Arizona republican., 1916-07-24

Of the county justifies it. The consti- tutional provision now in effect does not make any allowance for increase in representation with the growth of population in this state The propos- ed amendment gives each county equitable representation, and provides a system of home rule by which every section of the state can have it's rep resentation in the legislature so that each particular locality of 1900 voters shall have a representative to look af- ter it's interests
 When you consider the diversified resources of some of our counties, this feature of the amendment is particularly desirable. It is a means of securing the best qualified men in each locality to become candidates for the legislature, for the reason that in small districts of 1900 voters, where a man is known to every voter in the district, his qualifications to represent particular district in the legislature will be the consideration with the great bulk of the voters, rather than his political affiliations
 How many voters can call by name or know anything of the men from the respective counties who represent ed them in the last legislature? We venture to say a very small number of the voters know even the names, much less the qualifications, of their representatives, who make the laws that govern them, and who provide for the expenditure of the millions of dollars collected in taxes in this state. They were elected at large from the counties. and the average voter voted for them simply because their names apcared on the ticket he usually voted, no attention whatever being paid to their qualifications.
 Mir. Voter, ask yourself this ques- tion: Who represented me in the leg
 islature last session? If these men were elected by legislative districts of 1900 voters. every voter in the district would be intimately acquainted with his representative and his qualifica- tions for the position; every section of your county would have equitable rep
 resentation, and the more populous sections would have no advantage over the more thinly populated DOT
 tions of the country. Each would have an equal chance to elect it's own rep
 resentatives
 The constitution of this state grants women the right of suffrage. and this necessarily carries with it the right
 to hold office. The legislature is a fruitful field for the activities of women interested in political affairs but 1t is almost a physical impossi bility for a woman to make a cam paign over a county larger than an eastern state for the sake of being elected to the legislature which
 meets for sixty days every two years 1 The election by legislative districts
 makes it possible for more women tC be elected to the legislature.
 | The same argument applies to the average business or professional man
 He has not, and will not, give the time from his business, no matter what it may be. to make campaign
 over one of those large counties Thus the state is deprived of the ser vices of men and women competent
 to make our laws and appropriations | for the conduct of our state govern ment runnin~ into millions of dollars l The question of who shall represen you in the legislature is a serious ont
 and one deserving of more thought anC
 attention than it has heretofore re.
 ceived from the majority Of the voter! of this state
 This proposed amendment provides for an annual salary for members o | the legislature, rather than the pres
 ent system of a per diem allowance This eliminates the incentive to de lay public business for the purpose 0 forcing the executive to call specia
 sessions of the legislature, so that tn members may continue to draw thei per diem allowance from the stat
 treasury. l. Our first state legislature met ac
 cording to law on January l, 1912
 and between that date and June
 1915, we have had two regular am
 five special sessions. As far as W
 know, only two other states in tn
 union had one extra session each i
 the same space of time. You will ad
 init that there is something radicall
 wrong, when this state, with tn
 smallest population of any state in tn
 union, except one, should have tw
 regular and five special sessions c
 the legislature between January 1s
 1912 and June 1. 1915.
 These sessions of the legislatur
 cost the taxpayers Two Hundre Sixty Three Thousand Two Hundre Eighty Dollars and Sixty four cent ($263, ,8S0.64), of which One Hundre
 Sixteen Thousand Four Hundred an Twenty four Dollars ($116,42D wa paid for attaches, mileage and incl dentals. These figures are taken fror the records of the state auditors of flee and can be verified by anyone in tereSted
 What have the voters of this stat received for this expenditure of mor than a quarter of a million of dol lars? Do you know the names of you representatives in these legislature who profited to this extent by you votes? By the adoption of the pro posed amendment there is no possi bility of such a condition arising There would be no need of extra spe cial sessions of the legislature unles some extraordinary condition shoul arise in this state that would justif the executive in calling the member of the legislature to gether. Ther being on an annual salary, an receiving only mileage for this extr work, they would naturally get throug with their business in the shortes possible time, and there would be n large expense for attaches.
 Under our form of government tn legislature, like the judiciary, ben entirely independent of the executiv department. we have made the terI of office four years, thus enabling man to better serve his constituent by reason of experience along legis lative lines Members of the legis lature only serve sixty days every sw years.
 The four year term gives a man a opportunity to become familiar wit the needs of his district. It enable his constituents to confer with hiI regarding the needs of his distric and gives him ample time to prepaI the necessary bills for introductio at the next session of the legislatur