Arizona republican., 1911-02-11
The Next Step.

AS was stated i'm these columns re-
peatedly during recent weeks, The
Republican would be exceedingly
glad To have Arizona admitted into
the Union under the constitution that
mas been framed, or under any other
constitution which representative citi-
ztns of Arizona might write.
Also, it was stated in these col
umns repeatedly that the constitution
would be ratified, unquestiOnably.
The ratification of the constitution
by the expected majority has not in
any wise changed the attitude of this
paper. While the constitution is OBJ
Jectionable in some of its features, the
time has gone by for discussion Of its
merits and dement's
All the reliable information which
The Republican has been able 10 OBJ
tain at Washington has been To the
effect that the president and the lead
ers of both parties in congress are
seriously dissatisfied with the consti-
election. information came to this
paper from a senator who personally
approves the distinctive features of
the constitution. that the provision
for the recall of judges" was the
one insuperable obstacle to approval
al WashingtOn-that while there was
much objection to the initiative and
referendum features as framed. these
would have been overlooked. in all
probability. if the recall had been
left out of the constitution.
And such is the situation which we
must confront now.
The question is, Can Mr.. Taft be
persuaded to waive his objections. and
can the leaders of the democratic and
republican parties be persuaded to
waive their objections?
Until the case is decided against us,
il should be the aim of every loyal
citizen of the territory to do what he
can to persuade the authorities at
Washington to let US go in with this
constitution.
While the outlook has been anything
but promising, it is not the Arizona
way to quit because Of obstacles. FL
There should be a concerted effort
ington.
As to methods: A great deal of
good may be accomplished by writ
ing to the president and to SEN
ators and congressman letters sim
liar TO the omen letter to the
president from the editor of The
Republican, which we print on this
page. If citizens go to Washington.
they should be men who already
command the confidence and respect
of the president and of congressional
leaders. Agitators and fellows seek
ing notoriety-men of an ignorant
type, who think they can go to
Washington and demand" things
should be instructed TO stay at home.
Republicans. especially. wh) have
endured hearing themselves villifiOd
and lied about simply because they
had the manhood to declare them
selves against certain doctrines in
the Neutrality-suspicious. who have
been accused of being enemies of
statehood" and tools of the inter
ests'' by impudent demagogues-
should forget for the moment. that we
have demagogues and office-seekers.
They should remember that they
have interests at stake i'm the terri
tory. and that statehood will bring
a great wave of prosperity to the
whole territory. They should not
permit to go unchallenged the in
famous assertions of journalistic
blackguards that the only friends of
statehood are the notoriety seekers
who have rushed to the head of the
procession. II should be remembered
that the great mass of our citizenship
is of the best, and that whatever our
differences may have been as TO de-
tails and procedure. the time for diff
ferences has gone by. 1t should be
remembered that once more the occa-
sion has arisen for every patriotic
citizen 10 forget politics and put his
shoulders to the wheel of statehood.
After we get statehood--as we surely
will, some time-we can differ
again. all we please.
Maybe we can win now. The great
prize is worth trying for with all the
energy that the people Of Arizona can
muster.
But let the work be done with in