Arizona republican., 1902-10-01
The Campaign Opened.


 The republican campaign in Maricopa county was formally opened last nignt. by a successful meeting at Tempe. Henceforth. until election day. the candidates will be in the field meeting the voters, and every man on the ticket may reasonably hope to he elected This county is now so close. politically. that were every citizen 10 vote his party preferences the result would show an almost equal balance between the hope that they have a normal majority of perhaps a hundred and fifty, but
 there is no sound basis for this hope.
 But d few years ago. the county was overwhelmingly de ocratic, but changes have been going on rapidly in
 favor of the republican party-there has been steady republican gain.
 Moreover. the republicans have placed in the field ticket which individually and collectively is much stronger than
 that of the democrats. This is not b cause republicans in this community are better men than their fellow citi- zens of the democratic faith. but it is because the two parties pursue differ
 ent rolicies in making their nomira- tions. As a witty republican stated in the convention the other day, then a democrat is placed in nomination the dominant note sounded by his aGvo- cates is that he has always been a democrat; but when a republican is
 nominated the moving plea in his be- half is that he possesses peculiar fit- ness for the office
 Every man nominated on the repub- lican ticket is especially qualified to fill the office for which he has been named. Several of the nominees hold or have
 held. positions of public trust
 For illustration. Judge Joseph H. Kibbey. the candidate for council man. won high honors as chief jus
 tice of the territory. He is one of the most eminent lawyers of Arizona, strongest men ever sent to the terri and in fne council will be one of the
 torial assembly.
 Of the candidates for the assembly Thomas F. Flannigan and A. c. Me Queen have both proved their worth ir
 public office-Mr. Flannigan as district attorney and MT. Mcqueen as a mem Der of the live stock sanitary board.
 John A. Marshall candidate for su- pervisor, is already serving in that office, and his services have been valI- able to the county and thoroughly sat isfactory to the people.
 A. J. Edwards, candidate for district attorney, was nominated for reelection because of the great ability. industry, fairness and fidelity with which he has performed his duties thus far. C. w. Barnett, the nominee for county recorder has proved in a most thorough manner his fine qualifications for the place. For years he was dep
 uty recorder and two years ago was
 elected county assessor by a large ma jority.
 Thus. here are six men-Kibbey. Flannigan, Mcqueen, Marshall, Ed
 wards and Barnett. whose past record
 in office leaves no room for guess work as to their fitness.
 Nor are the other candidates behind these experienced men, in the matter of integrity. in equipment for the duties of the offices they seek, and in popu- i larity. c. T. Hirst and c. M. Etter, for the assembly, W. w Cook for sheriff, Grant Jones for supervisor, H.
 A. Diehl for treasurer. J. c. Phillips for probate judge, M A. Grouse for super intendent of schools, and Harry Han cock for county surveyor, are men of education and business experience. They are good republicans, but more i important than that from a republican standpoint, they are representative
 citizens and in office will be governed by high sense of duty to the people.
 Taking the county ticket as a whole. therefore. all of the candidates, those
 who have held office as we'll as those
 who have not, are the kind of men to
 whom the philosophical voter will turn when selecting his public servants for the next two years.
 Nor have the republicans been less happy in their precinct nominations l throughout the county. Every candi- date has been selected with a view to
 his special fitness for the office assigned to him.
 Really. it looks as if the republican ticket Is invincible from top to bottom A Natural Sentiment.