Arizona republican., 1919-03-07


 ing the Hon roar,' nor holding up the vital business of state will swerve rne rom my purpose. Evidence of d prt conceived and preconcerted intent to carry out such purpose is already ap parent. If partisanship is considered paramount to good citizenship and the interests Ct the state. then the blame and cenSure must rest There they properly belong. There is one point that l desire to make clear-there has been no demand from the people that any of the powers l possess be taken away from me. cs is attempted by Sen ate bill No. r.. On the other hand 2 mandate did come to your body from the good roads convention. composed of high-elass men. and representing every section ot the state asking for the enactment of road legislation along thc ines l advocated in my message 70 you. In addition. men mauasina property representing nearly 70 pc, cent of our taxable wealth voiced the same request. The reasons for ignOr- ing their recommendations arc best known to yourselves.
 My outstanding objections to Senate hili No. l,. conceived in the womb ot personal ambition. forced to an ua- timely birth by caucus, and then adopted and cradled as q party meas urc over the conscientious objections Of those who believed the dictates of tho people should guide their legisla- tive actions-can he grouped under two heads. moral and legal
 Lookwing backwards. t ar pears that thc indoor sport of shearing tho chiei executive of his prerogatives is D pastimo irausurated by tho then. and now. dominant party in the legislature. as carly in statehood as 1913. Instead Of resorting 10 the ballot box and changing executives. as is the right ana privilege of the sovereign people, the legislature arrogaSed to itself the pow CT Co diVest the governor Of privileges with which the constitution coltheo him. In vetOing the measure he urgec certain reasons which arc today as logical and coEent as they were then. In that ease az well as this. ''the con- stitution. precedent and reasons are" contessedly over ridden and partisan prejudice ot the deepest hue "uOt judgment sits euthroned. Petty ami mus is revealed m all it's ugly naked ness and the chief executive. chosen by the people as tho head or their gov crnment. and solemnly charged with It's major responsibilities. is slboc- NlUdteN ana HNulll4dteu.
 Again ] use his words when I say. Neither respect for the office | hold consideration for the dignity of the state, nor thc desire. which all ArI- zonaus should share. to see Arizona progress rather than retrogress. vii, permit me 10 lend my approval or quiesccu, consent to the enactment O. a specimen of legislation so obviously iN-odyiscd. iil-cORsidcred and reaction 1ry. and manifestly unconstitutional.
 This particular piece of legislative machinery. Senate bin No. r.. for the running or the highway department. fearfully and wonderfully put together. is antiquated in design and has proven impractical cNtraVagant and wastcfui in operation by other states. The mo- tive of it's inventor is patent. and. re grct 10 say. not one which vii Dea- close scrutiny from tho standpoint from efficient government It creates a highway board composed of the gov- crnor, secretary Of state. state treas speaker of the house of representa- tives. The propriety Of the last two named, in violation of the rules of the houses. in voting upon a measure in which they had a direct, personal in tercst, is q subject l will pass by, so as to deal later on with the consti- tutionalitv of the composition of this board. Under this arrangement the governor Is one of five members, four ! of whom arc opposed to him politically | lt can be readily seen that he is thus 1 placed in n position in which his hands ! are tied and his efforts rendered flu | tile. But this is not the only limita e ! ton imposed. The so-called highway | board appoints a highway cor1mission and delegates practically unlimited | powers to it--povers beyond executive 1 check, except in specified instances | With this ruthless disposition of au- | thority the governor is left helpless although held in the minds of the pev | pie 70 strict accountability for the sue cessful conduct of the departments af- | fairs. There are some men. perhaps swaycd by duress. who would sit su- pinely by and permit their rights 10 bs thus wrested from the, but l am no one Of that class. I am sdanlant in my determination, and as far as lies with ! in me. will combat every effort 10 TO- 1 duce tho governOrship to the level Of 2 | clerk or office boy. If the responsf- bility is mine, if am to be held to ac- ' couDtablitv 10 the power that elo- vated me to office the people-then insist. with what I believe is good req son. that the people-given right shal not be taken from me. Perhaps yoJ are familiar with one attempt in tha, direction and the result.
 1 [ have before pointed out that this proposed road machinery is antiquatet and not consonant with good business principles. Utah has a commission similar 10 tho one proposed by thi: legislature but experience has demon strated ifs impracticability The req sons are given in a telegram just re. ceived from Hon. Simon Bambergcr | governor of that state. as follows:
 Salt Lake. Utah. March 4, 1919
 Honorable Thomas F. Campbell.
 Phoenix. Arizona.
 State road commission now consist. of governor secretary of state. attor. ney general. state engineer and stat auditor. Changes contemplated in cludos governor, attorney general, stat engineer and two business men wht have practical knowledge of road build ing. Present arrangement unsatisfac
 tory because find many politicians no practical in road work and governo
 ~eally held responsible for highws! program.
 Signed) SIMON BAMBERGER. .
 Highway departments in the state
 herewith given are conducted in tn manner indicated:
 Montana-Twelve members appoint
 cd by governor for four years. N
 compensation except actual expenses.
 Nevada-Three directors appointe
 by governor also highway enginee
 appointed by governor. Directors hol
 office three years and received te
 (Sl0) per day and travelling expense when actually engaged in such worl
 compensation. however, not to excee
 one thousand (sl.000) dollars per yea
 Caiifornia--Subdivisi of Depart