Statutes At Large Volume 37 Page 1728

The Statutes at Large Part 2 page 1728 contains the proclamation by Presitent Taft on February 14, 1912 making Arizona the 48th state. When the people of Arizona by their votes eliminated the recall of the judiciary, to satisfy the President’s demand, they did so with a mental reservation, and at the very next election, on November 5, 1912... by a vote of 5 to 1 [16,272 for and 3,705 against], they proceeded to reinstate the offensive provision [to include judiciary in the recall provision]--offensive to Mr.Taft.

• A humorous ending was given this tale a year or so later. Many will recall that among the early features of Governor Hunt's long tenure as Arizona's first chief executive he advocated the abolition of capital punishment. Among those heartily seconding his efforts was R. B. Sims, warden of the State Prison [at Florence, AZ from 3/1/1912 - 12/31/1918, 1/5/1925 - 2/1/1926]. Mr. Sims, in the course of an energetic campaign to do away with capital punishment, wrote to a large number of nationally and internationally famous personages asking for an expression of their views on the subject. One of his letters was addressed to President Taft, who, still smarting from the trick played on him or more likely--for he was a big, good natured man with a keen sense of humor--in a spirit of droll facetiousness, promptly replied, under his own signature: "Dear sir: I do not believe in the abolition of capital punishment for the people of Arizona."