Arizona republican., 1911-09-29
Judge Wells Consents to Lead the Republican Hosts in the Great Fight Scheduled for Next De cember.
YAVAPAI MAN WILL
 ENTER THE CONTEST
Announcement Has Caused Jubilation Among Repub- licans Who See in This Fact Certainty of Coming Victory.

The announcement made by Judge Edward w. Wells, of Prescott, yester- day afternoon that he will accept the republican nomination for governor If it be rendered him; and that in the event of his endorsement at the pri- maries he will make an earnest and energetic campaign for the office of chief executive, is about the best political news for which republicans could have hoped. And right here it may be said it is about as discour- aging a piece of news from the dem ocratic standpoint as that party could have feared.
 For the candidacy of Judge Wells is no ordinary occurrence. It is no ordinary occurrence that a man like he can be induced to run for office far too seldom are such men in politics at all. Judge Wells is a scholar and jurrist, and he is more He is a close student of public af- fairs. a level headed man of busi- ness. a citizen with a spotless rec ord. and a man whom it is a de light to honor. It is hardly cOnceiv- able that the citizenship of this state would under any circumstances, per init the defeat of such a man.
 But there is little danger that Judge Wells will be defeated. He has said that in the event of his nomination he will make an energetic fight for election; and if he does. the issue can hardly be in doubt. It is a piece of splendid good fortune that fr before the people of this state with such a candidate.
 Judge Wells is a pioneer of Ari- zona He came to the territory in 1864 and since that time his affairs have been interWoven with the af- fairs of the commonwealth. What ever is a matter of interest to tho people of this state is a matter of interest to Judge Wells. Whatever will advance the interests of the people will find in him an earnest and capable champion.
 Judge Wells is a progressive in the truest and best sense of the word. He believes in the men and women Of today and he believes they are the people who should receive first = yer. an able jurrist, and a close stu dent of economies. He is a man of broad sympathy, of engaging person ality, and of a degree of honesty that is q carats fine every day in the year.
 It is not many years since Judge Wells sat on the bench and every one who knows anything of his rec ord as a jurist will testify that it has never been surpassed in Arizona. He was a member of the cOnstitu- tional conventiOn-the only republican elected from Yavapai county-and there was no man in the convention who did harder work than he.
 It will be a credit to the republi- can party and not that only. it will be a credit to all the people of Ari- Zona if Judge Edward w Wells is elected governor of the new com monwealth next December.
 In connection with the position of former governor Kibbey with refer ence to Judge Wells candidacy. the | following telegram sent by former | governor Kibbey to the Tucson Citi | zen is self explaining:
 Phoenix. Ariz., Sept 2S, 1911. | Tucson Citizen. Tucson, Arizona
 l authorized a statement which ap- peared in The Republican this mOrn- | ing that I would not be a candidate | for Governor or for any other office ] l am convinced that party harmony and success will be best promoted by this determination. So many cOmnu- nications have reached me asking me to become a candidate for governor that I felt compelled to make a pub lie statement It is not usual for a citizen to announce publicly that he will not be a candidate. Such an announcement is only to be expected when numerous requests are made for a declaration one way or the other. I am not in any degree in sensible to the many manifestations l have had of the confidence of the people. I think, however. I should put my party fealty above any pos sible desire for a personal prefer ment. hence my decision. I have would have been made earlier. I think Judge Wells of Prescott will make an ideal candidate and a win ming one and I expect his announce ment today of his consent to be a candidate. With Judge Wells as our candidate for Governor every repub lican can get into line for a victor