Bisbee daily review., 1908-10-17
RANGERS ARE SUBJECTED ID
 UNFAIR CHARGE
Maricopa County Democrats Take Small Minded View Regarding Arizona's Able Mounted Police.

I The Democratic county platform
 adopted in Maricopa county. contain
 an unnecessary and uncalled fo
 vicious attack upon the Arizona Rang
 CTS as an organization. Many of th,
 statements contained therein are ep tirely at variance with the facts am
 some of them libelous and slanderous
 A part of this Maricopa county nlat
 form goes on to say:
 | The Rangers are merely a party oi political boosters upholding the party
 Yno appointed them The article
 further says that the rangers cost $60, 1 900 per annum
 The fact of the matter Is that the
 political completion of the rangers
 is decidedly Democratic. The cap
 tain of the rangers, MT. Harry Wheel CT, is a life long Democrat and at least
 three-fourths of the rangers are Dem
 ocrats, The Review understands that
 interference in any political contest by
 rangers is prohibited by the governor
 and of our own personal knowledge
 We know that these orders have d.
 ways been adhered to. As for the rangers being political boosters" the
 facts do not bear out the assers; n. At the present time there is an ex- ranger, Democratic candidate for sheriff of Pinal county: a Demoeratic candidate for constable of Douglas is ex-ranger Hayhurst: ihe city marshal of Globe is an ex-ranger, Bob Ander- son, who was also elected to -;f.ce bN the Democrats: Captain Harry Wheeler was orce here, in this c3u1- ts a sheriff possib li;y upon the Democratic side, and Frank Waenier CT Yuma vas strongly talked of for Democratic sheriff of that county. All ttf SC raTgers are recent members of rhe fostt. It may be added tsiat the presen. Republican sheriff of Pl1al county James McGee, is also an ex- ranger. Three different rangers have teen req rested to m for const ble of ahnth,r t:wn here in Cochise com r. q litc Ie"pntly. Ess the Dem1c!aL4c p,atfUrEl e Maricrpa county ;ianfs them as policital boosters
 The rangers do not wish to exist longer than the people desire that they shall. and any one opposed to them honestly will have his opinions re- spected. But to be branded falsely
 
 uncalled for and places these fearless, honest, sober officers in bad light
 Since Captain Wheeler has been in charge of the company. there has never been scandal in it. nor mas any citizen ever complained of being abused by any ranger. If the plat form of the Maricopa Democrats had stated legitimate and truthful reasons for wishing to abolish the rangers, the Review would remain silent. But the statement contained in that platter T T. plain misstatenent of facts.
 hs for usurDing II functions If the lc sai officers, the rangers 3c%rcely e,er conflict with agy official rn1r have requests from nearly every sher- iff in the territory for assistance, and every town, almost without exception, has called upon thsm at some time through the citizens or it's local of iicerS
 Three misstatements are contained in the Maricopa platform as regard Gie rangers. First the expense was doubled; next the statement that rangers were administration boost CTS" and next that they fnterfered with the drious local officers.
 It is possible that the people of MaTicor- county do not conside" the Arizona rangers a necessity in that county, but the citizens and taxpay- CTS of the border counties and in those counties not so thickly populated, are ready and willing to testify to their efficiency and protection afforded. As far as the rangers are concerned, the Review believes it is immaterial to l them whether they are kept or not, 1 but this is a matter in which large portion of the territory is interested | outside of Maricopa county. The Ter ritorial Fair. for which thousands of 1 dollars are appropriated annually, is | a territorial institution in which Mari | copa county is vitally interested and | receives almost the entire benefits. 1 Still we do not hear of any criticism | rom other counties of the territory. | The Maricopa Democrats should take | l broader view of these matters. The Review is a firm believer in majority | 'ule. Let the legislature decide, and f it is a desire of majority of the | representatives to abolish the ranger orce, very well, but 1t Is not fair to jcandalize men who have been true md faithful to the interests of the people. The assertion that the ranger orce has degenerated is a statement which brands its author as an igno- anus, blided by prejudice and in- apable to read and know the facts. Everyone knows there never was as ,ood a class of men in the company s there is today. There are no drink rg men and no men who have not al yays borne good characters; mostly aen from right here in Arizona tself The attack from Mhricopa ,cunty was unjust and misstatement if facts