George W.P. Hunt
Encyclopedia
George Wylie Paul Hunt was an American
politician
and businessman. He was the first Governor of Arizona
, serving a total of seven terms, along with President of the convention that wrote Arizona's constitution
. In addition, Hunt served in both houses of the Arizona Territorial Legislature
and was posted as U.S. Minister to Siam
.
Calling himself the "Old Walrus", Hunt was 5 in 9 in (1.75 m) tall, close to 300 pounds (136.1 kg), bald, and had a drooping handlebar moustache
.
Politically, he was a Progressive Era
populist
who supported reforms such as women's suffrage
, secret ballot
s, income tax
, free silver coinage
, and compulsory education
. Hunt was also an opponent of capital punishment
and a supporter of organized labor.
, to George Washington and Sarah Elizabeth (Yates) Hunt on November 1, 1859. His family was originally well-to-do, with the town of Huntsville having been named for Hunt's grandfather, but lost its fortune as a result of the American Civil War
. After being educated in a combination of public and private schools, Hunt ran away from his family on March 3, 1878. For three years, his family believed he had been killed by Indians while Hunt traveled through Kansas
, Colorado
and rafted down the Rio Grande
.
Hunt arrived in Globe, Arizona
, his home for the rest of his life, with two burros and needing a job. His first job was as a waiter in the Pasco Café. This was followed by a series of odd jobs, including a mucker in a mine and work on a cattle ranch, before he became a clerk at a general store
. Early experience in the grocery department lead Hunt to perform most of his household's shopping. The store was purchased by a larger concern, the Old Dominion Commercial Company, and Hunt advanced to become president of the combined business. Following his election as Governor, he sold his company stock and limited his investments to government bonds.
Hunt married Helen Duett Ellison in Holbrook, Arizona
, on February 24, 1904. The couple had a single daughter, named Virginia. Hunt's personal interests included cultivation of rare shrubs and trees along with collection of Southwestern Indian art. He was a Freemason and an Oddfellow.
in 1892 and 1894. During his first term as a Representative, Hunt sponsored legislation authorizing a US$5,000 reward for capture of the Apache Kid
.
After two terms in the lower house
Hunt successfully ran for a seat in the upper house
, the Council, in 1896. During the 1897 legislative session, he sponsored legislation requiring children between eight and fourteen years of age attend school for a minimum of twelve weeks per year. Hunt was reelected to the Council in 1898 before voluntarily leaving politics till 1904. Upon reentering politics, he was again elected to the council in 1904, 1906, and 1908. During the 23rd Arizona Territorial Legislature, Hunt was President of the Council but was unable to secure passage of his bill providing primary election
s to nominate political candidates. During the 1907 legislative session he secured passage of a bill outlawing gambling within the territory. During his final legislative session, Hunt once again served as President of the Council and won passage of his bill creating nominating primaries.
Following passage of Arizona's Enabling Act, an election was called to select delegates to a constitutional convention
. Hunt won election as one of five delegates from Gila County. On the first day of the convention, Hunt was in turn selected as president for the convention. The last surviving member of the convention, Jacob Weinberger, later recalled Hunt as a "behind-the-scenes manipulator who presided in the manner of a stoic, benign Buddha– if one can picture Buddha with a splendid handlebar mustache." Among the features of the new constitution that he supported were initiative
, recall
, and referendum
.
Hunt announced his candidacy for Governor of the new state in September 1911. Following victory in the Democratic
primary, he went on to a narrow victory over Republican
challenger Edmund W. Wells
to be elected first Governor of Arizona.
, lobbying
, and usury. Other legislation supported by Hunt included requirements for newspapers to disclose their ownership, creation of workers' compensation
, and creating old age pension
s.
Due to an Arizona Supreme Court ruling that there would be no elections for state officials in 1912, Hunt's first run for reelection did not occur till 1914. After defeating Ralph H. Cameron
, the governor's second term was dominated by events along the United States–Mexico border
. Conflict from the Mexican Revolution
began affecting American interests by April 1914. This was followed by an October 11, 1914 attack on Naco, Arizona
. Hunt considered deploying the Arizona National Guard to protect American lives, but was convinced by Secretary of War
Lindley M. Garrison
to allow U.S. Army troops to handle the conflict. Problems with cross border shootings continued with the American military unable to prevent the violence without crossing into Mexico.
