The copper era and Morenci leader., 1914-12-25


 MANY ARE FIRING OF THE INITIATIVE
 Many of the voters of Arizona, who were warm supporters of the initiative, referendum and recall, the political battle cry raised in Arizona with it's coming into the union as state, are now disgusted with the idea of direct legislation by the initiative. The voters were deceived into voting for. sveral measures at the last election which are now promising to do great deal more harm than good. They are beginning to see that to avoid mistakes Tn the future 1t will be best to have the laws of the state enacted by a legislature composed of representatives of the people For instance, had the old age and mothers pension law been submitted to the legis- lature 1t would not have agreed to it's passage in its present shape which compels the closing of every state and county alrnshouse where sol many indigents now being cared for i'll al credtable manner The legislature would no doubt have been willing to provide pension for extreme cases of poverty, but it would have agreed to turn out of doors the indigents now being cared for by the state and counties with the of $15 per month yet the people voted to turn tie inmates of the Cochise county poor farm away from the good care now provid- ed, to become beg glng paupers, as the pension provided would not last some of them more than a few days. The anti-blacklist law is another measure that was not considered and one which will do much more harm than good. Under this law voted by the people of the state no employer may make any inquiry of seeking posi- ton as to his qualification and desrabity, or for whom he worked in the past, to Where he qualified himself for the position he may be seek ing. This law might be an advantage to the worthless and incompetent individuals seeking work, but 1t would debar employer from un- dertaking to fni who IS a competent and worthy workman and who are the desirable ones. As result of this law 1t is already announced that hereafter all who desire work with the Fl Pasol
 
 in their application for work in Fl Paso, where there IS no law sgainst the company making such inquiries as will disclose the desirability and competency of the applicant. This will be a great hardship men who desiring work from this cotrpanv and the hardship will be borne by the deserving as well the undeserving. h Already there are suggestions that the sooner Arizona gets rid of this manner of pass ing laws the better it will be for the state and those who reside in it. It will be noted that nearly all the laws proposed at the last election came from the Arizona federation of labor and that they were. many of them aimed at the very industries upor which labor must depend for ployment and prosperity. The mining compa11- ies and the 1ailroad companies of the state, the very ones on which the entire state must depend for it's prosperity. have been singled out for as- sault. With these great industries crippled the who is depending on his individual labor must be hurt in the exact proportion.
 If the initiative provision of the constitution of Arizona repaired a position so large that 1t would require an undoubted demand for a new law before 1t could reach the ballot then there would not be so much danger of special interests getting their freak laws before the people and having them enacted under niisapprehension E to what will he their effect.
 The legislature should provide for an amendment to the constitution which will either eliminate the initiative altogether so amend it that it will require undoubted expression of the public des're before a measure may be crowd ed on the people for a vote.
 oJTP FFFICIFNT AMBASSADOR