Arizona republican., 1913-07-28

l likely that even after the bill is i voted upon by the people and be- comes a law that as much as ten per cent will be voted at one election. l The demand for the passage of an amendment to the constitution pro- viding for a bond issue for public | improvements, among which good | roads are most important part, l came as result of an opinion rem | dered by the attorney general some | time during the first of the two re- l cent sessions of the legislature, and l that the state could not issue $10,- 1 coo of bonds without a constitutional amendment. It being at that time ] the desire of the boards of super | visOrs and the chambers of commerce 1 as expressed in a memorial to the | legislature that this be done. When l the constitutional amendment propo- 1 sition was brought up, Speaker Lin ney Of the house immediately drafted | a bill referring such a question to l the people at the next general election. This bill passed the house almost unanimously There was a great sentiment in it's favor. It could cas- fly be seen that should the occasion for the expenditure of such funds not arise in the next few years, if such necessary arrangements were made the people could easily avail them selves of such arrangements at any time. An obstinate minority in the senate however. composed largely of men who were members of the con stitutional convention and who did not believe in altering anything that was done by that body, on the plea of unanimous consent refused to al- low the bill to come up for final passage. and it died in the last az Onies of the session of the legisla ture.
 This caused the friends of the pro- posed measure immediately to or ganize the association for the purpose of pushing the initiation of the measure.
 Owing however to the press of business matters with the heads of the movement immediately following the close of the legislature, it was impossible for the petitions to be started sooner than this week How ever they will be sent broadcast over the state in short order. Already the support of every board of trade, good roads association and cOmmer cial Organizatin in the state has been pledged to the movement. The boards of supervisors of the various counties have also expressed themselves as in favor of the movement, and it is anticipated that the necessary fir teen per cent of the voters of the state will easily be found to make it possible that the proposition will be put on the ballot at the next election.
 The full text of the proposed meas ure is as follows:
 
 TO amend Section , of Article IN. of the constitution of the state of
 Be it enacted by the people of Arizona:
 That section of Article TX. of the constitution of the state of Ari- zona, shall be and the same is here by amended to read as follows:
 Article K.
 Section ,. The estate may con tract debts to supply the casual de- ficits or failures in revenue. or to meet expenses not otherwise provid- ed for; but the aggregate amount of such debts, direct or contingent, whether contracted by virtue of one or mere laws or at different periods of time shall never exceed the sum of $3500OO: and the money arising
 
 be applied to the purpose for which it was obtained or to repay the debts so contracted, and to no other pur- pose.
 Tn addition to the amount of debts that may be so incurred, the state may provide by law for the issuance of bonds to pay for some. work or object, distinctly stated in such law, which law shall impose, and provide for the collection of. direct annual tax sufficient to pay the interest on such debt as it falls due and to pay and discharge the principal of such debt within fifty years of the contracting thereof. No such law shall take effect until it shall have been submitted to the people at general or special election and shall have been approved by a majority of all the votes cast on such measure at such election by electors qualified to vote thereon. and upon prOclama- ton by the governor: Provided that no such debt shall exceed ten per centum of the assessed valuation of the property within the state.
 Tn addition to the above limited power to contract debts the state may borrow money to repel invasion, sup press insurrection or defend the state in time of war; but the money thus raised shall be applied exclusive ly to the object for which the loan shall have been authorized or to the repayment of the debt thereby created. No money shall be paid out of the state treasury except in the manner provied by law
 The change in the law proposed comes in the second paragraph only of the above quotation from the text of the initiative petition