Arizona republican., 1916-04-09
Where the People
 May Have Hearing
HARDLY WORTH DENYING

To the People of Phoenix:
 My attention has been called to a scurrilous communication in the Ari- zona Gazette which assumes the re- sponsibility for the fact that myself as mayor of Phoenix, am holding nightly sessions with some powerful and confidential supporter, framing to unseat Commissioner Woods, elected as Commissioner of the City of Phoenix by the enormous vote which elected him.
 As Mayor of Phoenix, l have been very quiet and know a lot of facts which would not read well for some people if put into print, but l have attempted to play a nigh minded and clean game all the way through, know ing that with all the slime thrown. l might be hurt temporarily, but Phoenix as a city and corporation would be the worse hurt in the end.
 Fortunately, those knowing me best
 know that 1 do not frame" except in the open, and insofar as Commissioner Woods is concerned. I can say we were both employees of the same railroad company great many years ago, have been close, personal friends through all the years since, and believe l am stat ing a fact, when say that Mir. Woods is too big a man to believe any such filth that at this late hour of the game those of evil minds are trying to inject into the situation.
 MT. Woods further knows that his first candidacy as commissioner of
 Phoenix was urged principally by my
 self and my personal friends Mir
 Woods knows further that he had my
 undivided support in that campaign, and if he is the political mathematician
 l think him to be, he knows that in the late primary for every vote l received as candidate for mayor he also received one vote from my friends as commits
 sioner.
 The campaign is over, and there is no man more proud of the support given
 me than l received as candidate for
 mayor, by the good people of Phoenix.
 As candidate 1 made no personal
 campaign either for the primary, or for
 the general election. Five or six ener-
 eetic young men interested themselves
 in behalf of my candidacy l was
 brought forth as a candidate not on my own initiative, but for the fact, as stat
 ed to me, that 1 was the one man there was any chance to beat the vile com
 binatiOn which was framing to cap 2 ture the city of Phoenix. l don't know how much money was spent against me- , It has been reported that some $12,000 :, and much free whiskey were wasted to
 defeat me. l have the satista ction of
 knowing that my vote was a voluntary
 vote. It was vote of clean people, un-
 solicited by me, unbribed and unpur- chased. It is source of self gratifi- , cation to know that neither myself nor , the young men interesting themselves in my behalf paid anyone except for } legitimate expense, and there was not
 to my knowledge an ex-office holder
 a present pimp. or a would-be gambler interesting himself in my behalf either
 for money, or promise of position. , The intent of the article in question is nothing more than an attempt to create dissension. Except during busi-
 ness hours, I think my neighbors can
 testify that 1 spend my evenings with l my wife and family, where every mar 5 ried man of decency belongs, if his business will allow him. The verdict of the people of Phoenix has been rem ? dered have no sore spots l have no l axe to grind, nor have l any spleen to ) vent. In fact. as before stated. I feel proud of the testimonial the people of ? Phoenix have given me- and while things that I wished to do. and tried to do, could not be done during the past l two years, yet l had made a careful study of the city charter and the cOndi- tions of Phoenix, and I waited for fur ther endorsement by the people of r Phoenix before I would exempt to bring f these facts before the people of Phoe- y nix, or inject my personality too strong I ly into the limelight.
 t The people of Phoenix have spoken. l am gratified and l am fortunate. The