The copper era and Morenci leader., 1913-04-18
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT LIVE ISSUE
 IN EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE
Resources Given by Governor for Veto of Penal ode and Opinions by Prominent Citizens and the Press in
 Opposition to His Venre

cording to official information, are be ing received almost daily. To judge
 by the rate at which the filing ot these initiative petitions is progress ng it s evident that within a few
 weeks, or perhaps, days, here will
 have been recorded in your deparc :. ment the full number of electors sig
 natures requisite for the deciding oi
 this important public issue at a gen eral or special election, as the case
 may be, under the wise provisions of
 the initiative as contained in the con stitution and the statutes of Arizona Looking into the future further, per haps, than the writer of the amend ment is wont to do it will be discern Fed that when this portion of the Penal Code to which objection is made,
 would, in the natural course of events, become effective in October next, the
 prison management, in the absence of !, the governors reprieving power, or
 under the ninety days limitation im- posed, would be under the necessity of holding five or more executions in i utter disregard of the fact that thou sands of our citizens would deplore the engrossment of any such record
 of barbarity and inutility in the his
 tory of Arizona as a sovereign state prior to any entertainment of senti- ment under the initiative.
 Following the logical sequence of thought concerning this subject, it
 
 gentlemen responsible for the revolu-
 tionary measure quoted herein are re-
 luctant to entrust the abolition or.af- firmation of the death penalty to the
 voters of Arizona, but would compel
 an orgy of blood at the state prison
 in October next, regardless of public sentiment on question awaiting de cision by the electorate
 To summarize briefly, then, my DO sition as an executive in relation 10 House Bill No. 4S, deeply and sin cerely~ deplore the necessity of exer- cising my veto power in this instance, realizing, as I must, the amount of work involved in it's passage through both houses of the legislature. Tn view, however, of the fact that the Penal Code, in it's present revised form, has already been sanctioned in both branches of the legislative body, the work of securing it's second for nal adoption including an amendment of Section 12SS of Title 9S, should be of brief duration and will be provided for in my proclamation convening the First State Legislature in it's third 1 special session. And if it is argued ! by those who are adverse to my at- titude on this mater, that the ap- proval of the Penal Code should not be deferred by an objection based up on single section thereof, I may req sOnably and in perfect justice reply that provision known to be obncx- i ious and preemptory as that contain ed in Section 12SS would not have been wrapped about with other i'm portant legislation.
 l opine, furthermore, that, as Gov ernor of Arizona, am obligated by of the popular will and of my conscience to adhere in the per formance of every executive act to my truest convictions and highest ideals, so far as such convictions and ideals subserve, in my judgment, the best in- -erestS of the people of Arizona And while I truly regret any exingencies which may cause me to disagree with he members of the honorable legisla- i've body of the state, I, nevertheless, will remain consistent in the policy Of to approve a measure which ,
 deem vicious and in contraventfon . 'f the public will, regardless of how much meritorious legislation may be / correlated with it to lend a sem- , dance of dignity and right.
 1 perceive, furthermore, in this in- tance, that an issue,-a very vital ', ne-is awaiting decision by the peo- lie of Arizona at the next special or : eneral election, which in any event, 5 unlikely to occur prior to next Oct Der. By what right, therefore, can = ny legislative, executive or judicial fficers, presumably representing the n eople, interpose, at this juncture, 9 ', lw summarily and arbitrarily taking lch issue out of the realms of cleo =e ,ral determination? I deny the jus ce of any such procedure based, as
 believe, on just interpretation of UT statutes and constitution, that, in jew of the petitions filed, the people Arizona are entitled to express