The Parker post., 1912-11-02
AMENDMENTS
UP TO PEOPLE
CORRESPONDENT GIVES HIS OP.
INlONS OF VARIOUS QUESTIONS
TO BE VOTED ON-A PLEA FOR
SUFFRAGE.
(By A. D. Nelson.)

constitution of the state of Arizona,
to be voted on at the election
of November fifth should command
the assidious attention of each vo-
ter in the state These amendments
are truly history in the making
history i'm which We, the people OF
Arizona have a share in the MAX
ing 1t is therefore obvious that
all good citizens should (and wilD
give careful consideration to the pro-
visions of the various changes pro-
posed.
few days ago l received a let
ter from a friend in California, in
the course of which he said Il am
going to locate in Arizona and open
some kind of business as | think Ar
iZona is the coming state" That an
eastern man should turn his eyes to-
wards Arizona is not at all remark
able, for the lure of Arizona lives in
the breast of all the east; but that
a Californian should turn hitherward
is worthy of note What vistas of
self-gratifaction opens before us when
considering that the usually self-com-
placent Californian is beginning to
hitch his wagon to our star! And
this man is. at present, the mama
ger of a large mellon growers as
sociation in his state-an aggressive
business man who knows whereof he
creaks.
If we would know the why of
we have not far to seek The ans
wer lies not only In our natural adj
vantages and undeveloped resources,
but also in the opportunities for all
the people under our form of gov
eminent. The reputation our state
Las made as one advanced in fun
damental democracy should be a
source of pride to every citizen.
The practicability of the initia-
tive and referendum is a demon
strable fact 1t is being demonstrate
ed in the election now upon us.
The extension of the recall provi-
sion is one item on which, pre-
sumo Arizona is practically unani-
nous. If you know that any doubt
of voting ''yes" fingers i'm the mind
of any man, | pray you go up to
him and gently murmur Taft" into
his ear Presto vanish doubt, Taft
said We could not have it, therefore
We want it. The people of Arizona
want it therefore we ought to have
it. Let's make it unanimous.
1 like not that amendment con-
cerning the limitation of the indebt-
edness of counties districts and i'm
corporation. Believing in absolute
democratic democracy, I see no cause
why the whole state should shoul-
der the task of debating to any sub
division of the state upon matters
which concerns that b-divisiOn
alone. 1t is like n father command
ing a son who has passed his ma
jority, that he shall not borrow more
than so much money. What bust
ness is it of the fathers what his
son-of-legal-age shall do? Either
that is true analogy or we must
consider that no country or incor-
poratiOn ever reaches majority, but
is always an infant of the state. Ii
the latter be the correct analogy then
where is room for home rule? With
hosts of others, | believe in the ex-
tension of home-rule to cover all mat
ters which the people of any sub
division can control as we'll as, or
better than, the state government.
Even so, the amendment is an I'M
doubted Improvement upon the ori-
ginal and / would advise an AYE"
vote upon it, always with the mental
reservation to later abolish it en-
tirely and substitute home-rule abso-
lutte.
The amendment granting munich
palities the right to engage in In
dustrial pursuits is an admirable pro-
vision. Although designed especial
ly to allow the public ownership of
public utilities, we find in it an ele-
ment which may become the open
ing wedge to break the high cost
of living. Why should a municipal
ity not engage in industrial pursuits
as we'll as an individual? A muni
cipality is but a community of people
and the community as whole should
have right to engage in whatsoever
activities they will so long as they