El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-05
DECIDES
ELECTION IN
ARIZONA
Legislature Turns Cute Trick
and Puts It Up to the
Governor to Settle.
CONSTITUTION Is
DOUBLE

Phoenix, Ariz, Jun 5-The tenure
oe office muddIe at last seems to be
settled, at least TO the satisfaction Of
the leaders Of the legislature. Wheth-
er this VeEed p TeEing problem viii
stay put is anOther story altogether
yet as the justly celebrated Mawrus
Perlmutter would say. But at all
events the Democratic members OF th3
legislature, or at least q share Of them,
have finally hit upon a plan which they
believe VIII bring peace and harmony
and VIII brighten away the bugbear OF
inconsistency which has been logging
their footsteps ever since the begin
ming OF the regular session.
Persons familiar with the conven-
tons proceedings viii recall tina when
the tenure OF office question came up
the democrats promptly divided into
two camps. One OF these camps, led
by Judge Baker, Of MaricOpa county,
was IN favor Of a short term for the
Ilrst set or state offices. These men
believed that the duty Of the first set
OF officers should be merely TO crank
up the machine and get il ready for the
statehood highway The other crowd
thought there should be a longer term
that those who did n cranking
should guide the government motor
for a reasonable time. A reasonable
time, to them, looked like about three
years.
rs Law Both Ways.
These two factions did considerable
labor, n the result of their work was
the construction of two sections both
Of which went into the fundamental
law. One of these sections was nut in
by the long term men and is the gen
eral provision which seems to provide
for the second state election in 1914
The other put in the section providing
for an election the coming fall. That
there is a straightOut conflict between
these two section seems now to be ar
accepted fact
Governor Hunt in IT- --oe-..- - AI-
legislature recommended that a law
be passed providing for an election for
state, county and precinct officers the
coming November The legislature dis
regarded the recommendation and no
bill was passed.
Then when the second or special ses-
sion came along the
was renewed And, in pursuance OF that
call, a couple Of bills have been in
troduced designed to carry out Mr..
Hunts alleged wishes. Also a resolu-
ton declaring for an election was in
trOduced in the house several davs ago.
out mat died in its infancy.
1t really lOOked as though the Iegfs-
lature wasn't sitting Up nights then
working out plans to carry ont Mr.
Hunts wishes with regard 10 holding
an election this fail.
But now, it is said. all is different.
IT all comes about through the plan
recently generated by the senate Dem
Ocrats.
NO DalG 10 ne Set.
b plan consists in the passage OF
the senate bill providing for
an election-not an election this
fail, particularly, but Just an cleo
ton in accordance with the Drovfsions
OF the constitution. That is what the
senate bill avs 1t doesn't attempt
to settle any points of constitutions
Levitt merely says Fan election foT
state, county, and precinct officers
shall be held in accordance with the
provisions of the constitution"
IT VIII be seen at once that this bill
has at least one feature to commend
it It VIII be constitutional at III