Arizona republican., 1919-02-09

petition for the choice of those officials by appointment. they should be so chosen.
 Mir Lines said that the proposed legislation was unprecedented. It pro- posed legislation by the open ballot; the secrecy of the ballot by which all such matters were to be settled would be destroyed. It turned out that there are only two towns clamoring for the election of those officers. Represent tatives from other towns said that experience had taught them that a better choice Of officials could be made by appointment. Now, in order to ac- commodate those two towns all the other towns could escape from tho provisions of the bill only by the pro- cess of petition.
 Bill is Passed
 Messrs. Galbraith and Lillywhite said that they had understood the amendment to provide that whether or not the officers should be elected was to be determined by petition and not that other towns would be called upon to take all this trouble to escape.
 Mir. Vyne, who was friendly to the election system, did not believe that the proposed amendment conformed to the constitution. By petition the people could not exercise the power of legislation which they had reserved to themselves, for the constitution pro- vides that that must be exercised by ballot.
 In his opinion, if the bill were passed with that amendment it would be found to be invalid.
 After some further debate, another amendment was proposed under a suspension of the rules. It was that the question whether the choice of the officers should be made by appoint ment or by election. should be brought before the people at an election by a petition signed by such percentage of the voters as the constitution re- quires. This amendment not only did not secure the necessary two thirds vote but was defeated by a vote of 12 to 19. The bill was then passed by a vote of IS to 13
 The bill amending the law with ref erence to improvement bonds was passed without a dissenting vote. The change this makes is that the city shall undertake the collection of the payment of these bonds by install ments. removing that burden from the contractor. The arrangement, it is be- l lieved, will add to the value of the bonds.
 New Bills Introduced Four new bills were introduced among them the measure of MT l Howard providing for the holding of party nominating conventions, but be- | fore it was given first reading it was | temporarily withdrawn.
 The other bills were:
 i By Mir. Eddy, one of the fedora | governments measures for the pre-. vention of vice. l. prohibits fornica- cation, under q penalty of a fine o | $500, six months imprisonment ol | both, though the person so found gull | ty may be given a suspended sentence | By Mir. Phillips. a measure for thu | amendment of the law relating {, fraud and fraudulent conveyances. By Mir. Delbridge. a bill providinl
 that mechanics. laborers and othe
 persons who labor shall have a frs lien for wages. This lien shall talk precedence over prior liens unless the! are for wages.
 A house joint memorial was intro | duced. directed to the senators an
 representatives from Arizona, the sec
 retary of war. General March, chief
 of-staff asking that the soldiers wheI i discharged from the army shall be al
 lowed their clothing and overcoats an
 that three months pay be allowed then