The elections of 1916 resulted in a contested election result. Initial results showed that challenger Thomas E. Campbell
had won by 30 votes, but Hunt challenged the results claiming that several precincts had experienced fraudulent voting. Hunt initially refused to leave office, but a January 27, 1917, ruling by the Arizona Supreme Court naming Campbell the de facto
governor forced him to surrender his office. The former governor maintained his fights in the court, and on December 22, 1917, was declared the winner of the 1916 election by a total of 43 votes. Hunt returned to office for his third term on December 25, 1917.
With the United States’ entry into World War I
, Hunt began knitting scarves for soldiers as a patriotic duty and said he wished he could serve with the U.S. Marines
. The governor's associations with the Industrial Workers of the World
however caused his loyalties to be questioned. After a person from Flagstaff
challenged his loyalties, Hunt filed a lawsuit
claiming libel and was awarded one cent
in damages.
In 1918, Hunt decided not to run for reelection and left office in January 1919. He soon became bored and began looking for new challenges. One such challenge was his attempt to learn how to drive an automobile. After driving into a ditch several times, he described the experience with: "One started out in the morning with exhilaration and by nightfall was towed home in shame."
By early 1920, Hunt was believed to be planning a run for Mark Smith
's U.S. Senate seat. To counter this possible threat, it is rumored that Smith, with the help of Henry F. Ashurst
, asked President Woodrow Wilson
to appoint Hunt to a diplomatic position that would take him away from Arizona. The story continues with Wilson placing his finger on a globe and asking "Would this be far enough?" Hunt was confirmed as the U.S. Minister to Siam
on May 18, 1920.
Hunt was replaced as Minister to Siam by President Warren G. Harding
on October 4, 1921.
While in Siam, Hunt had maintained contact with Arizona by sending postcards. The former governor also brought back a variety of souvenirs to hand out to his supporters. Upon his return, Hunt began speaking to various groups within Arizona about his experiences overseas. After a short time, the topic of these speeches changed to politics, and by mid-1922 Hunt was running for his fourth term as Governor of Arizona.
.
The governor opposed ratification of the compact, which appropriated water rights to the Colorado River
among seven states, claiming that it gave California an unfair share of "Arizona's birthright". The issue was of such importance to Hunt that Arizonans of the day joked that while Jesus had walked on water, their governor ran on the Colorado River.
In addition to his stance on the Colorado River, Hunt's political longevity became a source of pointed comments. During his fifth term, Hunt's political opponents gave the governor the sobriquet "George V". This was updated to "George VI" after he won a sixth term. During a 1928 meeting at the Phoenix airport, Will Rogers
picked up on the theme by asking Hunt to adopt the comedian so that he could succeed to his "hereditary governorship".
Hunt was defeated in his 1928 reelection bid, swept aside by that year's Republican landslide. His 1930 campaign was successful, and Hunt returned for a seventh term. He failed to gain his party's nomination in 1932, losing to Benjamin Baker Moeur
, and made another unsuccessful run in 1934. Hunt died of heart failure at home on December 24. 1934. He was interred in a white pyramid
set atop a hill in Phoenix's Papago Park
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and businessman. He was the first Governor of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, serving a total of seven terms, along with President of the convention that wrote Arizona's constitution
Arizona Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Arizona is the governing document and framework for the U.S. state of Arizona. The current constitution is the first and only adopted by the state of Arizona.-History:...
. In addition, Hunt served in both houses of the Arizona Territorial Legislature
Arizona Territorial Legislature
The Arizona Territorial Legislature was the legislative body of Arizona Territory. It was a bicameral legislature consisting of a lower house, the House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Council. Created by the Arizona Organic Act, the legislature initially consisted of nine members in...
and was posted as U.S. Minister to Siam
United States Ambassador to Thailand
This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Thailand.Thailand has had continuous bilateral relations with the United States since 1882. Relations were interrupted during World War II when Bangkok was occupied by Japanese forces. Normal relations were resumed after the war in 1945.The...
.
