The Arizona champion., 1885-02-21
LEGIsLATIvE CORRESPONDENCE.
PRESCOIr. Feb. %. 1883.


 liamentary, shrewdness and sharp practice
 On Friday, the 18th inst, perhaps the most important and interesting measure of the day was the discussion of the subject of the taxation of church property. Mir, Watkins, Of yGila, upon whose bill the question arose, supplemented by the report of the judiciary committee, offering a substitute for the measure, awoke q latent or subdued fire in that gentle man, which marked hlm as the ableSt debator and most effective speaker on the floor of the House. Barring a few defects in the proper arrangement of words, his entire argument was lucid, logical, concise and, what Is better still, convincing and powerful, with that magnetic force which secms to be possessed by all great orators. Franklin, Porter and Purdy were very able antagonists and obstructionisls, but all the sophistical reasoning and flowery adulteration indulged in by these gentlemen went down before his hurricape,like demand for the equal taxation of all receiving protec. tion. Notwithstanding an immense opposition, the gentleman succeeded in killing the substitute bill and pass ing his own, with the slight modified ton of exemp,ing church property to the small amount of S2,ooo. Mir. Ruggles also assisted greatly in bring ing about this result.
 Saturday afternoon the House wen. into committee of the whole on the bill granting suffrage to women. The auditorium of the Legislative amphi- theatre was crowded with ladies, and the "war-horse of the Huachucas," Gen. Wardwell, mounted his orator.. cal Pegasus gallantly, and valiantly battled for the rights of women. His tory and logic, of a very questionable character, was adduced, in order to Win the smiles and plaudits of the fair in the gallery, many of whom, judging by their youth and beauty, were not eligible to citizenship on account of age. The able gentleman from Gila, Mir. Watkins, again enun- ciated some of his progressive ideas and eloQuence, and with slight oppo sition the committee of the whole rc- ported back to the House favorably on the measure, by q vote of B to II. Your readers will remember that "IndeX" predicted in a former letter that in order to defeat the bill members would have to treat the mat ter more seriously. Strange as it is, our law makers are to a great extent apt to try experiments, and your scribe really feared that the franchise would be thrust on the ladies of Ari zona unsought. But the sequel dis pellcd the fear. It was an "of' day. as one member described it. The members were paid their monthly salary, and their jubi!ant demonstra, tions took the form of female suffrage in the afternoon and the "tiger" and other temptations of the "giddy cap ital" in the evening.
 The fee bill will be killed in the House, at least that is the outlook al present, as almost herculean influences are brought to bear for its defeat.
 Blue Monday in the House, with no ladies in the gallery for the gallan! members to lascinate, and cousidera, ble headaches and light pockets. had a dampening effect on the chiyalric ardor of the gentlemen of that body. for scarcely had the title of the bil been read when Col. Ruggles, O. Pinal, to the surprise Of many, diC not deem it sensible to pass the suf irage bill at this time. It ought tC be mentioned that Sam Purdy's beau uiul tribute to woman, in opposition to the bill, was one of those little bits of effective eulogy, that, like ; ray sunshine. gives things a brighte aspect, and had much to do with th, disaster that happened to the propo sitltion-for, thank heaven, Arizon. will not drag down woman to tn, level of the polItician-and all tru, men will protect her in her rights fJr his mot CTS sake. It would be sad commentary on the men of Arr zona, if women needed the ballot fo her protection.
 The railroad, capital, asylum county divisison and other proposi tions have not been sprung yet, bu