Arizona republican., 1912-06-06
LEGISLATURE
 PLAYS GAME
Politics Being Indulged in by the Majority; Use Being Made of Elections and the Graham Land Bills

The Graham school land bill. which 1 provides for an amendment to the
 state constitution, forever prohibiting
 the sale of these lands and Which has | already passed the house. is certain ] to go through the senate, it is said 1 Probably no filibuster will be at 1 tempted, such as was worked sue 1 cessfuUy in the closing days of the
 regular session and it is therefore 1 probable the measure will get through | without difficulty
 That is interesting in q sense, but 1 it is not half so interesting as some l of the other features of the proceed | ing For instance. it may not be | known that the success of this meas ure in the house is probably the de | termining factor with reference to l the passage of the election bill But this is stated as a positive fact It is said with the passage of the school land bill the majority has de- l cided that there will also be a state election this fall. And the object is q most worthy One-from the stand point of a man who enjoys a po- litical scrap The object is, in the language of a member of the senate ito try out the popularity of the men who are determined to force this school land bill through the legisla- ture"
 It is complicated situation, at best, and no man can say just vet who will suffer the most if the all
 
 through. But here is one little fact There are 2,O0O voters in Arizona di- rectlv or indirectly interested in these school lands and who are opposed to tying them up forever as is done by the Graham bill. It would seem there is a disposition to trust these men to make it interesting for some of the people who are back of the Graham program And-tWo Thousand votes are q good in Arizona.
 And it is whispered about that the president of the senate, who is one of the senators from Yayapai county, will be nightly concerned in the out come if the program goes through. For it is said, the senator from YaVa- pal is responsible. indirectly, more than anyone else, for the Graham measure.
 It all came about this way. A good many of the legislators didn't want any public land legislation at the special session Also, it is said, Governor Hunt did not intend in- cluding that subject in the call. Whcreupon, it is asserted. the gentle men from Yavapai, sometimes known as Hon NJ C. Cunniff, went to the governor and bluffed-that is a very good Word-him into including the public lands question in the call And that's where Cunniff comes in Also. it has been said that is where he will get off.
 Also. there are those who say Gov ernor Hunt is in it to some extent. He is the titular leader of the party and responsible in part for all legis lation enacted a the special ses- sion There are people who are ask ing how it happens that the governor yielded to the wiles of the charmer and included the public lands ques ton in his call. Also, it is said. these 1000 voters already mentioned may not look with any great love on MT. Hunt when he again comes before the people
 MT. Graham himself is responsible for the statement that the other day a senator approached him and asked that he give up his fight for the 1 school lands bill. He said this fight | would mean the loss of a thousand | votes for the governor" MT. Graham 1 said
 But Graham said he didn't care how i many votes it cost MT. Hunt he be- l lieved in the bill and would get 1t if he could
 And that's the way the matter | stands right now Some of the lead CTS have become angered and stand ready to let the election bill go They want the popularity If the school lands measure advocates tested. They want the popularity of the president of the senate tested.
 And on the other hand, Graham and at least some of his friends are not to any appreciable extent even if the bill is to alienate some If the votes from the governor. They say they are not the custOdians of Nr Hunts political fOrtuneS they are interested in passing the school ands bill.
 Just why they didn't include other public lands with the school lands is something I don't understand,' one member of the legislature said yes -erday in speaking of the bill. But hat isn't hard to see. It wouldn't nave been particularly good politics; md any time any of these gentlemen .akes his eye off the main chance it's ID to somebody to inform the public ,f that fact.