Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-21

HARRISON SAYS NO.
An Arizona County Must Not go Int,
Debt to Build Railroad.
| WASHINGTON, June Goth. = Presiden
| Harrison to-day returned to the Hous,
] without his approval the bill 10 authoriz,
the Board OF Supervisors of Maricops
county, Arizona, to issue county bonds a
the rate of 1000 per mile in aid of the
construction of certain railroad.
| He says: The bill seems to have passed
the House under misapprehension of lis
true scope and effect. IN the report of the
| Committee on Territories it is said: 'By
the terms of this bill the county receives
bonds in payment of money proposed to
be advanced In fact the bill did not pro.
| vide for the loan to be secured by bonds
| but for the subscription of stock How
far this mistake may have affected the
passage OF the bill, of course, cannot be
| known. The bill does not submit the
| question granting aid to the vote of the
people OF the county, or confer di-
| rect authority upon the Supervisors to
! issue bonds. 1t is said, however, that
in April, 1889, an election was held to OBJ
tain the views of the people upon the ques-
ton. 1t does not appear from any paper
oaOihittSo " lAC Wdp WcIS tuS uldIl6SeTS
| of this so.called election; what notice, il
| any, was given; what qualifications on the
part of voters were insisted upon, if any;
or in what form the question was pre-
sented. There was no law providing such
election, it being voluntary election, OF
course, Under the management of those
who favored the subsidy, and was con-
Quoted without legal restraints as to voting
or certitication. | have asked for state
ment Of the vote by precincts, and have
been given what purports to be the vote at
twelve points. The total affirmative vote
given was 1,795, and the negative. 134.
But of the affirmative vote, -543 were
at Phoenix and 1SS at town very near
Phoenix.
"If there were no other objections to the
bill / should deem this sufficient, that no
provision is made for submitting to the
vote of the people, at an election after due
notice, and under the sanction of the law
the question whether this subscription
shall be made.
But, again. the bill proposes to suspend
for this case provisions of the Act of July
30, 1866, forbidding municipal corpora
tions subscribing to stock, or loaning
credit to other corporations; also forbid
ding the corporation creating debt in ex-
cess OF 4 per cent. of its taxable property at
the last assessment. This law was in.
tended to give the people of the Territories
that protection against oppressive muni-
cipal debt, which was secured to the people
of most States by constitutional limitation.
1.-The wisdom Of this legislation is NOT
contested by the friends of the bill, but
they claim that the circumstances are so
peculiar as to justify an exception.
Il do not think so. Only belief that
the limit is infexible will promote care
, and economy in the administration. Mari.
copa county is one Of great extent, and this
| great area is to be taxed to construct a
road which can, in the nature of things,
be of advantage but to a fraction of it,
There is no unity of interest or equality of
advantage. 1t may very we'll be that a
section of these lands along the line of the
road. especially town lots in Phoenix,
| would have added value much greater
than the increased burden imposed, but it
| is equally clear that much property in the
county will receive no appreciable benefits.
"The existing bonded Indebtedness of
Maricopa county is $272,000, and the popu-
lation is estimated at about 2,0O0 1t will
be seen that the bonded debt, to say
nothing of the floating debt, which is said
to be small, is already largely in excess of
| the legal limit, and it is proposed to in
crease it by subscription that will GER
tainly involve 5000, GOO and probably $780,
| 0OO
IF the bill becomes law the bonded
Indebtedness will very closely approximate
ten per cent. of the assessed valuation of
the property of the county.
''The condition of things in the county
| of Yavapai, lying Immediately north OF
Maricopa, and through which this road is
also to run, while not directly affected by
| 1otin 10 f,,cf 81; =
connection; by an Act of the Legislature
of Arizona, passed year before last, and by
an Act of Congress to which l have re-
| ferred, Yavapai county was authorized to
| subscribe 81 600 per mile to this line of
road. The total length of the road in this
county was 147 miles, and "A miles to Pres
| colt had been constructed The Secretary
of the Territory states the debt of Yava-
pal county at S7,630,000. and the assess
ment between six and seven million
| dollars. There are seventy-three miles oi
road yet to be built from the present term
| mus. Prescott, to the south line of the
county for which Yavapai county must
make further issue of honds for S292, ,000
making the county debt of $500 900, OF
about 13 per cent. upon the taxable assess
ment, taking that at S6,500,000, and per
capita comfy debt OF nearly SS5 taking
the population at about 10000, as stated in
the report of the Senate committee. Surely
no one will insist that the true and per
manent prosperity of these communities
will be promoted by loading their energies
and their industries with this great debt.
II feel the force of the suggestion that
the freight charges now imposed upon farm
and orchard products of Maricopa county
are oppressive, but this bill does not afford
much relief, even in that direction. There
would be but one competing point, viz
Phoenix. At all other points on the pro
posed road the people would be subject tc
the exacting of just such rates as are de
manded by other lines. If this bill con
tanned some effective provision to secur,
reasonable freight rates to those who are tt
be taxed to build the road, it would gC
far to secure my favorable consideration.
'.I have carefully examined the report
of the committees and every argument tha
has been submitted to me by the friends o
the bill. but l cannot bring myself TO be
lieve that the permanent welfare of tn
communities affected by it will be pro
NOTED by its passage
CONSULAR AND DIPLOMATIC.
| S,uro,,r;,f;ons for C,,t 81, n d, =,