Arizona republican., 1908-04-01
THE TERRITORIAL FORM
 OF GOVERNMENT.

By Hon. Sims Ely. Secretary to the
 Governor. Mir. Ely will become Ter
 ritorial Auditor on April :. by ap-
 pointment of the Governor
 When the prospective settler begins to take stock of his knowledge of Ari- Zona. many anxious questions occur to him, and to him they are of a practical nature. If he has never lived in a territory. and especially if he is an eastern man, he is particularly eager to know something of the territorial form of government as it is found here. Wherein does the government of Arizona differ from that of a state? Are life and property as secure here. as in the states? What voice has the citizen in public affairs? Is the law firmly and impartially enforced? Will it be somewhat like moving to a foreign country?
 These are not questions to be laugh ed at; although many residents of the territory. themselves thoroughly familiar with local affairs. do some time find themselves amused by such inquiries.
 IL cannot be too emphatically stated that any American coming to Arizona will find himself so completely among "hls own people" and will find the af- fairs of government and society so similar to those with which he has been familiar at home. that 1t will be difficult for him to realize that he has come 10 Arizona-that Arizona with which his imagination has played in So man- forms.
 Perhaps he has read enough of the congressional debates on the perennial statehood question, during the past twenty years, to be of the opinion that Arizona people are "vassals' and 'serfs" and are fretting their lives away. all same a caged animal, be- cause of the restrictions and tyran- nles and neglect and eXactions of "a ruthless federal government three thousand miles away" Ii that has been his impression of conditions in this territory. he is quickly disiilu- stoned.
 If he notes any difference at all. 1t will be to observe. after he has become entirely familiar with things. that most comparisons which occur to him are 10 the advantage of Arizona. He will have learned. for example. that muni- nlpal. county. and territorial officers arc completely in touch with their fellow citizens.-being in fact a part of the territory's citizenship; that prac- tically all offices are filled by Arizona men; that all of them appear to be animated by a sense of duty. and by the pride of doing a good job-that honesty in public is the rule, and that .g Tt sfa1 ly unknown.
 The system of government in Ari- ZOna is exceedingly simple. and is a system of home rule in form and practice little short of the system of state government with which every body is familiar. In it is found the triple balance which distinguishes the federal government and the govern ment of the states-the executive, the legislative. and the judicial branches, with county and town government. as found almost everywhere in the United States.
 The governor is appointed by the president. for a term of four years whereas in the states the governor is selected by the people. But invariably the chief executive of the territory is chosen from its citizens by the presj- dent. Usually he is one of the party leaders. as in the states, and almost invariably the man so chosen is the man who at that time would be chos en by his party for election to that position. were the territory a state. So we find that practically the people have nome rule in that respect.their governor is the man they themselves have raised 10 leadership.
 The gov ernOr appoints all the ter ritorial officers. but these offices are created by the legislature. These of fees are as few in number as the needs of the public service will per mit-a difference decidedly in favor of Arizona when We contemplate the multitude of state officers. and state boards. And here the men in office are not as numerous as the offices the governor. and some other territo- rial officials are ex-officio members of various boards which have important duties. Again, the men appointed by the governor to office are invariably citizens of the territory, and the ef- fort always is to select men who have demonstrated that they not only have SpeClal fitness TOT IHe OutleS assign ed to them, but have the confidence of the communities in which they reside.
 The governor has the power to veto. as in the states, and any bill disap- proved by him must secure a majority of two-thirds in each branch of the legislature before becoming a law. Vetoes are interposed very rarely, and almost without exception they are sustained by the legislatuTe-the di rect representatives of the people so that in the fullest sense the people make their on laws.
 The legislature here, as in the states, consists of two branches: the house of representatives, and the cOuncil-the latter body corresponding to what is known as the senate in most states. Membership in the house | of representatives is based on popu- | latiOn, so far as practicable; this | scheme being modified by the fact that | 10 each county is accorded at least one | representative. There are thirteen f counties in the territory, and twenty four members of the house of repre- | sentatiVeS. The council consists of 1 twelve members, there being one for each county. except that one council | district comprises two counties. All