Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1912-01-03
lFrom Tnesday,s Dailyl

is elected three years instead of one,
as had been generally supposed. The
joke of il al is that Governor Sloan
is responsible. lie set the primaries
and general election 70 near the end
of 1911. that Arizona can not become
state until 1912. Aud the constitu.
tion expressly provides that the see
ond state election the first after
Arizona = formal entrance into the
union shall be held in the first even
numbered year after the presidents
proclamation is issued.
All this is explained IN detail in the
Democrats leading editorial recently.
| Arizona Democrat.
The foregoing article is very unfair
toward Governor Sloan. The Oasis
opins that the responsibility lies upon
others than bis excelloncy. Under the
enabling act and under the Sm,,h.
/ Flood resolution, which governed him
/ co. calling the recent state election he
could have FASTENED in no way the
/ admission OF Arizona Lv more thnn
/ twelve days; and even had hc done
that the presidents proclamation Of
the state would have fallen as IL will
now in 1912, instead Of 1911, as was
anticipated when the constitution was
framed; and the complication the
Democrat has pointed ont would have
cnsued anyhow.
II will be recalled that the Smith.
! lood resolution provided that the
governor Of Arizona should call the
first state election not less than thir.
~ nor more than sixty days after
presidential approval of that resolu-
ton. The gubernatorial proclamation
was issued just forty.two days after
the president approved that Smith.
Flood resolution. Ordinance No. 9,
adopted by the constitutional conven.
tion. provided that the election should
he held under the provisions Of the
territorial primary law Under those
provisions the primary and general
elections could not be held earlier than
certain periods Of time after the gov.
crnor's proclamation, which caused
the primary 10 fall on October 2ith
Ind the general election on December
10Th. The same ordinance No. . pro.
yides that ON the third Monday after
the general election the returning
board, consisting of the governor, the
secretary of the territory and the
chief justice shall meet at Phoenix,
canvass the returns from the various
precincts, and make return TO the
turn shows the constitution amended
to eliminate the recall of the judiciary
the president is to proclaim the state.
The third Monday after the general
election on December 18th is the first
day of January, 1912, so the return
from the Phoenix returning board can
not be certified TO the president in
1911. and the presidential proclama.
ton must be in 1912.
Had Governor Sloan proclaimed the
election at tho end Of thirty days
the shortest possible time instead Of
forty-two days, ms he did, how would
II have changed the RESULT In no
way. The certified return from the
Phoenix returning board could not
reach the president In any way so he
could proclaim the state in 1911.
Twelve days earlier would have
brought the election on the 18th Of
, December. The third Monday after
that date WAS the 18th Of December,
and upon that day the returning board
would have begun its work at Phoe.
nix-proyided all the returns from all
the precincts in the Territory were at
hand. To check up all the precincts,
make sure they are all in, then TO
canvass them, find the total vote for
each candidate from United States
senators down 10 members of the
! boards of supervisors In each county.
aud compile the same accurately, with
! the vote ON the proposed constitution
al amendment, will prove a colossal
Job that will require several weeks
time. THE New Mexico returning
board, where the election was held
thirty'six days earlier than in Ari.
IONA, has but this week completed its
work.. 80 II would have been impos
sible for tho Arizona returning board
: TO complete its work before the first
Of January, 1912, and In no way could
the proclamation OF the state election
by Governor Sloan put the certified
return mp to the president so he could
proclaim the state Of Arizona in the