Los Angeles herald., 1890-06-21
ANOTHER VETO.
The President Sits Down on the Maricop;
County Railway Subsidy.

The President Sits Down on the Maricopa
County Railway Subsidy.
WASHINGTON, June 20.-President Har-
rison today returned to the house, with
out approval, the bill to authorize the
board of supervisors of Maricopa county,
Arizona, to issue county bonds at the
rate Of $4,000 per mile in aid of the con-
struction of certain railroad. He says
The bill seems to have passed the house
under misapprehension of it's true
scope and effect. In the report OF the
committee on territories it is said that
by the terms of the bill the county re-
ceives bonds in payment of the money
proposed to be advanced. In fact the
bill did not provide for loan to be Sc
cured by bonds, but for a subscription
of stock. How far this mistake
may have effected the passage of the
bill, of course cannot be known. The
bill does not submit the question of
granting aid to vote of the people of
the county or confer direct authority
upon the supervisors to issue bonds. 1t
is said, however, in April, 1889 an cleo
ton was held to obtain the views of the
people upon this question. 1t does not
appear from any paper submitted to me
who were the managers of this so-called
election; what notice, if any, was given :;
what qualifications on the part of the
voters were insisted upon, if any, or in
what form the question was presented.
There was no law providing for such
election. 1t being wholly voluntary, the
election was of course under the manage
ment of thosewho favored the subsidy and
was conducted without any legal re-
straints as to voting or certification. |
have asked for statement of the vote
by precincts, and been given what pur-
ports to be vote at twelve precincts.
The total affirmative vote given was
1,795 and negative, 134, but of the
affirmative vote, l ,543 were at Phoenix
and 1SS at town very near Phoenix. If
there were no other objections to the
bill | should deem this alone sufficient,
that no provision is made for submitting
to 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 the provisions of the act of
July 80, 1886, forbidding municipal cor
porations to subscribe to stock or loan
credit to other corporations; also forbid
ding a corporation to create a debt in
excess OF four per cent. of the taxable
property at the last assessment. This
law was intended to give the people of
the territories that protection against
excessive municipal debts which was
secured to the people of most of the
states by constitutional limitation. The
wisdom of this legislation is not con-
tested by the friends of the bill, but
they claim that the circumstances are
so peculiar as to justify this exception.
Maricopa county is one of great ex
tent, and this great area is to be taxed
to construct a road which can in the
nature OF things be OF advantage to but
a fraction OF it. There is no unity of
interest or equality of advantage. 1t
may very well be said that that section
OF these lands along the line of the road,
especially town lots in Phoenix, would
have an added value, much greater than
the increased burden imposed upon
them, but it is equally clear that the
property in the county will receive no
appreciable benefits The existing
bonded Indebtedness of Maricopa county
is $272,000; the tax assessment about
IS 700, 900, and the population is esti-
mated at about $4,000. 1t will be seen
that a 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
case it by subscription that will GER
@uiy involve 100000, and probably
$3.50 t9e. I the bill becomes law the
'one~t indebted 'ass will very closely
asproN .ma. 10 p.r ean' of the assessed
NIIT9trsn %. ..fn trrI...IQ . the cOuntV
The c9uJ iou 5s lhings lu she county
II facapai iylg muela Is rorth Of
a.5o tc 'r va'e not directly aztec
hF tns very IA .ruc