Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/549

 ARIZONA

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ARIZONA.

Government. — Arizona was admitted into the Union as a Sovereign State on February 14, 1912. The process of changing from Territorial to State form of government began with an Act passed by the National Con- gress, in June, 1910, called the Enabling Act, which gave permission to the people of Arizona to frame a Constitution to form the basis of State- hood. This Constitution was to be submitted to Congress and the President of the Unite 1 States for approval before becoming effective. The Consti- tutional Convention, which consisted of 52 elected delegates, met in Phoenix, October 10, 1910, and remained in sessionumtil December 9, 1910. The Constitution v/hich was drafted contained a provision for the recall of the judiciary, and because of this President Taft refused to approve, except upon condition that the voters of Arizona eliminated the feature from the document. This they did at the first State election, held December 12, 1911, rather than forfeit Statehood. But having become a State, with all the attending powers and privileges, it is now proposed that the recall of the judiciary shall be restored to the Constitution, and the question was determined at the general election in November, 1912.

In the laws which the first State Legislature of Arizona enacted, the affairs of State government are placed under direct control of the people, who can at any time exercise the machinery of the Initiative, Referendum and the Recall. Among the amendments to the Constitution upon which the people voted in 1912 was one giving the State power to engage in in- dustrial pursuits.

The State Senate consists of 19 members, and the House of Representa- tives 35. The State is represented in the National Congress by one member of the lower house and two Senators.

^owrnor.— George W. P. Hunt, 1911-14 (4,000 dollars).

Secretary. — Sidney Osboru.

The State capital is Phoenix (population in 1910, 11,134), Tucson in 1910 had 13,193 inhabitants The State is divided into 14 counties.

Area, Population and Instruction— Area of 113,020 square miles,

of which 100 square miles is water. The Indian reservations had an area of 26,434 square miles in 1905.

The population in four census years was : —

Years. Population.

Per Sq. Mile.

Years.

1900 1910

Population.

Per Sq. Mile.

1880 40,440 1890 59,620

0-4 0-8

122,931 1-1 204,354 1-8

In 1910 there were 24,201 Indians, 2,067 negroes, 1,587 Mongolian. The foreign-born numbered 46,844, of whom 14,172 were from Mexico.

The order of strength of religious bodies is : Roman Catholic, Latter-day Saints, Presbyterian, Methodist, Congregationalists,

School attendance is compulsory for 12 weeks (6 consecutive) annually for children from 8 to 14 years of age. Instruction is free for children from 6 to 21 years of nge. The enrolled pupils in 1911 numbered 39,611 and there were 876 teachers (140 males and 736 females). Two public normal schools at Tempe and Flagstaff had 579 students in 1911. The State University of Arizona, at Tucson, founded in 1891, had 42 iirofessors and 195 students in 1911 (123 men and 72|women). There is a State Agricultural School also at Tucson.