El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-28

short term will. at the same time, be
presented with the job OF looking after
his senatorial fences without delay. At
the close OF the primaries last fall,
Eugene S Ives, one Of the defeated
candidates, who was third in the race
announced his intention OF main tanning
his organization and Of entering the
race for the next senatorship. II j.
not known, however, # he VIII or viii
not adhere to that resolution
Governors Convict System.
The Inauguration OF the honor con-
Wet system by Gov George W P Hunt
lot OF trouble. This trouble began
with the escape a few days ago OF q
ctnvict named ChappO, who was work
ing outside the walls with an unarmed
guard, or watcher as these men are
now called, in attendance Chappo' 8
break for liberty was entirely success
ful and there IS little prospect that
he viii be recaptured-
This escape, OF course, aroused con-
siderable criticism And taken in con-
nectiOn with Sunday baseball by the
convicts. which was inaugurated re-
Gently by the governor. and Mr.. Hunts
expressed inclination 20 resign his Of
flee # a single convict violated his
word of honor. started a discussion by
the papers outside the state. Now, cit
liens generally have taken up the mat
ter and even some Of the governors
warmest supporters confess he has
made a grave mistake.
Hunts Grave Mistake.
This alleged mistake has recently
been accumulated, and If all the con-
templated reforms are carried out il
is safe to say the honor system" viii
become much more unpopular even
than IT is now. The governor is said
to contemplate a plan Of giving a num-
Der Of the convicts vacations as soon
Is the hot weather arrives. He is said
to have expressed the plan OF sending
them, alone and unmatched, up into
h. e. ana l. -
highways. The condemned prisoners,
OF whom there are quite number, now
are allowed the run OF the prison yard
There are many expressions to the
siderably overdone- And it is becoming
increasingly evident that the governor
Eas committed the gravest mistake ne
has thus far made and has seriously
injured his popularity.
For a short Term.
1t seems practically certain there
viii be another state and county cleo
ton this fall Gov. Hunt. in his mes
sage. took the side of the short term
a6herents. and recommended legisla-
tive action to provide for an election
next November. It seems that in the
face Of the governors message the
Democratic leaders viii be practically
forced to take this action. though many
Of them are opposed to it
II the election is held this fall. it Is
rot certain just what arrangement will
-
Is a bill before the legislature now cut-
ting out all prediction formalities ana
providing that any man may become q
candidate for state or county office
simply by filing his name with the
proper official If this bin becomes "A
law II will have the effect Of greatly
increasing the number of candidates
The present officials are expecting no
opposition within their own party and
probably none from the Republicans
The latter proposition, however. Is an
extremely remote possibility as there
are certain to be some aspiring Repub-
icans willing TO take a chance for at
least part OF the offices.
Presidential Primary
Not all the political gossip is con-
fined TO the legislature. There Is COM
siderable speculation as to the result Of
the Democratic preferential primary.
which viii be held May %. 1t is no
riceable that recently sentiment In ia
vor OF speaker Clark has been ENJOYING
q steady growth. and II is certain he
viii be no lower i'm the scale than sec
end choice Indeed, Ii is quite conceive
able that by the time the date for the
primaries arrives his stock will have
advanced to such an extent that he
viii be the favorite. Just now II seems
rather a close race between him and
Woodrow Wilson Isldore WOlpe. treas
urer Of the state Democratic commit
tee, has announced himself a candidate