Arizona republican., 1890-10-17
STARTLING FIGURES.

There were promises made by the ring some time ago that statistics would be published shortly thereafter showing that it is economy to retain in office the present Board of Supervisors. The statistics have not appeared. No statistics, taken from the county records and accurately printed, could have been exhibited that would not have plainly shown gross extravaganza in the disposition of county funds and culpable mismanagement of county affairs.
 It is a known fact that the County of Maricopa for the past two years has not been subjected by law to any unusual demand upon the treasury, there is not an official more in the pay of the county than there was then, the bond interest is the same, the road districts not neces- sary more expensive, the school system but slightly enlarged. There has been no increase in crime, whereby expense might be incurred upon the county, in- deed the county grows the more peace iul as the years advance.
 On the other hand, the taxable prop erty has increased during the period specified to the amount of over one million dollars. The tax rate levied by the present Board of Supervisors is 5 cents on the $l00 higher than was the rate two years ago and the resources of the county have increased by over $25,0 q year.
 Yet the present Board of Supervisors, which entered into office with but S4700 of outstanding certificates on hand, aided by S25, 900 a year in excess of the amount at the disposal of the preceding Board, has now, at the end of the third quarter of the second year of it's incumbency, fast ened upon the county an additional debt of over $40,000 There is now outstand- ing, unpaid, in certificates of county in- debtedness, held at deeply depre- ciated figure below par, over $45,OOO. And this is debt that will not be dis charged during the present year, for taxes will not yield any appreciable revenue until after the opening of the new year.
 To show the boldness with which the raid upon the public treasury is being carried on, it might be mentioned that the preceding Board of Supervisors dur ing the years 1887 and 1888, expended for the operation of county affairs the sum of SSS, ,574, while the present Board has, up to date, for the one year and nine months of it's incumbenCy, spent the enormous sum of $l23, ,946. And this, too, mind, with a large number of cur rent accounts yet to be audited, some of the bills being in no mean figures. It is safe to say that these two years of "gov- ernment" will, by January, have cost the taxpayers about $50, ,0OO or an ex- pense two-thrds larger than has ever before been incurred in the same space of time.
 These figures are startling, and will be considered by anyone as indicating something radically wrong. With no more legal expenses, with a large amount to spend in excess of that at the command of any former Board, the present administration has run the county into debt to a vast amount.
 To find where this excess has gone is to necessitate a search of the county records, and to separately note the many and ingenious methods of bleed ing the county that have been allowed, even in the most trivial amounts. To specify the individual extravagances would be a task indeed, for they are to l be numbered by scores. Many of these | have already been !. in these columns, and more | will be exposed before the month is over.
 Yet those to whom these iniquities | are directly due, those who have in- creased the county's expenditures and . lowered the county's credit, have the | aifrontery to ask an endorsement from the people at the polls, c. R. flakes, the ringleader of the treasury raiders, is again candidate for election, and |. seeks the office "upon his record" Upon his record be the issue and the re- suit will be left, without fear of error, to the intelligence of the people of this tax ridden county.