Arizona republican., 1912-06-02
The November Election

from expressions from all parts ,l the state we believe that d very large majority of the voters want a general election of state officers in November of this year This desire does not necessarily imply dissatis- faction with the present officers. but is a demand for the fulfilIment of a promise: the carrying out of a very definite understanding in the last campaign that the state officers were 10 be elected for one year; that is, that their terms of office should ex- pire on January 1, 1913, the time fixed by one clause of the constitu- ton
 There being a conflict in the con- stitution on this point. the matter was brought up early last fall and it was unofficiaily decided that there should be an election on the second Tuesday of November of this year. There was no expression of adverse opinion until after the election of December r when, We understand, some of the officers elect and theIr friends. began to take a different view of the matter. relying upon another clause Of the constitution providing that after the first state election. the next state eelction should take place on the second Tuesday Of Novemb -r of the first even numbered year after the year of admission.
 Now. it was plain, throughout the constitutional convention that not a member of 1t and nobody else, con templated admission before the pres ent year when of course. an election would have to be held under the en- abling act. It was not thought pos sible. without extraordinary expedi ton on the part of the convention, that we could be admitted last year. It was notorious that a majority Of the convention did not want the con- stitution presented to the last con gress whose term expired on March of last year. It was not then probable that an extraordinary ses- sion of the present congress would be called, and if so, under the terms Of the enabling act it could not conside: the constitution The earliest pos sible time for the presentation of the constitution seemed to be at the open mg Of the regular session of the pres ent congress which met last Decem- Der. But there was an extraordinary session and the whole statehood mat ter was disposed of in an unexpected manner, resulting in the first state election of last December. The fore going is a concise and accurate his tory of the election muddle.
 In his message to the regular ses- sion of the legislature, Governor Hunt. presumably, having in mind the intent of the constitution as well as the general understanding that there should be an election this year recommended to the legislature action providing for one. No such action was taken and the legislature, in consequence, was subject to much misdirected criticism.
 Now. while we do not believe that any act of the legislature could eff fectually provide for an election, that body could show it's good faith in this matter by the adoption of resolution that an election be held. Such I resolution would be a rallying point for the general sentiment in favor of an election. It would be an expres- sion. by representation, of the people who have no other means of expres- sion on this subject. We trust that such resolution will be adopted.
 But, if Governor Hunt sincerely de- sres an election, we will have one All that the governor will have to dc will be to call one, just as if the con stitution were not in conflict on this point If any one should not be in favor of an election, after the issu- ance or the call' he oouiu "iiNe Hi' objections before the supreme court but we do not think that any office holder would have sufficient of that quality known as nerve" or gall to raise any objection. for, even if his objection should be sustained ht would be forever out of office in Ari- zona at the end of the three years term.