The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-02-08
BY HON. RALPH CAMERON


Washington, Feb. S.-Tomorrow the
inhabitants of Arizona will cast their
votes for or against the new cons1itu-
ton, which was drafted at conven-
tion held the early part of December.
II 1t is ratified by the people, it will
be duly certified and hurried to Wash
inston for Congressional action.
Should congress reject il Arizona will
find herself in her old position of an
outcast, for the enabling act makes
no provision for second attempt at
drafting d constitution. Ii it is ap-
proved it will be submitted to the
President for his signature after
which Arizona will be officially declar-
ed full Pledged state.
The enabling act creating the states
of Arizona and New Mexico, which
ional session, provided that when those
territories had their constitutions Off
cered by vote of the people, these
should be presented to congress Dur
ing the next regular session thereof"
II congress approves these constitu-
tons, well and good. If congress fails
to act either way the President has
but to affiX his signature to create
these states
1t will be impossible to present the
constitution of Arizona to congress I'M
til late in February, even though there
is no hitch in its approval by the peo-
pie of that territory. That will leave
congress little opportunity to act. One
view taken is that this session is the
next regular session. and that the
signature of the President may, early
in March, complete the formality of the
admission of the state. If the presi-
dent interprets the meaning of the en-
abling act to refer to the congress that
meets next December, the matter will
go over another year and the election
which will put two additional senators
in the upper house of congress will
be deferred
The provisions of the constitution
for the new state are, in every sense
Of the word, progressive, and some
might be inclined to term them radical.
Senator Bourne of Oregon, never tires
of praising the progressive laws of his
state, but Arizona has gone a step fur
their and incorporated these same
measures in her constitution.
The first important matter which
the constitution takes up and provides
for is the initiative and referendum
This clause states that 1.-The people re
serve the power to propose laws and
amendments to the constitution, and to
enact or reject such laws and amend.
ments at the polls, independently OF
the legislature; and they also reserve,
for use at their own option, the pow
err to approve or reject at the polls
any act or item, section or part, OF
any act of the legislature
The first of these reserved powers
is the initiative. Under it ten per
cent. of the qualified voters may, at
any time propose any measure, and fiji,
teen per cent. may propose an amend
ment to the constitution.
The second of the reserved powers is
the referendum. 1t provides that five
per cent. of the voters may demand
that any measure passed by the legis'
lature be referred to a popular vote be,
fore it becomes operative. There are
certain emergency measures that are
excepted from the operation of this
provision which provides that no mea
sure shall go into effect until 80 days
after the adjournment of the legisla
| ture.
The method of applying either the
Initiative cr tho roforaudum ic fhrpuph
petition signed by the requisite mum,
Der of voters. Any measure approved
by majority of the voters at one OF
these special elections is exempt from