Pueblo chieftain., 1921-03-03

of this duty and to make 1t unncccs-
sary for men who are willing to devote
their time to preparat ton for national
defense to assist on sudden call in
policing the state. a continuing ap-
preparation for tho Rangers at the
amount now included in house bill No.
ll0. and senate bill No. %, will be a
positive protection against these ire
mendous expenditures OF the past
which have levied heavy burdens upon
the taxpayers OF that time and still
continue as burdensome bond issues In
the future.
Passage ms II stands
Let me say to you here that I would
rather veto the Ranger bill than 10
have it become a law il omasculated
as some OF It's enemies propose. II the
state cannot pay living wages and the
standard OF personnel in the present
force II 10 be lowered, then, in the
Hight Of past experience, let it be de-
modified as promptly as possible. "
the state cannot afford to have enough
mon to do the work for which the
force was created, let 1t return to It's
old policy of dependence upon citizen
soldicry with all the waste and In
Justice which that suggests. lf l have
no other request to make of this Cen
cral Assembly. let It be that "a mobile
force OF trained men. loyal to the state
and prejudiccd TO no special Interest.
shall be ready during the remainder of
my administration to make good the
pledge which NC all made that law
and order shall bc preserved and Inc
and property shall not hc left unpro-
tcctcd in times Of insurrccton.
As a natural accompaniment OF tho
Rangers VIC should have strong
and vigorous National Guard. II Is n
part OF our obligation to the federal
government and is our share in tho or
hl
seen with what enthusiasm the vetcr-
ans of tho World War have rallied 10
tho command OF Colonel Patrick j.
Hammock. There will he no difficulty
in recruiting hcnccforth but. to keep
faith with those willing volunteers
tho state must provide them with hde-
quatc armory facilities.
Constitu,ionni Convention
have referred frequently To tho
need for n revision Of our scheme oil
state government II lacks ccntraliza-
ton, fails to assure responsibility
where responsibility bclonGs and opcr-
atcs. in many Instances. cNtravaEant-
~. The state constitution needs re-
writing quite as much as our statutes
needed revising and | have asked YOU
to offer TO the people an opportunity
to authorize a constitutional conven-
tion. ! still believe that such n con-
vcntion should bo called but l am not
Mt all certain that the people appre
ciatc the Importance OF the movement
sufficiently to authorize the expense.
They can best Judge the matter when
IL is placed on tho ballot.
In the meantime. the pledge made to
the people that this Legislature would
consolidate boards and commissions
will go unfulfillcd unless specific ac-
ton is taken. 1 believe that much
good can he accomplished by tho on
actment OF several bills which I have
caused to he introduced for tho pur-
pose OF uniting certain departments.
abolishinE others and transferring
duties to obtain better systcmiza-
ton of administration But I believe
that VIC can go II great deal farther
by tho enactment OF house bill No. 1io
by Mr.. Gordon and thus put into Of
feet an entirely nov code for the state
government. I believe that a clause
should be added which would make 1t
operative on or before January I, 1925