Arizona republican., 1912-03-22
Give Them d Chance

Second only in importance to the
 Judiciary recall the governor has placed an anti-lobbying law. In his vcluminous message to the legislature he says: 'I hope 10 see your second act the serving of notice upon'aH the representatives of special interests. and interests of any nature of des- cription, that secret lobbying. which has too often prostituted legislative
 bodies and brought shame to legis- lators. is dead in Arizona" His ex- ccllency then says that pending the enactment of an anti lobbying law he hopes the legislators will adopt q resolution declaring that no lobbying will be permitted except through pub- lie hearings before proper committees. which shall be participated in by reg istcrcd agents.
 In the language of the poet. this is going some. One almost is led 10 be- lieve the governor is not quite sure of his progressive legislature. Ger tainly. he has no consideration for the lobbyists. themselves. so it is the leg lsiaturc he is trying to protect against the special interests and all other interests. it seems
 Now. surely. the legislature k able to take care of itself The men who have been elected to that body are not children. And. besides. if some representative of the special inter- ests" is loafing around with a barrel of greenbacks with which to corrupt the statesmen. the chances are he will not go 10 the capitol To do the job Bribery is not done in that way, if the record of such happenings is to be believed. And if a lobbyist. or any other citizen. happens to meet legis- lator down town and desires to dis cuss a legislative measure with him. how is that to be prevented? If a citizen even goes to the capitol and suggests to q lawmaker that he would like his support for some proposed piece Of legislation, is it the gover- nor's idea that this man should sign a register. have himself "mugged" and his measurements placed on record, | before he shall be permitted to talk with the legislator
 Well. it does seem the members should be treated as grown men and ! not as children. If they are so weak ! that all these safeguards have to be | thrown about them. it was mistake 1 to elect them in the first place. Any | how, if d smooth lobbyist wants to | talk with a legislator all the anti | lobbying laws in existence will not | keep him from doing it. And if d | lawmaker is honest, he doesn't need 1 the protection of the kind of law the i governor suggests. It must be re- | membered there are always at least | two parties to a bargain. It is not | the practice for lobbyists to throw the l protesting legislator on the floor and | cram bribe money into his pocket.
 MT Hunt has made quite d flourish | Of trumpets about his prison reform scheme lately. He has put the con- victs on their honor-with at least one rather disastrous result. if must | be confessed-but still he has inaug- urated the honor system. He says the conyicts-the men who have com mitted crime-should be trusted. He doesn't believe in having them watched. He says they will do a great deal better when placed on a plane with other human beings Now. is there any objection to treating the legislators the same way?
 If it is safe to put convict on his honor. why not a legislator? As long as a lawmaker behaves himself, surely he is as good and as trustworthy as a convict. Governor Hunt might try