Arizona republican., 1922-05-20
The constitutional Amendments

There is considerable doubt, and the part Of
the Democratic leaders, anxious doubt, to the
figure the constitutional amendments will cut in
forthcoming primary. We think there is no doubt
that the majority sentiment in the late state
ference was favorable to the proposed amendments
as whole. To what extent that sentiment
representative of Democratic sentiment throughout
the state do not know, but we suspect that in
the rank and file there is not yet much sentiment at
ALL one way another
The conference, acting upon hint by Chairman
McCalla in his opening address-to exclude from the
conference all but political issuesfound easy to
side-step the question of the proposed amendments.
The subject ostentatously ignored by the
mttee resolutions, and later attempt to secure
consideration of them decisively defeated The
defeat would have been gnominous but for the votes
Of part of the Maricopa delegation which, however,
was not really expressing any view with regard to
the amendments but was carrying a desperate
Irritation with the irreconcilables of Giia
Nothing directly heard of the amend
ments in the course of conference, but Mr.. Ward.
the endorsee, no doubt had them in mind when in
his midnight speech of acceptance he declared the
right of the people make such changes in the
stitution they may from time to time see fit
In ordinary circumstances, that would appear
to be truism of significance, but think it
was highly significant, as most Of the remarks
of Mr.. Ward that occasion. 1t is true that the
people already that right; the constitution itself
gives it to them The Industrial Congress knew that
when it suggested the amendments. and the majority
of the legislature knew it when it proposed to submit
the amendments to the people
But a minority of the legislature composed of the
radical members, acting the advice of former
Governor Hunt tried desperately to defeat submis-
sion and thereby to prevent the people from
eisng a constitutional right or privilege.
Meanwhile the opponents of submission de-
cIaring that they were combating conspiracy
against the people: that is, they fighting the
submission of the amendments to the people in the
fear the people had not enough to exercise
the right which the constitution gave them. Then.
having failed the opponents prepared to go to the
people directly and tell them politely possible
that they were lacking in sense TO know what was
good for them. Further TO impress the people with
their ignorance they sought in vain to
expression from the conference that would make
opposition to the amendments Democratic doctrine.
That too having failed they intending,
we understand. to make the fight within the Demo
cratic party and make factonal issue of what the
conference declined recognize political that
is, a partisan issue.
The question of submission partisan
issue The suggestion came in the first place, is
well known from the Industrial Congress, composed
of both Democrats and Republicans, majority of
the leaders being Democrats. 1t proposed in the
senate by majority of the Democratic members,
and only one Republican voted against it. The
Democratic house by decisive vote declared for
submission nearly all the Republicans voting for it.
So to the present it has evenly along the
non partisan track on which it was started 1t will
remain to the end an intra party issue.