The Coconino sun., 1927-03-25
DEMOCRATIC REVIEW
OF STATES SITUATION

| A
political situation from the Bisbee Re-
view, consistent democratic paper,
seems to sum the matter up con-
cisely:
"The situation confronting the state
due to the inability of the Legislature
and the governors office to come to
an agreement grows more serious each
day. The constitution gives to the
executive the power of veto on ac-
tions of the legislature, because it was
| felt by the trainers of the constitution
! that occasions would likely arise where
the executive should have the ability
| to voice his ideas Of the best interests
| of the state. The constitution makes
| the Legislature responsible for the ap-
preparation of moneys for the opera
| ton of state departments, its makers
wisely concluding that since the rep
resentatives and senators came di-
rectly from the people, they could put
| a check on unwise and extravagant ex-
penditures by the departments of state
government.
"We are now confronted, however,
/ with situation where the executive,
through the exercise of the veto pow
er, evidences a keen desire to control
the operations of the legislative as
well as the executive branch of the
state department. Each day brings
forth more veto messages, more in
vective against a companion branch
of the state government.
! 1Wren the first special session was
called it was for the consideration OF
Colorado river matters and to consld-
er the muddle in which the state high
way department found itself. II
would seem wise that the Legislative
branch should desire to know some
thing of the status of both questions
and while considering the highway
muddle, the legislature decided to ask
the highway department to furnish
| information as to the true status OF
| the department. Fred Suffer Of Co
chise county was put at the head OF
| the investigating committee, and Nor
man Abel of Cochise county was also
put on the committee. Citizens OF
Cochise county know that both Sutter
and Abel went to Phoenix with q most
friendly feeling for the administration
and desire to accomplish much good
for the state and for the party which
had placed them in office and of which
the governor was the titular head
There was no desire for an argument
or fight on the part of any repre-
sentative or senator from Cochise.
"It soon was apparent, however
that agreement could not be reached
on every action of the highway de-
partment, and from that time forward
every action Of the governors office
seemed to be intended to promote en-
mitv on the part of the Cochise, dele
cation in both houses. And on Tues
day the governor capped the climax
of his antipathy with veto of senate
bill 13O, introduced by Senator Sutte1
to repeal the Huachuca game pre-
serve. Everyone familiar with condi-
tions in the Huachuca5 knows that IN
stead of being a game preserve, the
Huachucas are really breeding grounds
for game for Naco, Sonora, and Aqua
Prieta markets. With the south end
! of the range extending into Mexico,
there could be no preserve established
| in the Huachucas unless a game-prooi
fence was stretched along the border
line. No just reason founded on fact
could be set up for the exercise OF an
executive veto, unless the desire to
slap the Cochise delegation in the leg
islature could be advanced.
an the early Hunt administrations
| the governor surrounded himself with
able counsellors, who felt that the
| future fortunes of the democratic
party could be better advanced by the
application of wise governmental poll
| cies. The veto messages were few
and far between and concerned vita
| issues, the executive realizing that
three functions of government We're
made executive, legislative anc
| iudicial-under the constitution. There
was no attempt to throttle the legisla-
| ture in it's functions, and while there
were differences of opinion, these diff.
ferences were settled without the aic
of battleax, such as the veto power
| oThe temper of the people Of tht
state of Arizona has changed but lit
tie, their intelligence. is equal If moi
greater than during the early days Of
statehood. And the representative
sent to the legislature are equal Al
least to those who sat in the first few
sessions. The eighth Legislature ha'
shown every desire to meet the wishes
Of the executive insofar as their idea:
of the good Of the state as whole dic
not conflict. So that it is extremely
doubtful if the legislature is in an!
way at fault. And since the legisla
ture cannot be blamed, the blame
must therefore rest on the shoulder
of the executive.
"As man grows older, wisdom ripen'
! in most cases, his associates and hi
confidants come to him in d widei
circle. The governor has benefited
in past years by the counsel OF, ant
association with, men whose interest
were for the good of the state, with
out hope or desire Of personal gain
/ The people of the state are slow to be
lieve that the governor has assumed
| O dictatorial attitude and are wonder
ling if the associates and advisors O.
/ today are equal in ability and self
abnegation with those of former ad
! ministrations.
"For If the governor or his advisor
think that they can impose their vii
on the eighth legislature, they are sur
to find their mistake. Veto message
are sometimes necessary for the goo'
Of the state. But the good of the stat
/ should be the one and only considera
tion which actuates veto message.
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