Arizona republican., 1910-12-30
The Heroism of Some County Officers.

proposes to vote for the ratification of the constitution, our friend. tn, Hon. John c. Phillips. probate judg, of Maricopa county, implies that h, IS a hero because of the stand he ha, taken. He seems to wish it under stood that his personal interests will be injured by the course he has marked out for himself. hence the selfgiven bouquet for acquired merit
 We had always understood that il called for moral courage to stand with the minority, and no special qualities of heroism to stand with a majority. But let us see about this hero business as applied to county officers and their attitude toward the constitution. The Hon. George Bull lard. district attorney. is for ratifica- ton. The Hon. C. B. Wood. political spokesman for the sherifrs office. is for ratification The Hon. b C. Bab- bitt. county treasurer, is for ratifica- tion. The Hon. A. H Fulton, county superintendent, is for ratification. All of them are vociferously for ratifica- ton. No doubt each of them would mOdestly admit that he is hero in taking such a courageous stand
 Let us consider how ratification will affect the incumbents of the county offices. The constitution be- ing ratified here, it will go to Wash ington and be rejected. That ends the last chapter in the statehood leg islation which began last year.
 It is a peculiar feature of this leg islation by congress that there is to , he no further election of county of ficers in the territory until congress legislates further. Here is the joker in the bill. which generously takes care of our delegate in congress. and all county officers:
 Until the issuance of said procla- nation by the president of the United States" admitting the territory to statehood-"and until the said state is so admitted into the Union and said officers"-state and county-"are elected and qdalified under the pro- visions of the constitution, the county and territorial officers of said terri tory. including the delegate in con- gross thereof elected in the general election in nineteen hundred and eight. shall continue to discharge the duties of their respective offices in and for said territory"
 In other words. these officers are 10 hold through all time, or until they severally shall have been called to their celestial home-provided con- eress does not at some time in the future provide for another territorial election. We have no doubt that Delegate Cameron. as well as oar local officers. is able to view the out look with complete tranquility.
 On the other hand, if the constitu- tion is voted down. the constitutional convention is automatically required 10 meet again and frame another con- stitution. Presumably the delegates would take the popular rejection of the constitution as an order from the people to cut out the two or three clauses that make the pending con- stitution objectionable at Washing ton. and that the new document would he promptly ratified by the people at the election which would follow. Statehood would then come within a year. and new county officers and a new congressman would have to be elected.
 In voting for ratification these county officers are. therefore. voting for retention of themselves in office, for ratification of the constitution means the defeat of statehood. The only hope of statehood lies in the remote possibility of rejection of the constitution at the election of February g. We do not imply for a moment that these county officers are other than sincere in their advocacy. of the pend
  ing constitution, nor do we argue l that they are even unconsciOusly in- fuenced to advocate ratification be- cause ratification would have the re- suit of keeping them in office indefi- | nitely. But a cold analysis of the | situation shows that when they vote for ratification they will vote for their jobs to be prolonged as a nec- essary consequence. however unselfish their motives may be in voting.
 We are willing to admit that Judge Phillips and his fellow county officers are not only good fellows. but heroes ''on general principles" but in the matter of going with the majority for the constitution and in voting in