Arizona republican., 1918-09-20
Arizona Politics and English

The controversy concerning the status of Mr. Golfer whom the democrats have nominated for gov has broken the legal enclosure which at first circumscribed it. and within which we thought it would be disposed of and has spread unto the do mains of grammar and phiology. valued core spondent, (his present appraisement to us though not yet finally determined is s6OOO) in yesterdays issue of The Republican places construction upon the language of the constitution and the statutes, calculated prove that January next, MT. Golfer if he receives enough votes in November, notwith standing the increase salary law in which he partici paed as a member of the present legislature may enter upon the office of governor.
 It is the contention of correspondent that the constitution and the laws made distinction between the expression "elected TO office" and elected FOR an office Election TO an office he conceives to be induction into office while election FOR office is expression by majority of the votes in his favor This expression takes place certain Tues day in November. Election TO office, in the view of correspondent, takes place certain Monday the January following Therefore, he argues the cleo ton of Mr.. Colter TO the office of governor would occur after he had ceased to be member of the legislature.
 But for thing would be content merely to dissent from this view without argument But feel that a duty to the living and the dead. So, rise to defend them against the imputation of faulty grammar in the constitution in effort to create such distinction correspondent thinks he sees.
 Two were -eminently responsible for the polish which put the constitution One of them the late Hon. M. G. Gunniff. most schol- arly gentleman, former editor of the Worlds Work and so careful in his choice of expression that he regarded purist. The other the Hon. Null ford Winsor who is yet happily with and may his c+av bo iDde efnita b,,t less critical than MT Cunniff and sfted words with less care These gentlemen the mem- bers remember best of the Committee Style, Revision and Compilation of the constitutional con- vention.
 We know without being told with what resent ment both MT. Cunniff and Mr Winsor would deny that distinction between election and induction attempted be made in this way; that they should have misconceived the functions of those propositions, ito" and for"
 In accepted usage may be elected TO of flee and he may be elected FOR a term. But he not be elected TO term, nor can he be elected FOR office. He may be nominated FOR office but he cannot be nominated TO an office. Nor can he be nominated TO FOR a term. We sometimes say has been elected governor or constable or we may say "as governor" constable"
 We sometimes say has been chosen FOR an office but do say that he has been chosen TO office. Though "elected" and chosen" are syn onymous these propositions follow them in a manner, reverse English speak. Words and not their meanings determine the propositions attach to them and frequently this determination effected before the words engrafted upon the English. Sympathy" and pity" are synonymous Yet we cannot correctly have sympathy FOR one but WITH We have pity FOR one Gus tom sometimes determines forms arbitrarily but no custom has made it possible to elect FOR an office. We will leave it MT. Winsor.