Arizona state miner., 1926-02-20

1c1pdl campaign 20 OA ChO PAAAA1ON
ballots.
Nobody knows yet what the indie
pendent ticket is independent of ex-
cept that it is independent of che
city's constitutional provisions gov
erning the filing of nominating loti-
tions. AS to what the ticket is in
opposition to it's f1ag-bearer, Eugene
Hackett, finally was smoked OUT
at a socalled :'mass meeting" OF
about As citizens headed by Oscar
Irwin. Harry Pierce and others at
the Chamber of Commerce building
and made it public that the ticke- is
in opposition to the city continuing
to own and operate or rehabilitate
the street railway system.
Mr.. Hackett, a most estimable gen
tleman, who feels that he owes his
success to the city, the county and
the state, has no platform, and makes
no promises, according to his decla-
ration, except to "do whatever I can
for the city"
J. C. Provost, an astute member Of
the Central Labor Council was the
man who handled the smoke ma
chine which brought Mr.. Hackett out
from the land of "Noncommittal Re-
marks and forced him to definitely
declare himself on the operation ard
ownership of the street railway sys-
! tenn.
After hearing one of the most able
opinions ever rendered in this city by
the Saiby attorney. Judge w. L. Bar
mum, Who found4after a. study Of the
law that the nominating petitions or
Messrs Hackett, DR.. Corners and
Rarr were invalid, because they had
not aysuff1cient number of names on
them, @nd.~that the same was true
0f Mr. Barnette, candidate for Mayor,
the City Commissioners unanimously
voted to throw the doors wide open
and admit the names of Messrs Hack |
etta Conners. Barr and Barnett 10 the
printed ballots.
This was fair play with a venge-
ance. None can help but admire the
craftsmanship of Mayor Frank A. Jef-
ferson, candidate to succeed himself,
and Commissioner Boehmer, can
Gidate to succeed himself, and Com
missioner Boehmer, candidate 20 sue
ceed himself, in favoring throwing
the doors wide open and admitting
all candidates 1t was a splendid
display of fair-dealing which might
we'll be emulated by the sponsors OF
the Opposition" ticket.
incidentally the action of the city
commissioners effectually punctured
the only tissue" the independent"
ticket had-to make a cry Of techni-
ealities to cover up their inability Or
Indifference to comply with the city
constitutional provisions.
But The Five Points Star not oalv
believes the City Commission bent
over backwards in trying to be fair
and bumped its head against the
law, but the Star believes further
that some citizen should enjoin these
proceedings.
The City Commission, no matter
how fair its members want to be,
no matter what fine, fair-dealing gen.
tlemen they are-and they have PROV
ed that they are, has no power under
the law to set aside the provisions
of both the state statutes and the
city constitution merely in order tc
let some citizens run for Office.
The provisions of the state laws
were not enacted by the law making
body to be set aside every time a
self-appointed "citizens committee"
wants the law abrogated The cit,
constitution adopted by the vote Cf
the whole people is not an instrG-
ment to be so lightly disposed Of.
The provisions governing the nom
nations and the elections were put
on the statute books to be observed,
to be safeguard of the integrity
Of the whole system of electing pub.
lie officials. The purposes of the
city constitution are the same.
What is the City Commission tc
dc or say now if some other can
didate at this late hour gets a few
names, writes some of them in him
self or has some one write them il
for him and presents such a nom
mating petition to the city clerk
Is the commission going to deba1
that citizen on the ground that ht
Is too late or has an insuf1icien
number of names? How could it dC
50? How can the city commission
stretch the law, if the law can bt
stretched, in favor of one citizen o.
one group of citizens and then ho,l
the law operative against anothe1