Arizona republican., 1907-02-01
THE PRICE OF HOT AIR.

The document taken in all its parts
Is Pc haps different from any other that
was ever presented to a deliberatiSe
body in this or any other world.
The proposition set forth that the
oroposers, names unknown, would un-
dertake to remove about $4,000 from
;he public treasury in the following
manner: 1896 two columns dali stand
/ ing; Sl150. history OF bills; SlS75,
daily journal; $500, hot air remarks. "
The nature Of the proposition was
confirmatOry Of the earlier rumor OF
the ratio of the cut OF the Evening
Outcast TO the whole amount. That at
Ave cents an inch was twenty per cent
Of the whole amount. The "hot air
| item of $500 in the formal proposition
Is twenty per cent of the whole amount
Of $4,000. Thus it was disclosed where
the hot air was to come from. There had
already been a manufacture OF it on
a small scale but the real output had
not yet begun.
When the council had recovered its
breath President Doran suggested that
this matter was worth holding a ses-
sion of the committee of the whole over
IL. Mr.. Weedin was of the opinion that
| there would be a diversity of opinion
over the merits of the proposition and
other members who expressed them
selves were of the same mind.
1t was further suggested by Mr..
Cleaveland that the gentlemen who had
made the proposition might be prepar-
ed to enlightcn the council concerning
the merits of il. At this suggestion
certain of the gentlemen whose names
had been connected with legislative
printing from the beginning left the
chamber for the corridor and the Sc
clusion of the committee rooms where
the air was less stiffiing.
Mr.. Weedin took the chair and Pres
ident Doran addressed himself to the
report, saying: an some respects this
is a most remarkable report" He di-
rected the attention of the council to
the extraordinary circumstance that
this proposition looking presumably to
the giving Of publicity to the proceed
Ings of the legislature had come from
an outsider without any circulation.
The president admitted the usefulness
of the press and he would be willing
to allow reputable newspapers de-
cent and reasonable allowance for any
reasonable services they might perform
in connection with the legislature.
But" said he, this is nothing but a
graft" He further observed that the
council was not authorized to purchase
hot air at the expense of the taxpayers
81 have had some intimatiOn," said he.
"of this thing; that some of the papers
are implicated in a combination involv-
ing a cut
The legislature. the speaker said. !
could not afford to countenance such a /
measure. The body had made a good I
start and was in a fair way to realize /
the hopes of the people of the territory. |
The legislation enacted. or. under, way /
with a prospect of enactment. was |
healthful and useful. The good work ]
that was being done and which had .
been done must not now be undone.
Messrs. Hunt and Roemer aIso |
thought the thing had the appearance !
Of an underdone graft and Mr.. CIeave-
land again suggested that some of the
gentlemen interested in the printing |
business might desire to have someth- /
Ing to say on the subject. II they had /
any such desire they repressed it with /
Spartan fortitude. Mr.. O'Neill who |
few minutes before had observed Chas. 4
II. Akers sitting in the chamber, called 4
upon him for enlightment but the chair i
lately occupied by Mr.. Akers was va 4
rant.
Reverting to the subject of hot air Il
Mr.. Cleaveland admitted the pleasant
ness of il but it was luxury he said
hat no man should indulge i'm unless
he could pay for IL out of his own
pocket.
Mr.. O'Neill moved TO lay the report
pn the table. Others of the members
were not of the opinion that that would
he the proper way to dispose of it. The
subject of printing brought up by the
-eport should have a hearing and ii
xas decided to refer the report back to
he committee and it was also decided
% increase the committee by two so
Continued on Page 81