Calling himself the "Old Walrus", Hunt was 5 in 9 in (1.75 m) tall, close to 300 pounds (136.1 kg), bald, and had a drooping handlebar moustache
Handlebar moustache
A handlebar moustache is a moustache with particularly lengthy, upward curved, extremities. It is named for its resemblance to the handlebars of a bicycle. It is also known as a "spaghetti moustache", because of its stereotypical association with Italian men...
.
Politically, he was a Progressive Era
Progressive Era
The Progressive Era in the United States was a period of social activism and political reform that flourished from the 1890s to the 1920s. One main goal of the Progressive movement was purification of government, as Progressives tried to eliminate corruption by exposing and undercutting political...
populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
who supported reforms such as women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
, secret ballot
Secret ballot
The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. The system is one means of achieving the goal of...
s, income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
, free silver coinage
Silverite
The Silverites were members of a political movement in the United States in the late-19th century that advocated that silver should continue to be a monetary standard along with gold, as authorized under the Coinage Act of 1792...
, and compulsory education
Compulsory education
Compulsory education refers to a period of education that is required of all persons.-Antiquity to Medieval Era:Although Plato's The Republic is credited with having popularized the concept of compulsory education in Western intellectual thought, every parent in Judea since Moses's Covenant with...
. Hunt was also an opponent of capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
and a supporter of organized labor.
Background
Hunt was born in Huntsville, MissouriHuntsville, Missouri
Huntsville is a city in Randolph County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,553 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County.-Geography:...
, to George Washington and Sarah Elizabeth (Yates) Hunt on November 1, 1859. His family was originally well-to-do, with the town of Huntsville having been named for Hunt's grandfather, but lost its fortune as a result of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. After being educated in a combination of public and private schools, Hunt ran away from his family on March 3, 1878. For three years, his family believed he had been killed by Indians while Hunt traveled through Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and rafted down the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
.
Hunt arrived in Globe, Arizona
Globe, Arizona
Globe has an arid climate, characterized by hot summers and moderate to warm winters. Globe's arid climate is somewhat tempered by its elevation, however, leading to slightly cooler temperatures and slightly more precipitation than Phoenix or Yuma....
, his home for the rest of his life, with two burros and needing a job. His first job was as a waiter in the Pasco Café. This was followed by a series of odd jobs, including a mucker in a mine and work on a cattle ranch, before he became a clerk at a general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
. Early experience in the grocery department lead Hunt to perform most of his household's shopping. The store was purchased by a larger concern, the Old Dominion Commercial Company, and Hunt advanced to become president of the combined business. Following his election as Governor, he sold his company stock and limited his investments to government bonds.
Hunt married Helen Duett Ellison in Holbrook, Arizona
Holbrook, Arizona
-Historical events:*During 1881 & 1882, railroad tracks were laid down and a railroad station was built. The community was then named Holbrook after the first engineer of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad...
, on February 24, 1904. The couple had a single daughter, named Virginia. Hunt's personal interests included cultivation of rare shrubs and trees along with collection of Southwestern Indian art. He was a Freemason and an Oddfellow.
Arizona Territory
Hunt's first foray into politics was an unsuccessful 1890 run for county recorder of Gila County. This was followed by successful runs for the Territorial House of RepresentativesArizona Territorial Legislature
The Arizona Territorial Legislature was the legislative body of Arizona Territory. It was a bicameral legislature consisting of a lower house, the House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Council. Created by the Arizona Organic Act, the legislature initially consisted of nine members in...
in 1892 and 1894. During his first term as a Representative, Hunt sponsored legislation authorizing a US$5,000 reward for capture of the Apache Kid
The Apache Kid (Haskay-bay-nay-natyl)
Has-kay-bay-nay-ntayl , better known as the Apache Kid, was a White Mountain Apache scout, and later a renegade, active in the American states of Arizona and New Mexico, and the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua in the late 19th and possibly the early 20th centuries.He was probably born in the...
.
