Arizona republican., 1912-08-26
Gov. Stubbs' Proposal

Ile 16Sulcll ptti'ilNe'i paBClS pl Kansas and adjacent territory are calling upon Governor Stubbs to re- sign the republican senatorial nom- ination which he secured in the re- cent primaries by carrying a majority of the legislative districts. though a majority of the popular vote was cast for his opponent, United States Sena- tor Curtis Governor Stubbs was logi- cally entitled to the nomination since the senator must be elected by the members of the legislature and it has frequently happened in state elections that the majority of a state has not gone with a majority of the legisla- ture chosen at the same election. But the present demand upon the to Senator Curtis, the choice of a ma jority of the republican voters at the primaries, grows out of a late pro posal by the governor to the demo- crats and all other parties including the regular republicans. since the gov ernor will have to be elected by pro- gressive members of the legislature to be chosen.
 | He now desires a pre- election agree l l less of it's complexion. to elect as sen ator the candidate receiving the lar gest popular vote at the November election The governor supports his proposal by the argument that the most of the people should rule. l Thereupon he is asked to recognize the doctrine that a majority of the republicans who voted at the primaries should rule
 After the primaries, when this was suggested as in accordance with the progressive doctrine, the governor eX- plained that he could not then bow to the will of the majority for the req son that greater area of the state was represented in the vote cast fo, i him than in the vote cast for MT | Curtis. That is, he carried the less populOus districts while the majority for MT. Curtis was rolled up in the more populous eastern districts. Therc is no reason why such a situation might not result from the November elections The man with the largest vote may have secured it in the small est area.
 l The fact is, the governor carried
 several of the legislative districts by ajOrities so small that it is hardly
 to be hoped that the progressive can didates for the legislature in those that he stands better chance of get ting a larger popular vote than any lof the other candidates than he does
 of securing a progressive majority ii
 the legislature. Hence, his desire now
 to bow to the will of the largest grouI
 of the people
 The leaders of all other parties un
 derstand this as well as the governor
 does so that it is not likely that ther,
 will be any prediction agreement t.
 facilitate his election.
 The situation in Kansas reminds on, , of the Situa tiOn that existed in C,aIifOr
 nia at the time of the election O
 Senator Works. California then ha, primary law exactly like that O , Kansas. The senatorial nomination
 was to be determined by the success of the candidates in legislative dis tricts. A. G. Spalding secured
 ma jority of the districts owe Works and F. A. Meserve, thoug
 Works, by reason of an over
 whelming vote in Los Angeles and ad
 jacent counties where the progressiv
 sentiment was rampant, was given plurality of about 5000 over Spaldinf though the vote for him was a minor 7 ity of the total vote.
 Yet the law was disregarded by tn progressives and the powerful influ & ence of Governor Johnson forced tn v members of the legislature not only t
 violate the law but to disregard tn , wishes of their constituents.