Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-05-24
FROM TUCSON.
THE STRONG UNDERCURRENT IN
 POLITICAL AFFAIRS.
How the Thinking Taxpayers Look at Partisan Strife---Views of a Solid RepubIican--StatehO and San
 Carlos Discussed.

low the Thinking Taxpayers Look at
 Partisan Strife---Views of a Solid
 Republican Statehood and San
 Carlos Discussed.
 TUCsoN, A. T., May 18th, 1890.
 EDITOR ENTERPRISE From several held with influential tax payers lately I have gathered that the deas advanced in;rHE ENTERPRISE rel itive to the coming election have ound favor in widespread circles Mir. Samuel Hughes, ever a staunch has already given to the public his views upon the subject through the columns of your esteemed paper. Many more have come to the same conclusion and freely acknowl- edge that heretofore a great deal too much party spirit has been displayed | in the elections of the legislature, the | county officers and even officials of in- corporated cities, down to the pound | master, vulgo dog-catcher. A very | prominent republican and heavy tax payer of this county and city, while the present political situa- tion, heavy taxation and probable | coming distress of the territory, if the course heretofore pursued should be persisted in, expressed himself about as follows: "Surely the past exper- fence should show us that we have been going on the wrong road and it is high time for the two political par ties of this territory to join issues at { l,o ell, fully select, irrespective of parties, such members for the Council and House as will go to the capital with the firm desire to make good, wholesome laws with q view to strict economy; laws devoid of unnecessary and confusing verbiage which but too often creates many embarrassing ambiguities and thus leads to tiresome and expensive litigations. Our legislators should, of course, be taxpayers; men of unques- tionable honesty, inaccessible to brib- cry by the most powerful. influential and wealthy corporations. Book learn ing by no means necessary requisite, but it is desirable that all branches of our industries should be represented the farmer, the cattle-man, the mer- chant, tine miner. the mechanic, the representative of the press, etc"
 "Where do you leave the lawyers? I ventured to remark here to my inter locutor
 Well" answered he, "one or two might possibly do no harm. It was formerly held that unless legislature contained liberal quota of these gentlemen of a liberal profession, no act, bill or resolution could be proper ly framed or worded, but believe that we have enough among the above named avocations with sufficient schooling to express in good plain english what their practical common sense tells them should be made law"
 As found nothing suitable to an swer to this he continued: "Now as to county officers. I consider the party affiliation in this case a down right humbug and a petty tyranny. Here is case in point: I am re- publican on broad, general principles, and as such place my name on the list at republican headquarters. The different conventions have met and set up their candidates Now it so happens that the democratic candidate for recorder of this county is, let us say, Mir Shibell, with whom I have been intimately acquainted for period Of over twenty-five years. know him to be a gentleman of the purest water a faithful accommodating and courteous officer; he is, moreover, my personal friend I have pioneered it with him in the old dangerous days of this terri tory; I have fought the Apaches with him and we have divided the last drop of water together on the burning desert. Well, I shall vote for him and try to induce my friends and acquaintances to do the same; I declare this openly. What is the result? The republican committee, convention, and the stead fast of the party will call me bolter and mugwump, because have made use of the privilege accorded to every American citizen, for the benefit of a man who, according to my firm belief, will make No. 1 officer, but who happens to be in the ranks of the democratic party. The ques- ton only is: Will the democratic party meet us halfway? Will they throw aside that party prejudice which has heretofore influenced the elections to the great detriment of Arizona's welfare? So far they have kept very silent about it."
 ] The question relative to the advis- ability of entering statehood forms quite frequently the topic of our citi- zens, conversation and it would seem to me that the pros and cons are about equally divided hereabouts; many heavy taxpayers, however, incline to the opinion that the burden of tax ation would as yet be too overwhelm- ing, should Arizona's star be added to the national flag. A very laconic req son was given the other day, why we should use every effort to become a State. It was at Sam Drachman's s corner, a place where about every thing of public interest is discussed at all hours by the multitude of our in habitants who indulge in the fragrant weed dispensed there. A small crowd of our "solid men" had gathered in the evening twilight and were discussing the matter in a serious, yet friendly manner Nobody had observed a horny-handed toiler of the mines who was sitting against the west wall of the building against which were also lean ing a pick and shovel; be was quietly smoking his evening pipe and listen ing unintrusively to the conversation of the bystanders. During pause he suddenly jumped up and thus address ed the astonished audience: "State- hood of course we want Statehood lei
 us be state as soon as we may and
 then have the federal government in
 dicted for maintaining public
 nuisance at San Carlosp and took his
 pick and shovel and disappeared down
 street. At first we were completely
 dumbfounded and speeches.; ther
 followed an uproarious laughter But
 apart from the nonsensical legal aspect
 of the matter, was the man wrong?
 Is it not downright injustice to sci
 apart about six thousand square
 miles for the benefit of horde of un
 tambable wild beasts, whose fangs
 and claws are ever ready to bounce