The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-21
USES THE VETO.
Harrison Disapproves Of an Arizona Bond
Ing scheme.

his approval the bill to authorize the board
of supervisors of Maricopa county, Arizona,
to issue county bonds at the rate of a ,OOC
per mile in aid of the construction of Ger
tain railroad. He says the bill seems to
have passed the house under misappre-
hension of its true scope and effect. In the
report of the committee on territories it is
said by the terms of the bill that the county
received bonds in payment of the money
proposed to be advanced. ''In fact, the bill
did not provide for loan to be secured by
bonds, but for subscription of stock. How
far this mistake may have af-
fected the passage of the bill,
of course, cannot be known. The bill
does not submit the question of granting
aid to a vote of the people of the county or
confer direct authority upon the supervi-
sors to issue bonds. 1t is said. however,
that in April. 1889, an election was held to
obtain the views of the people upon the
question. It does not appear from any
paper submitted to me who were the man
ayers of this so-called election, what notice,
if any, was given, what qualifications on
the part of voters were required, if any, or
IN what form the question was presented
There was no law providing for SUCH elec-
tion. Being wholly voluntary election
it was of course under the management of
those who favored the subsidy and was con-
Quoted without any legal restraints as to
voting or certiication. I have asked for q
statement of the vote by precincts and
been given what purports to be the vote
at twelve points. The total affirmative vote
given was l, ,795, and the negative 1874. But
Of the affirmative vote 1,534 were at Phoen-
X and 18S at town very near Phoenix. If
should deem this alone sufficient. that no
proposition is made for submitting to a
vote of the people at an election, after due
notice and under the sanction of law, the
question whether this subscription shall be
made. The condition of things in the
county Of Yavapsi, lying Immediately north
of Marioopa. and through which this road
is also to run, while not directly affected
by this legislation, it is very closely con-
nected.
It is instructive in this connection to
note that by act of the legislature of Ari-
zona, passed the year before the last act of
county was authorized to subscribe $4,000
per mile to this line of road. The total
length of the road into the county
was 147 miles and seventy four to Prescott
have been constructed. The territorial and
county debt of Yavapaiis given at $763.O 900,
and the assessment between sir and seven
millions; there are seventy three miles of
road yet to be built from the present termi-
nus, Prescott, to the south line of the
county, for which Yavapai county must
make a further issue of bonds Of $292OOO.
making county debt of 1856, 900, or about
ID per cent. upon the taxable assessment
(taking that at sc, 500. .OOO) and a per capita
county debt of nearly 1856. taking the popu-
lation at about 10000, as stated in the re-
port of the senate committee. Surely no
one will insist that the true and permanent
prosperity of these communities would be
promoted by loading their energies and
their industries with this great debt, I
feel the force of the suggestion that the
freight charges now imposed upon farm and
orchard products of Maricopa county by
the railroad now in operation 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 this one
proposed road the people would be subject
to the exactions of just such rates as are de-
manded by other lines. If this contained
some effective provision to secure reasonable
freight rates to those people who are to be
taxed to build the road, it would 90 far to
secure my favorable consideration. 1 have
carefully examined the reports of the com
mittee and every argument that has been
submitted to me by friends of the bill, but
cannot bring myself to believe the perma-
nent welfare of the communities affected by
it would be enhanced.