After two terms in the lower house
Lower house
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
Hunt successfully ran for a seat in the upper house
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
, the Council, in 1896. During the 1897 legislative session, he sponsored legislation requiring children between eight and fourteen years of age attend school for a minimum of twelve weeks per year. Hunt was reelected to the Council in 1898 before voluntarily leaving politics till 1904. Upon reentering politics, he was again elected to the council in 1904, 1906, and 1908. During the 23rd Arizona Territorial Legislature, Hunt was President of the Council but was unable to secure passage of his bill providing primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
s to nominate political candidates. During the 1907 legislative session he secured passage of a bill outlawing gambling within the territory. During his final legislative session, Hunt once again served as President of the Council and won passage of his bill creating nominating primaries.
Following passage of Arizona's Enabling Act, an election was called to select delegates to a constitutional convention
Constitutional convention (political meeting)
A constitutional convention is now a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution...
. Hunt won election as one of five delegates from Gila County. On the first day of the convention, Hunt was in turn selected as president for the convention. The last surviving member of the convention, Jacob Weinberger, later recalled Hunt as a "behind-the-scenes manipulator who presided in the manner of a stoic, benign Buddha– if one can picture Buddha with a splendid handlebar mustache." Among the features of the new constitution that he supported were initiative
Initiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
, recall
Recall election
A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended...
, and referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
.
Hunt announced his candidacy for Governor of the new state in September 1911. Following victory in the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
primary, he went on to a narrow victory over Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
challenger Edmund W. Wells
Edmund W. Wells
Edmund William Wells was an American jurist, businessman, and politician. Known as "Arizona's first millionaire", he was considered the richest man in Arizona during his attempt to be elected Governor. He served as Attorney General for Arizona Territory before being appointed as a judge...
to be elected first Governor of Arizona.
First terms
Hunt was sworn in as Arizona's first state Governor on February 14, 1912. When the new legislature met in March of the same year, he lobbied for passage of legislation restricting child laborChild labor
Child labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
, lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
, and usury. Other legislation supported by Hunt included requirements for newspapers to disclose their ownership, creation of workers' compensation
Workers' compensation
Workers' compensation is a form of insurance providing wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee's right to sue his or her employer for the tort of negligence...
, and creating old age pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
s.
Ralph H. Cameron
Ralph Henry Cameron was an American Republican politician, and a delegate and Senator from the state of Arizona. He died while on a business trip to Washington, D.C...
, the governor's second term was dominated by events along the United States–Mexico border
United States–Mexico border
The United States–Mexico border is the international border between the United States and Mexico. It runs from Imperial Beach, California, and Tijuana, Baja California, in the west to Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and Brownsville, Texas, in the east, and traverses a variety of terrains, ranging from major...
. Conflict from the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
began affecting American interests by April 1914. This was followed by an October 11, 1914 attack on Naco, Arizona
Naco, Arizona
Naco is a census-designated place in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. Its population was 833 at the 2000 census. It is across the United States–Mexico border from Naco, Sonora. The Naco port of entry is open 24 hours per day....
. Hunt considered deploying the Arizona National Guard to protect American lives, but was convinced by Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
Lindley M. Garrison
Lindley M. Garrison
Lindley Miller Garrison was a New Jersey lawyer who served as Secretary of War under U.S. President Woodrow Wilson between 1913 and 1916.-Biography:...
to allow U.S. Army troops to handle the conflict. Problems with cross border shootings continued with the American military unable to prevent the violence without crossing into Mexico.
The elections of 1916 resulted in a contested election result. Initial results showed that challenger Thomas E. Campbell
Thomas Edward Campbell
Thomas Edward Campbell was the second governor of the state of Arizona, United States. He is the first Republican and first native-born governor elected after Arizona achieved statehood in 1912....
had won by 30 votes, but Hunt challenged the results claiming that several precincts had experienced fraudulent voting. Hunt initially refused to leave office, but a January 27, 1917, ruling by the Arizona Supreme Court naming Campbell the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
governor forced him to surrender his office. The former governor maintained his fights in the court, and on December 22, 1917, was declared the winner of the 1916 election by a total of 43 votes. Hunt returned to office for his third term on December 25, 1917.
