The St. Johns herald., 1889-10-03
St. Johne, Thureday, oct00 r 3.
Board of Equalization Complication

Arizona is excessively unfortu- nate as the result of too much gov ernment. She has duplex system Of Territorial officers, and the re- suit is extraordinary complications. This is felt now because of the near ness of time for payment of taxes. The subject in its application to Apache county is so serious that cattle owners are gravely consider ing the necessity forced upon them cf withholding their taxes entirely until the courts can settle their rights. In Yavapai, Mohave and this county cattle are assessed in round figures at say $12.50. Their owners cannot sell them for any more than that, if as much. In Pima, Cochise and Yuma cattle are assessed at $8.72. In other words, an Apache county COW must pay to the Territory nearly fifty per cent more taxes thar a COchise COW The propriety or justice of this our people fail to understand. They would not so much object to pay ing this excess for their immediate government and protection, but the Territorial result and benefits are too remote. Yet, swine, sheep and assess are all assessed alike through out the entire Territory.
 Again, as we understand the pur- pose of this Board of Equalization. it is to prevent just this very con- dition of affairs-to prevent one of the two conflicting interests in the Territory from taxing the other out of existence in other words, to equalize the taxes generally.
 The language of the law indica- ting and defining the Boards pur- poses and powers is, they may in- crease or diminish the valuation of property in any county, as mnch as in their judgment may be neces- sarY to produce just relation be- tween all ot the valuations of pro- perty in the Territory, In other words, if Apache county sheep men controlled the local government and said sheep are worth 50 cents, cat tie $50, and Yavapai cattle men similarly situated, said sheep are worth $5 and cattle $2.50, the Board would increase and diminish as much as in their judgment would establish "just relation between all the valuations of property in the Territory" But when they said an Apache county COW was worth $l2.55 and a Cochise COW was worth $S.72 did that establish just relation between the valuation" of those cattle? Certainly not. On the con trary the relation is unjust and op- pressive as to the Apache county cattle owner.
 Moreover, in its application here, the action of the Board is of very doubtful legality for another req son growing out of this hydra headed government.
 AS required by law, the Clerk of our Board, after the adjournment of the local Board of Equalization in July, forwarded to the "Territo- rial Auditor" at Phoenix, and sub- sequently, upon demand, to His Excellency, Lewis WolAey, Cover nor of Arizona" an abstract of th, assessment roll of this county. Yet the Wolfley Board of Equalization insist that it never received from this county the abstract of the as sessment made by our local assess ment board. If that be true, then tie Board of Equalization whose assessment and levy We are about 10 act under, assessed the property | aud levied the taxes originally as applicable to this county, and vel