Arizona republican., 1922-05-26
"Cross Suit" Registration

The period for registration for the state and
county elections is still but so far as usual
the Republicans not making good showing
either in this or other counties If that could be
explained on the theory that they have not been
called out by prospective contests within the party,
that would be bad enough, for good registration
showing should be made, anyhow, for its effect
upon the morale of the party in the general
paign.
But learn with regret and some humiliation
that Republicans in this county registering
as Democrats in order only that they may have
choice as between Democratic candidates in the pri
mary with no voting for any ticket that
may be nominated there in the general election That
is old trick and It has never been successful
one in Arizona and do not suppose anywhere
else where the members of minority party have
injected themselves the disputes of the majority
There is fiction that this is done by members
of the minority to assist in the nomination of weaker
candidates that they may be easily beaten in the
general election. We do not think that Arizona
Republicans who foolishly the suit had
such a thing in mind. We believe that all of them
expressed real choice when voting in Democratic
primary.
At any rate it has happened in Arizona that
they were always on the losing side in the Demo-
cratic primaries. Never yet has Democratic candi-
date to whom the Republicans focked in the primary
been nominated. They voted in shoals for Sutter in
1916; for Oney in 1918; and previous to 1916 they
had entered the primary to vote against Hunt. In
all of these primaries if the weaker candidates
nominated they were nominated in spite of the Re-
publican interlopers.
The fact is that Republicans generally have been
inssynpathy with the conservative wing Of the Demo
cratic party rather than with the radical element
and their participation in Democratic primaries
f,,t;Ia of cir
sympathy never helped the conservatives, but this
foolish manifestation of it weakened their party;
it destructive OF its morale, for the light regis
tration showing is discouragng to many Republicans
who compare it with the iegitimately swollen Demo-
cratic registration.
Two years ago the Republicans pretty well stayed
in their camp for they had fight at home to
engage their attention, and result over
whelming Republican victory in the state. There
might have been many earlier if the Repubh
had believed from the comparative registration
figures that they had chance of winning.
In this county have long believed that the
Republicans had comfortable majority but the reg
istraton figures did not indicate it. Yet in spite of
that four years ago they surprised themselves by
election of solid legislative ticket except for
member, and two years ago they failed of solid
ticket by overwhelming majority only because Of
the district plan which. by the way, the Democrats
had opposed and which the only thing that saved
them three members.
For several elections Republican candidates for
county offices for whom work had been done and
who themselves nisled and discouraged by the regis
tration figures made only half hearted efforts
defeated by only the most surprisingly slender mar
gins Every county office for which contest was
earnestly made in the four years has been
ried by the Republicans. Those lost were lost by
sheer neglect
The. Republicans will do well, therefore, to stay
their side of the fence this year. for they will
possibly have contests of their own in which they
will want to take part there will certainly be
tests in this county.
And then, registering with opposition party
without intention finally to vote for its candidates
is not moral act.