Arizona republican., 1911-09-07
Eminent Lawyer and Jurist Supports the Demand of This Paper for State and
 County Election Next
 Year. S..
DECLARES DEMAND
 IS SOUND IN LAW
Furthermore, he will Throw His Influence Against the Long Term Propaganda Throughout the Coming Campaign.
- IESJT

That in suggesting the enactment by the first state legislature of a law providing for a state and county cleo tiOn in 1912 The Republican has pointed the way to the only feasible solution of the vexing tenure f-officc problem; and that in so doing it has performed a signal service to the peo- pie of Arizona is the expressed opin- ion of Hon. A. c. Baker, former judge Of the supreme court and a delegate to the late constitutional convention. The judge is also of the opinion that the position taken by this paper that, with the constitution silent upon the matter. there is no doubt that such legislative enactment would be en- tirely valid, is eminently sound
 There is no doubt in my mind about the validity of such a law" the judge said. When The Republican first raised the question I was in clined to think it was wrong; but. recognizing the importance of the matters involved I have taken the trouble to examine the authorities. and l find that the legislature will. un- questionably. have the constitutional right to enact such legislation"
 Then. in his entertaining and forci- ble manner, the judge proceeded to give the reason why. in his judgment, such a law should be enacted.
 It was not the intent of the con stitutiOnal convention" he said. that any of the officers first elected should serve three years. On the contrary it Ir., nd he was discussed at length, that the in itial terms should be short. We couldn't tell. of course, just how long they would be. except that We intend- ed them to run from the organization of the state government to the first Monday in January 1913. Naturally the convention could not fOrsee that the state government would not be organized until 1912. an even number ed year. and that all our plans would be thrown awry.''
 Now, that was the intention of the convention and it was the result of deliberation. It was in- tended that this first complement of officers should serve a probationary term. It was proposed to install them in office in order to get the wheels of government started; and. it certain ly was not the intention of the con- delegates to give to this first set of officers a three years tenure"
 The judge called attention to the fact that Arizona is now passing through a formative period; that the people are not experienced in running the governmental machine; and that much of the work of government in the beginning. will be of purely ex- perimental nature
 Tt must be recalled" Judge Baker said. that not only is self govern ment new to our citizens. but We are trying many experiments that will have tO be worked out slowly. care fully. and judiciously. We are tread ing paths that few other states have trodden for We have gone little be yOnd nearly all of them. The first years of statehood are going to he trying years and it is up to us to handle wisely and carefully the prob lems that are sure to arise. When these matters are taken into consid- .tIdLlbl IT StellfS dpSufO lo Ult lllctL .any candidate should ask or expect Ia three years term.
 But in my judgment we should take no chances. I think every can didate of every party should be re-
 quired to pledge himself to favor the
 passage of a law by the first legisla
 ture providing for an election in the fall of next year And the candidate
 who will not so pledge himself is not
 worthy the support of his fellow cit izens
 ITO use the vernacular, to me it would seem a case of unexampled | nerve for any candidate to come out for a three years term just as we
 are entering upon statehood It is the intention of the judge tO take hand. personally. in this most important matter; and when the state convention of his party assemblies he | will advocate the insertion in the plat form of a plank demanding the enact ment of law such as has been ad- '