Bisbee daily review., 1918-06-18
LEGISLATIVE
 DISTRICT PLAN
 POPULAR HERE
Election of Representatives to
 Lower House Would Be on Basis of Population; Would Not Reduce Representation

Among bills which will be initiated for vote at the election this fall none is attracting more interest than the proposed amendment to the constltu- tion for the purpose of districting legls- lative representation. Petition clrcula- tors say that the bill is popular m Cochise county. A similaf bill, which had one or two objectionable features was only defeated two years ago by a small vote It carried in all of ;he pre- cincts of COchise county. The pres ent bill now has the objectionable features cut out.
 The argument that will accompany the proposed amendment in the state publicity pamphlet, is as follows:
 "The proposed amendment to our state constitution providing for the election of members of our state leg islature by legislative districts is not an innovation; it is in effect In many of our states. It is based on the same principle and follows the same rule that has been in effect since the formation of our government in the election of senators and representa- tives to our national congress. sen ators are elected from the state at large, and representatives from cen gressional districts.
 In the proposed amendment he ap- portionment is so made, and it Is deil- uitely stated, that no county shall have less representation in the state legislature than it-has at present, put it provides for an increase in the rep resentation when the population or the cbunty justifies it. The constitu- tionat provision now in effect does not make any allowance for increase m representation with the growth Of pop ulation in this state. The proposed amendment gives each county equit- able representation, and provides 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 l5OO voters shall have a representative to look ait CT its interests.
 "When you consider the diversified resources of some of our counties thls feature of the amendment Is partc- ularly desirable. It is a means of se- curing the best qualified men ln each locality to become candidates for the legislature. for the reason that in small districts of 1500 voters, where a man is known to every voter ill the dis trict. 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.
 ssr,La constitution nf fhiC state grants women the right of suffrage and this necessarily carries with It the right to hold office. The legisla- ture is a fruitful field for the activi- ties of women interested in political affairs, but it is almost physical i'm possibility for a woman to make campaign 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 The election by legislative districts make it possible for more women to be elected to the legislature.
 "The same argument appeals 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. a campaign over one of those large coUAties. Thus the state is deprived of the services of men and women competent to mako our laws and appropriations for the conduct of our state government run ming into millions of dollars The question of who shall represent you in the legislature is a serious one and one deserving of more thought and attention than it has heretofore re- ceived from the majority Of the voters of this state.
 This measure is absolutely non partisan. It makes no pretense Of changing the present method of elect ing state senators. There is no ad- vantage or disadvantage 10 any politi- cal party in electing the members of the lower house of the legislature by legislative districts as proposed in the amendment. It is the very personifi- cation of representative government. It gives the people the right to elect representatives personally known to them. It. gives eevry section of the state and each county equitable rep