Arizona republican., 1911-03-08
Some Sensible Observations p,
Mr.. Franklin.

The Hon Alfred Franklin has pub
lished in the Arizona Democrat a
thoughtful review OF the statehood
situation MIR. Franklin was one Of
the members Of the late constitutional
convention who stood for practically
all of the advanced" notions which
characterize the constitution. Pre-
sumsbly he would still be glad to
have these doctrines included in our
ginning. if that were practicable Evil
IDENTIFY he anticipates that the presi
dent will disapprove the constitution.
He knows. OF course. that if the prcsi-
dent does disapprove. mat will put an
abrupt end to progress toward state
hood under existing law. and that
anything accomplished thereafter must
be from a new starting point. In
view Of the conditions which must be
confronted in that event. Mr.. Frank
lin makes these sound observations:
1T occurs 10 me that it will not be
the part of wisdom for the people of
Arizona to keep continually chasing
the shadow Of statehood and thereby
lose the substance We must realize
that every victory achieved. other than
in the brutal conduct of war, is
fraught with compromise. We must
further realize and, realizing. recog
nize that, while the people OF this ter
ritory arc most directly concerned in
its contamination, the ultimate power
that controls our admission into the
great American Union is vested in
the composite citizenship Of nation
numbering some ninety millions OF
pa triotic people, and represented po-
litically by the president and the con-
gress as the constitutional authority
that controls our Destiny
This is exactly in line with the po-
sitioa taken by The Republican at
the beginning of the constitutional
campaign. and maintained to this mo-
ment We tried TO point out the diff
ficulties which the people of Arizona
were bound TO encounter in trying to
achieve statehood in disregard of the
veto power over our constitution
which had been vested in the presi
dent. and the congress.
Assuming still that the president
will reject the constitution, we can
forcsee nothing but disaster as the
result of further efforts to force
things" at Washington. As Governor
Sloan well said Immediately after the
election of last month, our hope of
success in the future-in case the
president rejects the constitution
must be founded on frank recog-
milton OF the probability that while
we ask the president and congress to
concede something. we also must be
prepared to concede something.
This is the only policy which can
promise success.
To be sure. the people Of this terri
tory will be told by Senator Bourne,
and possibly half a. dozen other sena-
tors. that not a iot or title must be
conceded.
But il is almost time. it seems to
us. for the people of Arizona to stop
and consider the motives Of the poll
ticians who give such advice. While
this little group of senator's may he
nominally in earnest in working for
the admission OF Arizona under the
constitution as now framed. they are
far more interested in boosting their
own political game. They want an
issue" on which they can fight Mr..
Taft in the next campaign. BY forcing
them into the open on the reciprocity
question. Mr.. Taft has exposed the
utter hypocrisy of the insurgent sena-
tors who have insisted that they were
insurgent only because they wanted
tariff reductions. The ground has
been cut from under their feet on the
tariff question. They must have some
other ground on which to oppose the
pIeSIue1lt anu On WHICH ~ http hutii-
selves prominently before the coun-
try. They are hoping that Arizona
will FURNISH them with this ground.
They would be quite well pleased to
see Arizona sacrificed. if thereby they
could be enabled to pose as the
champions Of defeated people"
But we do not believe that the peo-
pie OF Arizona will, on careful con-
sideration, lend themselves to the
scheme Of making this territory a
sscrificisl goat upon the insurgent
altar.
What we want is statehood-we are
not caring anything about the chest
nuts which the Bournes and the Bris-
tows may have i'm the fire.
Mr. Franklin talks excellent sense.