El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-20

could be saved the taxpayers by its
adjustment.
It was also argued that this is the
best possible time to do the work II
was pointed out that there is already
considerable bad feeling between the
house and senate, and 1t was believed
that if the bill were presented the
house would swallow the bait and pro-
coed TO adopt the bill under the belief
that it was putting one over" on the
other legislative body.
House Catches On.
But it CHANGED that the house heard
of the scheme. Probably it would not
have passed the bill under any circum-
stances. although a good many of the
members in that body are in favor of It
But yesterday the facts in the case be-
came known to the house and then it
was all off. So, it may be set down
that Arizona will have to worry along
with two legislative bodies for the
present at least.
1t is beginning to look much as
though there will be an equal suffrage
election this fall. And, as was to have
been expected, considerable politics
will be injected into the proposition.
The suffrage fight in Arizona is not
a new one. 1t dates back to the time
OF the Arizona constitutional cOnyen-
ton when there was an insistent de-
mand on the part of the sutfraSists
from all parts Of the stae that consu-
tutiOnal amendment provision, SivinS
to women the right of voting, be sub
mitted separately and voted on at the
time of the ratification election. The
advocates of this proposition cOntended
that since the convention had pledged
itself TO the referendum principle 1t
was its duty to make such separate
submission if the members OF the con-
ventiOn believed in suffrage or not.
But the proposition was rejected by
the delegates, Notwithstanding the fact
that the referendum principle mad al
ready to all intents and purposes been
made a part of the constitution.
That ended the matter until tho reg
ular session of the legislature Then
bill providing for a suffrage amend
ment was introduced and went through
the house. 1t was defeated In, the SEN
ate, however, by Il bare majority
1t was believed in some quarters that
that ended the fight, but on the contra
~ the demand for an unrestricted bal
lot Is still very much alive. In TACT 1t
Is more alive right now and has better
chances for success than at any time
since the propaganda was begun.
VIII BE On Fall Ballot.
1t has been definitely decided that
proposition for an amendment giving
this privilege to women will be on the
ballot 1T the election this taIl 1t viii
be placed there through an initiative
petition. The plan has just developed
although there has been more or less
talk along this line for several days
now however. the plans are IlpehlHS
through the efforts of the state SUI
frage association and so much discus
sion has been provoked by the move
ment that the politicians are beginning
to take notice.
This is the really interesting part of
the affair Nor only have the politi-
clans begun to take notice, but 1t be-
gins to look as though it Will be sane
toned by all of them.
The Republicans have ALREADY Deen
talking about suffrage as Republi-
ran asset, and some of them have de-
clarcd that with demand for an IN
restricted ballot in their platform they
will have q good chance to carry the
state at the coming election. But it
seems unlikely that they will have a
monopoly of suffrage as a campaign
issue The Democrats have taken
counsel of eXpediency and are more
than likely to endorse the proposition
themselves. The socialists in Arizona
have always been in favor of suffrage