Arizona republican., 1918-04-24
NJ BASIS FUR .HEAR|NG, SAYS
 GOVERNOR HUNT
Governor Insists That Dr.
 Blome Hearing Should Be
 In Phoenix In Letter He Sends to NJ. J. Riordan

A letter not altogether devoid of facetiousness was addressed yester- day by Governor Hunt to Hon. M. J. Riordan of Flagstaff relative to the Dr. Blome hearing in which the gov ernor reiterates one reason why the hearing should not take place at Flag staff. Those who are familiar with the rapier-like style of MT. Riordan are hopeful that they may have op- portunity to peruse his reply.
 The governor wrote:
 My dear Mr. Riordan:
 am taking the liberty of address, ing few words to you on the subject of the hearing for Doctor Blome, as, while 1 know you were in favor of retaining Doctor Blome at the Normal school. l have complete confidence in your sense of fair play and one hun dred per cent Americanism
 There was never d real basis for any hearing. No charges whatever were filed against Doctor Blome; the board merely failed to renew it's con- tract with him for the coming year. That was quite within it's province In fact, former boards of the Normal school, and presumably with the ap- l proval of the president, have dropped members of the faculty in mid term No hearing ever resulted. Neverthe- less, I was and still am perfectly willing that Doctor BlOme have an opportunity to show why, for the best l interests of the school and state, he 1 should have been retained as presi- | dent. |
 On questions of local policy, par ticularly in these times, must accept 1 the views of officials elected by the people. The opinion of the sovereign peace officer in your county and of my representatives who have visited Flagstaff is that for the good of your community no hearing should be held l in Flagstaff. That, and that only, is my reason for fixing the hearing at Phoenix. The implication that 1 am afraid to come to Flagstaff is so far 1 as my knowledge goes the first time any charge of personal cowardice has been made against me. I am not afraid to go to Flagstaff or any place | in Arizona or anywhere at any time l hope to be in the Arizona delesation when the American flag is raised in Berlin. Aside from the bitterness that has arisen in Flagstaff, there is nc tenabfe reason why any hearing should be had there. If I am to act as judge of last resort. reviewing the findings of the board of education, the Iplace for such a review is unques- tionably at Phoenix, the capital of the state. I have never heard of the su- preme court of Arizona going or junketing trips to review the deci- i sions of lower courts.
 I have written to Doctor Blome re- questing him to name a date for { hearing in Phoenix He has not ac. corded me the courtesy of q reply but has made some far fetched state
 ment to the press. dragging in Kins George, who might be well over. looked in view of our present right eOus alliance with the English people
 His attitude and that of his adviser: places a very grave light on the sin
 cerity of their desire for a hearing The flat refusal to come to Phoenix coupled with the insistence that tn
 hearing must be held on a Saturday
 would make it seem that it is not legitimate hearing that is desired bu a chance, as has happened in the pas
 in Flagstaff, to turn the meeting int a hullabaloo. personal demonstration
 under the teutonicized efficient lead ership of one of the members of tn
 faculty, whose services have also beel dispensed with for the coming year.
 I believe that upon careful reflec
 tion you will agree, with me that tn
 place for any hearing is at Phoenix
 If Doctor Blome still persists in hi refusal to come here for such a hear ing, l shall, nevertheless, feel it m, duty to review the action of the boar } of education of the Northern Arizon;
 Normal school since it has been S,