Arizona republican., 1917-01-19
BAXTER BILLS CALL
ATTENTION. = ~ FIGHT
ON DRY AME7VD1,s.lz,NTS

| ne IHlIOuucllOn Dy MI. baxter OF
/ Maricopa of group of four bills to
| correct defects of the election laws
of this state resulted in a disclosure
that an assault is being prepared
against both the prohibition amend
ments, that adopted two years ago and
| that of last November The assail-
ants will be wholesale liquor dealers of
Los Angeles and Kansas City, and it is
| said that a large sum of money has
| been collected and is now in a bank
| to finance the fight.
The amendments will be attacked on
the ground that they were never real
ly voted on by the people because they
were not printed on the ballot as para
graph 2929 of the revised statutes di-
rects. AT each election only the titles
of the amendments were printed. Mr..
Baxter proposes the amendment of that
paragraph in two bills one providing
that only the titles of constitutional
amendments and other measures to be
submitted to the people shall be print
ed and that they shall be printed on
separate ballots together with names of
candidates for so-calleds non partisan
offices, those Of the judiciary and the
state tax commission.
The amendment, if made, will not
have a retroactive effect and cannot
amendments which can be remedied
only by the enactment by the present
Legislature of the two amendments as
statutes. That can undoubtedly be DONE
and such bills will be brought in either
by Mr.. Baxter or some other member
There is little doubt that they would
be promptly passed, but it would be
necessary to pass them by a tWo-thirds
vote, otherwise referendum would
probably be invoked against them and
their operation would be postponed for
two years.
The amendment of Mr. Baxter is as
follows:
The title of all proposed c0nstitu-
tional amendments or OF other PROPOSE
tions or questions to be submitted to
the voters shall be printed on sep
arate official ballot and in such order
as the secretary of state may designate,
and each such amendment, proposition
or question he followed by the word
yes" or no" or for" or against"
II and at the right of and op-
posite each of such words shall be
placed a square of sufficient size
e Section 2, paragraph 2935, of
chapter I, in title II, of said statutes,
and all acts and parts of acts in con-
flict with the provisions of the fore
Mares Nest-Wslton
Representative Thomas p. Walton
last night called attention to some con-
stitutional paragraphs and revised
statutes which seem to add to the
beams of light on the subject Baxter
merely quoted paragraph 1929. Walton
marshals quite an array of paragraphs
and clauses. In addition he says that
1929 merely says the amendment must
be printed at the bottom of the ballot,
but mentions nothing about the fun
text.
On the other hand. 1929 tells all
about printing the ballots, and again
fails to specify the text. Paragraph
10, section l OF article OF the consti-
tuition says that measures are to be
submitted TO the people by title alone
BESIDE these" says Mr.. Walton. II
call attention to the fact that the cleo
tion, whether by title or not, the cast
ing and canvassing of the votes and the
declaration thereof, must not be lost
sight Of"
Another of Mr.. Baxter's election law
amendments relates to the conduct of
elections, makes clearer the duties of
election boards and another provides
for the canvassing of the votes A way
is provided for arriving AT the intent
Of the voter is to which there is little
or nothing relating in the present law.
There is a clearer definition of marked
ballots. Though the amendment leaves
a way for voting straight ticket it re-
moves the words from about the
square at the top of the column, ito
vote straight ticket
A bill was introduced by Mr.. Good
win of Maricopa providing for an in
vestigatiOn of the uses Of water for
irrigation and making the necessary
appropriation.
1t is proposed that this investigation
shall be conducted on a tract of land
near Higley, in this county, and for
this purpose the sum of $4,000 is ap
proprated, $4,000 for each of the two
ensuing years. The appropriation is
to be in lieu Of that made by the last
legislature and nothing addition there
to. The investigation is to he con-
Quoted under the supervision and by
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