El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-07-27

E past y hours; third. maximum wind vslO'-
! strictly enjoined both by the constitu-
ton and the law governing the mat
/ ter. Assistant attorney general Car
penter has held that if the signers
| be sufficient but there seems some
doubt as to the correctness of this
view Also, there are several ether
nature IiiS ca and ali in ali it looks as
though there is certain to be some
trouble if the bill goes On the ballot
and is Endorsed at the polls.
In that event 1t is quite certain the
large mining companies. many of
which would be seriously embarrassed
by the operation of the law, would
take the matter into the court which
would have the effect of placing the
Judges between the devil and the deep
blue sea, for a decision against the
sufficiency of the petitions, and hence
against the validity of the law, would
be hailed as a decision for the cor
porations and against the initiative
where, generally speaking, every man
is his own constitutional lawyer, and
where suspicion of the courts has been
carefully fostered as a political asset,
that is a most serious proposition.
Suffragfsts Not Organized.
The courts would have a freer hand
in the suffrage matter If that should
come up for judicial determination.
While it is true there is a widespread
sentiment for woman suffrage, those
favorable to it are not organized and
would not be in position to do so much
harm. But the denunciation to which
the supreme court has been subjected
as the result of its decision in the
election case shows the temper or the
public and the advanced ground that
has been taken in this state regarding
the founctiOns of courts.
Weedin Faction Recognized.
For the first time since the organi-
Zation of the state government the
Weedin political faction has been rec
ogniZed. This recognition is OF only
a minor character anC it was not given
at all without much deliberation- It
came about through the appointment
of Frank De Souza as chief clerk in
the office of the corporation commits
sion.
The fight against De Souza was
waged to the last and his appointment
was finally made only in the face or
the most determined opposition on the
part Of men who were in favor OF de-
nving any recognition whatever 20 the
Weedin faction. De Souza, it was ex-
pected, would be given an appointment
long ago. He was a candidate for the
position of clerk of the supreme court
and 1t was thought certain ne would
land the job. However, Joseph r Dill
Ion. of Yavapai county, was appointed
and De SouZa was temporarily ShelTed
This proceeding was denounced by the
Weedin adherents. who pointed out
that Dillon had been "standpatter'
and changed on the eve of the election.
However. the appointment stuck and
De Souza was left out in the cold until
only a few days ago.
May Have Referendum Vote.
A movement. engineered by Homer
r Wood, is said to be on foot in Yava-
PAL county to defeat the miners lien
measure by means Of a referendum
vote The miners lien bill was passed
by the last legislature, but 1t did
not contain an emergency clause it
after its approval by the governor.
The measure was fought in the SEN
ate by senators Cunniff and Wood, both
of Yavapai county. It's success in the
legislature was due to the efforts of
senator C. B. Wood, of this county.
The object of this bill is the protec-
tion of miners in the collection of their
wages. Under its provisions claims
for wages are made a first lien on
mining property. taking precedence
even over mortgages. 1t was aimed,
not at growing concerns and legitimate
enterprises. but at promotion schemes,
which in this state are frequently prop
agated with little or no capital back
of them.
The bill was passed largely at the
behest of the miners themselves. who
claimed they had suffered heavily
through loss of wages No particular
attention was paid to it by the estab-
lished mining companies, though for
some reason a hard fight against it
developed in the legislature. Senator
I
and destroyed the protection to which
vested interests have been accustomed.
He was supported by hiE colleague.
Mr.. Wood and by several other sena-
tors.
Antipathy to Lien BnI.
The charge is made now that the
miners lien bill, the suffrage bill, and
the bill providing for the erection Of
Hunt county out of part of Coconino
county, were all played off against
each other with the object Of defeat
ing all of them. Particularly. it is
said it was desired to defeat the bill
providing for the submission Of a suf-
frage amendment But it now seems
that there was a good deal of real
antipathy to the lien bill also, and If
referendum petition is really invoked
that point will be clearly proved. The
chances are that a good deal Of legis-
latiye history will be brought to the
surface in the suffrage campaign, and
that some existing animosities will be
greatly strengthened.
Ashurst Embarrassed.
Senator Ashurst has been put in
rather a bad hole through the action
of the Washington Times regarding
the fight against the confirmation of
judge Sloan as federal judge for the
Arizona district. Recently the Times
printed bitter attack on Sloan. TAX
ing as the basis for the attack part of
The charges that have beeD made
against the judge Subsequently the
Times came out with a statement in
which it apologized for the attack and
said it had been published on misin-
formation 1t also said the article had
been submitted to Ashurst, who had
approved it. The Times, which is a
Munsey paper and bitterly antagonis-
tic to Sloan, in its apology also called
attention to the fact that Ashurst, as
a member of the North Arizona Bar
association, had commended and in
dorsed Sloan. It is now geierally be-
lieved in Arizona that the Sloan ap-
pointment will not come before the