Tombstone epitaph., 1911-01-22
Col. Pickett FavOrs
 Popular Government
(Phoenix Gazette

One Of the strongest, most forcible
 and mos; eloquent arguments yet made
 on behalf of the ratification of the Ari-
 zona constitution, uas that of Col. H. L.
 Pickett, delivered before the territorial
 bar association a, its banque, at the
 Ford hotel. The colonel in his char | acteristic manner, discussed all of the
 most-talked features that instrument,
 but directed his heaviest guns against
 the opponents of the initiative. the refer epdunl, the recall, the direct primary
 and the advisory vote for United States
 senators.
 ''l am for the constitution because it IS the peoples constituuon," declared the 'peaker amid the unrestraned ap- plause of his hearers. "I am for il be- cause believe in the will of the major fly ard because believe in the grea, and enduring principles which is enuncia,e.. favor the adoption of this constitution because the men who framed it represent the vast majority of the people of this territory and because in framing this organic law for our proposed state they framed such law as the people Ge- manded.
 "l wll! go even farther than this. will say that while I am for this consti- tuition from beginning to end l would be for any constitution demanded Dv the people. And I say tha, because believe rrst, last, and all the time that the people of this territory, or of any terri tory, have the right 10 determine the kind Of laws under which they shall live.
 "I have spent the best years of my life ln the two territories of New Mexico and Arizona. And wan, to say to you that I have never yet seen the day .ha: would not gladly and cheerfuly vote for peoples constitution. l will vote for this one particularly, because |, guar antees 10 the citizens of this territory that which they have .he right above all things 10 demand, the right of local sell government.
 "Gentlemen, am not one of the who has never been tested whs tes ed 2I years ago in New Mexico. In 1899 the Republicans Of that territory he'd constitutional convention. They rramed and submitted an organic law And though that was aw submitted b. Republicans yer t represented ;he VI l of the people of New Mexico, and fo, tnat reason l voted for Il and made l speeches urging it's adoption. And am | proud 10 say, gentlemen, that one of the l two counties my county was one. And l not only that. but my county gave the 1 lager majority in favor of the ratiica- | ton of that constitution.
 ''I hope tha, by the tin.e we hold our next annual banquet we shall be able to | celebrate the admission of Ari :ona to | the sis hood of states. The question | of progress is sweeping the whole coun- try. It began in Oregon and il has | eastward until the people of tn | rOCkubbed Republican state of Massa- 1 chusetts are clamoring for the initiative, the r-ferendum, and the recall.
 Look at the grea, state of Illinois, | whose people have voted five to one for | the principles which are embodied in | the fundamental law of Arizona. And l ! want 10 say that If they had had the | direct primary there sooner, the kind of | primary for which our constitution pro- vides, we should hear less of Lorimer | and those Democratic allies through | whom h's election was made possible.
 ''Gen:lemen, believe . Arizona and | he. future. believe in the constitution | framed by the representatives of her people And believe that in govern ment guaranteed by this constitution | human freedom shall live and flourish | and that government of the people and for the people and by the people shall | not perish from the earth"