With the United States’ entry into World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Hunt began knitting scarves for soldiers as a patriotic duty and said he wished he could serve with the U.S. Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. The governor's associations with the Industrial Workers of the World
Industrial Workers of the World
The Industrial Workers of the World is an international union. At its peak in 1923, the organization claimed some 100,000 members in good standing, and could marshal the support of perhaps 300,000 workers. Its membership declined dramatically after a 1924 split brought on by internal conflict...
however caused his loyalties to be questioned. After a person from Flagstaff
Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In 2010, the city's population was 65,870. The population of the Metropolitan Statistical Area was at 134,421 in 2010. It is the county seat of Coconino County...
challenged his loyalties, Hunt filed a lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
claiming libel and was awarded one cent
Cent (currency)
In many national currencies, the cent is a monetary unit that equals 1⁄100 of the basic monetary unit. Etymologically, the word cent derives from the Latin word "centum" meaning hundred. Cent also refers to a coin which is worth one cent....
in damages.
Minister to Siam
By early 1920, Hunt was believed to be planning a run for Mark Smith
Marcus A. Smith
Marcus Aurelius "Mark" Smith was an American Democratic politician, and one of the first two Senators from Arizona, the other being Henry F. Ashurst. He died in Washington, D.C...
's U.S. Senate seat. To counter this possible threat, it is rumored that Smith, with the help of Henry F. Ashurst
Henry F. Ashurst
Henry Fountain Ashurst was an American Democratic politician and one of the first two Senators from Arizona. Largely self-educated, he served as a district attorney and member of the Arizona Territorial legislature before fulfilling his childhood ambition of joining the United States Senate...
, asked President Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
to appoint Hunt to a diplomatic position that would take him away from Arizona. The story continues with Wilson placing his finger on a globe and asking "Would this be far enough?" Hunt was confirmed as the U.S. Minister to Siam
United States Ambassador to Thailand
This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Thailand.Thailand has had continuous bilateral relations with the United States since 1882. Relations were interrupted during World War II when Bangkok was occupied by Japanese forces. Normal relations were resumed after the war in 1945.The...
on May 18, 1920.
Hunt was replaced as Minister to Siam by President Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
on October 4, 1921.
While in Siam, Hunt had maintained contact with Arizona by sending postcards. The former governor also brought back a variety of souvenirs to hand out to his supporters. Upon his return, Hunt began speaking to various groups within Arizona about his experiences overseas. After a short time, the topic of these speeches changed to politics, and by mid-1922 Hunt was running for his fourth term as Governor of Arizona.
1920s
Beginning in 1923, Hunt served as Governor of Arizona for six consecutive years, winning closely contested reelection contests in both 1924 and 1926. Arizona's primary political issue during this time period was ratification of the Colorado River CompactColorado River Compact
The Colorado River Compact is a 1922 agreement among seven U.S. states in the basin of the Colorado River in the American Southwest governing the allocation of the water rights to the river's water among the parties of the interstate compact...
.
The governor opposed ratification of the compact, which appropriated water rights to the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
among seven states, claiming that it gave California an unfair share of "Arizona's birthright". The issue was of such importance to Hunt that Arizonans of the day joked that while Jesus had walked on water, their governor ran on the Colorado River.
In addition to his stance on the Colorado River, Hunt's political longevity became a source of pointed comments. During his fifth term, Hunt's political opponents gave the governor the sobriquet "George V". This was updated to "George VI" after he won a sixth term. During a 1928 meeting at the Phoenix airport, Will Rogers
Will Rogers
William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
picked up on the theme by asking Hunt to adopt the comedian so that he could succeed to his "hereditary governorship".
Later years
Benjamin Baker Moeur
Benjamin Baker Moeur was the fourth Governor of Arizona, one of the United States of America.Born in Decherd, Tennessee, Moeur was a doctor before running for public office...
, and made another unsuccessful run in 1934. Hunt died of heart failure at home on December 24. 1934. He was interred in a white pyramid
Hunt's Tomb
Hunt's Tomb is the tomb of the late George W. P. Hunt, who was Arizona's first governor, and served a record seven terms. It is a small white pyramid behind a fence at the top of a hill within Papago Park, a municipal park in Phoenix, Arizona....
set atop a hill in Phoenix's Papago Park
Papago Park
Papago Park is a municipal park of the cities of Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona, USA. It has been designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride.-Description:...
.
External links
- Arizona's first governor, George W.P. Hunt, was the consummate politician from Sharlot Hall Museum
- Arizona Governor George Wylie Hunt by National Governors AssociationNational Governors AssociationThe National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...