Bisbee daily review., 1918-02-19
Political Gossip

With the announcement in Nogales
 ast week of the candidacy of W. A l Aoeur, land commissioner. for gov
 ernor. and with the potent candidacy
 of several others, the political fore
 cast as regards the head of the de
 mOcTatic ticket in Arizona this fall-
 has begun to take on a befogged and somewhat chilly atmosphere. Baro-
 metric figures point to at least four candidates in the primaries, with possible six or seven. What the outcome may be cannot be surmised and where the radical forces will
 place their strength if it is directed
 in a mass, can be less fayorably
 estimated. A warm contest and close fight is about the only forecast which can reasonably be made.
 Certain it is. however. that MOeur's entrance into the contest will detract
 some from the strength of Maricopa counIy's one ether candidate for the
 nomination, Sidney P. Osborn. secre- tary of state. who has been an active
 aspirant to the executives chair since the last election two years ago.
 MOeur has been a resident of Mari cOpa county for many years. he has large cattle and land interests in the
 Salt River valley and in the Oracle district. and his record in the admin.
 istration of the state land office has teen credible. His chief advantage over Osborn in the race is his free dom from past political alliances. He has retained his place among demo crats of the state without being iden- tified with factions of the party. and he is looked on as a staunch party adheTent osborn. on the other hand, has been forced into the party divi- sicns and has taken stands on sev- eraI occasions which may lose to him a part of the Maricopa vote.
 Elections in Arizona must be figur- cd from the two largest voting cOun- ties as a basis of strength of osldi- dates. A democrat who is certain O. a sair majority in MaricOpa and Co chise counties in the primaries may he reasonably sure of the nomination Without one of thees counties q de- mocral will be fortunate indeed if he makes even a good race. The strength of other counties falling to candidates according to their geographical lOca- ton in the state, either MaricOpa or CCchise will swing the nomination.
 This leads up to the other possible division of strength and battle for county superiority which will come with this falls preliminary. In Co chise Fred Sutter, state senator and former county judge. will become a candidate if the efforts of his friends to persuade him to run are success ! sul. Against him win be Charley Roh- erts. cattleman and former state sen ator from Wilcox. who has already become an avowed seeker after the place. Judge Sutter is a recognized democrat of sound basis and prinei' pies. a true party man, standing foi what is best for the state and its !. citizens. Roberts has been identified with the Hunt cohorts in the past and is now allied with the govern ] olss organ. His strength in the county. measured by past elections, ] would lead to the suppOsitiOn that he may run a fair race. but it is net believed that even he himself anu . cipates a majority vote. What he ! might detract in the balloting rom I other candidates is his chief strength I
 Fred Colter, of Colter. Apache coun- . ". former state senator. is a nth candidate. Colter announced his in I tention Of running almost year ago and since has made a complete tour of the state. With MOeur and others he has just returned from Nogaies. where with MOeur and others, he went in search of announcement and f
 n. rErI1r north. he naturally will rely for his greatest strength on the northern counties, especially Apache and Mo have. Yavapai. he may expect, 10 give him at least a fifty-fifty deal He win have before him the task oi building up his forces in other coul- ties. He will rely on the oaitiemsn and sheepmen for his campaign ! strength.
 The vote Of cattle and sheep reis CTS. however. will again be split in the entire state, M0eur is one or inc best known stockmen in Arizona, has been active in the affairs of e-se stock growers association. and counts many friends among this large Nc-- ing population. Roberts has been Identified with the stock business throughout most of his career in the state. and will make an especial aH- peal to this element lt Is pcssibie hal each may control the cattiemen rom his own disuict but there aie stHl the oowmen of Gila. Greenlee ! and other sections to be counted. and | u reckoning this vote p2st aiiiliS- i ions of both Roberts and Colter with -arty branches would seem to -s- ,oun them in favor of MOeur.
 Concentration or the Hunt vote. ii he governor can succeed in swing ng any number of voters, and the