The Coolidge examiner., 1942-07-24

S0""enr:
PHOENIX. July PA grand Jose
scheme to collect a SIS. 900 kitty
for Gov. Osborn's. 1892 campaign
is underway
Tie rapd-raising is expected to
be kaccomplis he'd through The so
caled NsArizosa. Citizens Power
p rotective~ Association sponsored
ed by w. W White, John IL Cav
in and other political jobseekers
The schems was launched pub
licly at q conference OF the just
organized association" at Hotel
Adams in Phoenix.
Although several hundred invi-
tations We're issued. supplemented
by an inclosed letter from the gov
ernor. only 80 persons showed up.
half of whom were political job
seekers aEa the remainder curious
folk Wondering what 1t was all
about.
Gov Osborn delivered a prepar
ed speech, copies of which were
made aFaiIabie to the press
Spok esmen told Of the "pressing
need" Tor a hAstIly y-ra ised SIS. 900
fund I'd conduct campaign for
cheap power' The plan was elab-
Grated an to the extent of a break.
down ~ counties ON amounts to
be raised with Maricopa expected
to contribute the bulk OF the mon
ey.
Membership cards. which were
sent with each invitation, were al
so passed around at the meeting
Committing signer TO member
ship the cards TO be sent 10
thousands on a selected list" -
guarantee return postage.
On several occasions. however,
the conference almost got out of
hand.
Although attendance. as letters
carefully set forth. will be by in
vitation only" REM L. Jennings,
a candidate for a Democratic con-
gressional nomination, crashed the
gate and made a campaign speech.
Lemuel Plaut Mathews. self-de-
scribed attorney, real estate agent,
notary public. Republican jobhold-
er, editor. etc. etc. asked the con-
ference to 20 on record as de-
manding a grand jury call to in
vestigate asserted Withholding OF
information on power rate struc-
lures.
Political strategists, desirous OF
holding back everything possible on
the power problem for an Osborn
campaign issue. voted down Mr..
Mathews proposal. He received
only seven supporting votes on his
motion.
NJ. ]. B. Dougherty. former Mesa
attorney. caused something of
rift in the ranks when he objected
to the appearance of w. w.
Whites name on invitation let
tiers mailed by the association.
Il don't want any clowning in
connection with this program"
Dougherty is reported to have
said. referring to White.
After Mr.. White bristled and
subsidized. the session listened to
the governor read the manuscript
OF his prepared speech. Mr.. Osborn
took a few filings at 'monopolies."
selfish interests now enjoying
special privileges, and INDUCED in
self-laudation of what he labelled
his own "meritorious attempt TO
build up our commonwealth and
create additional taxable wealth"
At conclusion of the session. the
conference committee headed by
White and Gavin started work on
details OF the Embarrassing cam
paign expected to put SIS 900 In
10 the Osborn campaign kitty by
intensive exploitation of the "pow-
er ISSUE"
II was noted that the revamped
white-Gavin-Os Osborn plan includes
a power authority only, dropping
the previous title of power and
water authority"
The power program apparently
takes sides in the long-standing
rivalry between the Federal Pow
er Commission and the u. S. Bu-
reau OF Reclamation. The associa-
tion seemingly plans to oppose the
reclamation service, which to date
has been the federal agency bring
ing greatest development to Ariz-
ona-
Arizona farmers in areas bene-
fitted by the states vast reclama-
ton projects point out that they
can't irrigate with kilowatt hours
farming needs acre feet of water.
In any event, developments OF
the last week are a tipoff of the
major Issue" Gov. Osborn hopes