in the Union. Arizona would have
. similar rights and, If forced to temper
i. arily omit the recall, could later amend
i the constitution SO as to include 1t
l. This fact led some constitutional law
t yers of the house and senate to thinl
h that the Presidents veto is a rathel
: useless document, if Arizona is reall,
determined to have her own way.