Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-09-24

legislate ss would put mp the bsrs against the influx of capital and retsrd the growth and development of the Ter. ritory for years. We do not say the course of the parties IS fortunate for the Territory because matters are entirely as VIC might wish them but because tho, are better than they might be and were before the advent Of the rAilroEd, future. We believe that the true inter. ests of Arizona do not le in the direc- tion of hostility to capital, but rather in that of intelligent encouragement of its further investment here whether in min ing, manufacturing, trade or trsnsports- tion. Arizona presents n wide field for outside capital, and without it 1t will be years before her resources will deVslope themselves, and the future would be dark indeed but for the interest capital ists are taking. When We realize that the great bullion producers of the Ter rltory have required the outlay of from s250,OOo to S5O0,0Oo before they have produced a pound of bullion we can form some idea of the large amount of capital that will be required to make this region what we hope it may become. and upon our treatment of this inter est largely depends the future of the Territory.
 It Is also somewhat a popular thing to inveigh against the railroad company and threaten it with unfrisndly lsgis- lativs interference. 4 bart of this 10 due to 8 spirit of blackmail which un. fortunately is too prevalent, and partly to an honest feeling that the railroad company is not dealing fairly by the people of the Territory. The first class all good citizens have every reason to desire to see defeated ID their dIshonor- able schemes, and We arc satisfied that the latter class have no disposition to aid them.
 It is useless to consider the question of the treatment of railroads or any other question of public policy ip the abstract. To arrive at any just and proper conclusion lit is necessary to treat it in the concrete. Here we should consider it in accordance with .the COD dition of affairs in Arizona, not as they may be in New York or some Eastern States Rsilroading there and railroad. ing here are two different propositions and it would be manitsstly unfair to require capital invested here to be re- stricted in it's tariff to the rates prer- vsiling there. There the population is dense, small counties and cities con- tsining double and trehle the populs- tion of our whole Territory. It is also 2 producing country and lthe trsnspOf. tation of its products furnishes immense business and gives larger aggregate returns. which are not enjoyed by a road trsversing the plains of Arizona sparsely settled and ss yet producing not enough of anything. sIcaps the precious metals, to supply the home de- msnd.
 And even there a majority of the railroads of the country are not legiti- mate paying propositions Many of them are only kept running by their share of pooled businsss and would bs killed in competition by more direct and better managed and stronger roads but for this pooling. Very few railroad stocks are at or above par, which goes to prove that as legitimate investments they are not desirable, but are fairly or at least largely speculative ID their value. Certainly capital to come az far from the csnters of business as Arizona should have the assurance Of 6 safe legitimate paying business. We are sure few of the readers of the CITIZEN would consent to invest here or else where upon any other condition. We are satisfied that as businness pro position for ArizonI alone, the South ern Pacific would be poor investment. How much for instance will the long stretch between MRricops and Colton contribute to the support, let alone profit, of the road?
 Then the condition of affairs is much improved by the construction of the Southern Pacific. It has placed us within forty hours ride to San Fran cisco, instead of eight days, and within six days ride of New York instead of three weeks or month, to say nothing of relieving us of large portion of loss of time discomfort and danger of the old methods of travel.
 It is not sn easy matter ts get capital to invest in railroad projects ss the years that have been spent on some schemes serve to show, and thoss DOT tons of the Territory directly served by the Southern Paoifo are very fortunate. Leaving out the question ss to whether the present rates are exorbitGnt or not, We will venture that if Florence. Globe, Pheni1 or Prescott could have railroad, us they all soon will vs hope. they would only be too glad to pay the rates now being charged.
 As we are dssirous of having this Ter ritory opened up by railroads is it sd- visable for us to commence e course of uRtriendly legislstion towards the first railroad that gave uS connection with the outside world, which has brought an increase of population and capital. at least until the local business of the Ter ritory warrants a reduction from the rates established when we were suffering from the want of rsilrosdsi
 These gre matters which time and competition can deal more justly with than legislatures.
 What Arizona needs to-day is more railroads rather than cheaper passenger and freight rates. And with the advent of the former, the latter will come. As mere matter of public policy vs think that unfriendly lsgislstion in relation to railroads would be unvise, hostile to to the vast interests of the Territory considered As . whole and, under the existing circumstances, unjust to the oorporstions-