Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-01-13

sorts of conditions and men, some
good and some bad have no doubt
that hepe as elsewhere we shall oe-
rasionaily elect unworthy men tc
office, but | have sufficient faith In
tbs intelligence end INTEGRITY ci thu
people of the territory TO believe that
we shall not fall behind our sister
states in the wisdom and honesty
with which we meet the great prob
| lens OF state government.
There is little that Is original In
the constitution, and II is well that
| that Is the case. A CONSTITUTION
is A POOR PLACE FOR EXPERT
MENTS. So far as / can discover,
the members of the convention which
framed the instrument were guided
In their work by the experience Of
other states. or course Il is not sat
isfactory in every particular to any
one. No constitution that could be
framed would be. No doubt every
one of the hundred delegates to the
convention would be glad to change
II In one or more particulars. II is
compromise, as every similar In
strument from the great federal con-
stitution down has been compro-
ernment similar to those In success
full operation in other common
wealths, it establishes all necessary
checks on the arbitrary exercise of
governmental power, and In my judg-
ment, ITS REJECTION WOULD BE
A PROFOUND MISFORTUNE.
| have but two more points upon
which I wish to touch. II is urged
with great vigor that the proposed
constitution Is a bosses constitution,
framed In the interests of the corpo-
rations. AS to the first point, | must
confess that the statement seems TO
me to have only an academic inter-
est The character of the men who
wrote the constitution Is not an Issue
In this election. Discussion of the
moral or mental equipment OF vari-
Gus party leaders who were delegates
to the convention Is no more perth
nent to the issue now before us than
q discussion of the wool schedule of
,e Payne tariff bill. The question is
not who these men were. but what
they have submitted to us for ap-
proval or rejection.
Just how the corporations get any
undue advantages from the constitu-
tion has not been made clear. Mr..
Dooley once remarked TO Mr.. Hen
messy that 1t was always good plan
to take a crack at policeman, for
n policeman was always in the way.
on the same principle. certain gem
tlemen would make this an occasion
TO take a crack az the corpora
tions because taking crack at
the corporations is always in or
der. / yield to no one IN my
desire to see the special Inter-
ests of every kind eliminated from
that kind of backstairs participation
in politics. which has been SO lament
ably frequent all over the country In
the past. The proper regulation of
corporate enterprises is the most Inn
portant problem pressing upon us for
solution today. but these great ques-
tons must be dealt with calmly, rea-
sonably. intellgently. Nothing If
gained by mere reckless denunclation
Of corporations In general at all sorts
of inopportune times.
Not since the days preceding the
civil war have the political economic
and social questions confronting the
country been OF such far-reaching
consequence. To be shut out from
our heritage as American citizens at
such time Is n calamity, and II Is
my earnest hope and confident ex-
peotation that this condition will last
but a few months more.
THE IMPORTANT THING Is TO
MAKE THE VOTE FOR THE CON
so LARGE AND THE