The Coconino sun., 1923-09-28
is GOVERNOR HUNT
AFRAID OF PUBLIC?

The executive may be like the old
maid who, ''avowing she'd never con.
sent, consented" regarding a special
session of the legislature, for all his
repeated statements that he does not
purpose calling such session. Our
opinion lis that the executive is afraid
to hazard the chance of special ses-
sion supporting his stand on the Col
orado treaty. 1t is pointed out by the
democratic press that in spite of re-
cent elections to fill vacancies, the op-
ponents still have majority of one
in the legislature-as If that were
anything to brag on--and therefore,
they reason, the lineup would be the
same as it was in the regular session.
That, however, does not follow at
all; no doubt many of the members of
the legislature would act more in
keeping with the attitudes of their
constituencies, revealed during the
recent discussions of the pact. 1t is
our belief that if the executive were
to call the legislature into special ses-
sion now the treaty would be ratified,
without qualification or reservation,
by an overwhelming majority.
Moreover, we believe the executive
thinks so, too-and that this is the
real reason why he does not dare let
the people speak through their legis-
lature. If we are right in believing
that the legislature, now better in
formed as to the wishes of the people,
would promptly ratify the Colorado
pact if allowed by Mr.. Hunt to con-
vene, the present situation in Arizona
amounts to high-handed repression.
In the old days when parliaments
opposed kings, the king promptly sent
them home.
In these days, it appears, a COVER
nor may oppose the people by denying
to them medium of expressing their
will.
If the executive holds to his deter
naination not to call special session
and permit the legislature to carry
out the viii of the people, we may
look forward to winter of propa-
ganda by the governor and the
agencies he controls, against the Colo
RADIO river treaty. This has been
the course of the executive since the
adjournment of the regular session.
In truth, the executive has been in
imical to the river development treaty
since before it was signed at Santa
Fe, and his every utterance since
then has been to extenuate and con-
fuse the issue.
But this propaganda as been un-
availing, for the proponents Of the
treaty have not been inactive. Hon.
Carl Hayden has dared the petty spite
fulness of the executive and the risk
of being called "disloyal" to the par
ty boss, by going about the state and
telling the people the truth about the
treaty. Senator Mulford Winsor has
done likewise, and already he has
drawn the fire of the American La
Dor Journal, whose policies strongly
bear the impress of the governors
chief political lieutenant and private
secretary, Mr.. McClusley.
These elements would not hesitate
to attack Hayden, as they have Win
sor, if Hayden were not politically
stronger than Mr.. Hunt; as it is,
they are afraid to attack Hayden, and
they only chide him for running coun-
ter to the party boss and party policy
and for "ingratitude."
The result of this propaganda de-
signed to bring support to Hr. Hunts
hostility to the development treaty
has been to strengthen the treaty;
but the opponents of the treay have
not dispaired, it appears. There is to
be further delay; more time in which
to create prejudice against the treaty;
to confuse the issue.
1t is in the power of the executive
to temporarily dam up the will of the
people of Arizona with respects to
the Colorado river treaty, but in good
time all of the obstacles which he may
place in the way will be washed away,
and the longer this tide of popular
sentiment is damned up the stronger
| it VIII become and the quicker and
more complete viii be its action
when it breaks the bonds which pent
it up.--Tucson Citizen.