Arizona republican., 1914-10-14
Night Was Spent by Candi- dates, Including the Gov ernor, in Defending the State Administration and Democracy in General


 panics and other disasters, though the architects had probably not talk en into account such a calamity as that from which citizens fled last night or they would have planned more exits.
 The arrangements of the seats in : dicated that the committee expected half of the audience to sit before the footlights and the other half be- hind them. The band played awhile | outside the house and then inside, until some time after eight o'clock. The management had grimly determ- ined that the festivities should not begin until the crowd arrived. The candidates and committees, real and auxiliary had gathered in the rear of the house and at a sign from the bandmaSter they advanced upon the front headed by the attenuated form of Governor Hunt. He was follow ed by the ladies of the auxiliary committee. this contingent being led by Mrs. Hattie L. Williams who had been designated to preside at the meeting. That was another harmless concession to the ladies.
 Mrs. Williams took the gavel after il had been laid down by Chairman Duffy of the state central commit tee. Mrs. Williams in a neat ad- dress removed whatever doublt might have existed as to her right to be where she was and she explained one thing that has been worrying hu- manity for some centuries the density of man as compared with the clear headedness of woman. In the beginning she stated, as so many had heard before. and had not quite grasped, God finding that man was helpless flounderer decided to give him a helpmeet. While Adam slumbered bone was removed from his side and not from his head Thus it was made clear why man was left a bone-head. That was about the only thing that was really made clear last night
 Mrs. Williams introduced Governor Hunt, who indulged in some pleas antry before getting down to the presentation of his defense against the charges which had been brought against his administration. He would not complete them last night but hoped to appear before the voters of Phoenix at some future time. As to the charge of extravaganza, the governor said that the million or more dollars expended in excess of the expenditures of three years ago, had gone for better educational fla cilities. It is presumed that at his next appearance he will explain the quarter of a million dollar salary list of the present administration.
 Speaking briefly of his prison policy, the governor passed on to the subject of capital punishment and the charge that he had disregarded the law in reprieving the murderers who now throng the penitentiary at Florence. He had availed himself of a constitutional power that is en- jOyed by the governors of forty seven other states but he did not al- Jude to the fact that that power has been used in the same way by the governor of only one other state, Governor West of Oregon The governor made the statement, or he let it be inferred, that he had re- prieved this host of murderers in order that the people might vote on the question of abolishing capital punishment. He stated that a peti- mission of the question had been filed sixteen months ago. Yet, the first reprieves were granted by the governor more than two and a half years ago.
 The governor did not directly say what he would do in the event that the people should refuse to abolish capital punishment He merely stated that it was for them to say whether they wanted a Roman holi day at Florence after December 19, the date when the reprieves expire. He did not pledge himself to permit such q holiday to take place.
 The next speaker was P. J. Miller of the tax commission whose acts he said had been aSsailed The commission was involved in the gen
 
 would rally to it's defense. There upon he entered upon defense of the Underwood tariff law with which iniquity the tax commission of Ar zona had not been charged. Until last night many Arizonians were un- aware that the tax commission had had part in that legislation. MT. Miller presented a list of several articles of household use that had been made free by the democratic congress. He didn't however, in quire of any householder present whether any one of the articles now on the free list was cheaper than 1t was before.
 Reese M. Ling succeeded MT. Mil Ter. MT. Ling received rather more applause than any of the candi . dates and that moved him to remark resemblance between himself and William J. Bryan who was said to be the most popular man in America every day of the year except election day. MT. Ling had in mind the 1 thing that had been done to him | at the late democratic primary. l In a rather perfunctory manner he