Arizona republican., 1918-11-05
Injustice to US. Defenders Seen In Amendment Sought
 By Land Hogs of Arizona
AN ACT

AN ACT
 TO AMEND SECTION TEN OF ARTICLE TEN OF THE CONSTI- TUITION OF THE STATE OF ARI- IONA.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEO- PILE OF THE STATE OF ARI- IONA;
 That Section 10 of Article 10 of the Constitution of the State of Ari- zona be and the same is hereby amended to read as follows:
 Section 10. The legislature shall provide for proper laws for the sale of all state lands, or lease of such lands. and shall further provide by said laws for the protection of the actual bona fide residents and lessees of said lands, whereby such residents and lessees of said lands shall be protected in their rights to their improvements>(i >(including water rights) in such manner that in case of lease to other parties the former lessee shall be paid by the succeed ing lessee the value of such improve ments and rights and actual bona fide residents and lessees shall have preference to renewal of their leases at a reassessed rental to be fixed as provided by law.
 Filed July 2, 1918.
 You will note that this gives the legislature power to pass any laws in connection herewith they may see fit, and in which you have no voice, vet it is true that the people as a whole elect the legislature from the various counties of the state. You will further note that the resident and lessees of the land under present lease shall be protected in their rights, tcs their improvements, in- tluding water rights, in such manner that in case of lease to other parties the succeeding lessee shall pay the value of such improvements, and the present residents and leSSees shall have preference to the renewal of their leases, but at a reassessed rental.
 Bid Against Barons.
 MT. Voter, the proposed amend ment means this and nothing more; that if the Stock and Land Barons" of this state covet your lands you must be ready to bid against them in in the way of an increased rental.
 This proposed amendment is very pliant in that the lands can be reas- sessed each year. For illustration. you are now paying 50 cents per acre as rent, which is all you are able to pay, but suppose the rental was in creased to g per acre, could you pay it? This proposed amendment is not so worded that if the rental is reassessed and raised from 30 cents per acre to s2 per acre. that it would remain at that figure permanently. If you are unable to meet the reas- sessed rental the Stock and Land Barons" of this state can well afford to meet tha increased rental on your lands for a period of one year, and under this proposed amendment it can then again be reasSessed and placed at it's original rental, and AFTER they come into possession they have the prior right, and you are out of your range.
 Investigate Amendment.
 This, Mir. Voter, is the only legiti- mate construction that can be placed on this proposed amendment, yet some may tell you that it is far fetched. and we answer them by ask ing you to study and investigate this proposed amendment Be not blind ed to the full sense of your duty as B citizen.
 The laws of this state are not en- hcted for the special few, but fol Al1 Al z.< zl-.~ as a whole, and it can readily be seer by the passage of this proposed amendment that one class only car be served, and that is the "Stocl and Land Barons" of the state.
 The passage of this proposed amendment will not only mear bankruptcy and failure to the ranch CTS and smaller interests throughcu the state, but will impede immigra tion, keeping out the foreign in vestors.
 Can't you see, MT. Voter, that i you own your little ranch and herd that it is by the terms of this pro posed amendment possible for tn, Stock and Land Barons' to entirel, freeze you out by leasing the land adjoining you, and thereby hemmin; you in to where you have no outle and no prospects for increasing you range or your herds in the future other than by leasing from th' Stock and Land Barons."
 This is not cnly true in the case of the smaller stockmen, but it i also true with the ranchers who hay heretofore had more or less fire range.
 Third Proposition.
 The third proposition is an appea to your patriotism, in this: Are yo' willing and do you intend to pas such laws that will in the future GU off all prospects of advancement { the coming generation? Many c you have sons in France, or brother: who have left their interests in thi state and have left their rancho. wherever they may be located. i your hands with the feeling ths when they return they may agai take up their business where it wa left off and enlarge same; fcelin that the laws of the state were mad tn fairness to them and with the idle of protecting their interests. Wi SOd ohOP dlltl SOlSiucI TUT one IQl ment how the young man will fe on his return when he learns that h herds are in jeopardy of the "Stoc and Land Barcns" and that h ranges have all been merged ar taken over by the land grabbers LII Her the law passed in his absence ar in which he had no voice.
 Unfair to Soldier.
 This is unfair to the soldier bt and it is also unfair to the comir generation.
 Shall we pass a law that on serves one interest and bulges fro top to bottom with selfishness al greed?
 : If any one thing can be said favor of this act we demand that t z father of same come forward al ,, openly declare by what interest sa law was proposed.
 Consider it, MT. Voter, and co