Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1891-10-14


 ratification, December lst, will cost as much more. Should the consti- tuition be ratified, we are no nearer statehood than when the democratic legislature of last winter voted to incur the above expenses, in order to give aspiring statesmen of the territory an opportunity to air their eloquence at the public expense.
 A century ago, we, as nation, were on the verge of bankruptcy with but little credit at home and none whatever abroad. To-day we are the richest nation on the face of the earth, our wealth being reckon ed at no less than S63,0oo0Gy0O0, . sum exceeding the total wealth of the whole world at any time pre- yious to the middle of the eigh- teenth century. An estate which would if divided equally, give to every man, woman and child in the United States S1,0o0 each, or esti- mating the average family at five members, each household woald possess property to the value of 5000. And yet the development of our country may be said to be in it's infancy.
 4 statement in Phenix paper re- gently in regard to the taxable prop erty of that city throws some light on Governor Murphy's estimate of the taxable property of the terri tory. Taking Phenix as basis for his estimate, his figures would be very nearly correct, probably, but in northernArizona particularly, the as- sessed value of property more nearly represents the actual value than ap- pears to be the case in Phenix. The paper referred to says the taxable property of Phenix amounts to Sl,- 6OO,OO0, in round numbers, whereas the tax roll of Prescott aggregates about Sl,000,O00. With its boast of from 5000 to 10000 population, and all of its boasted wealth, as against a population in Prescott of not to exceed 2,500, Qast years census gave it about 2,00o) there is a great con trast in the tax rolls of the two places. As the loudest clamor for statehood comes from Phenix, we would suggest that her assessment roll be revised, and that prior to ad- mission such value be placed on- property there as would enable the capital city to pay its just share of the expenses of the territorial gov ernment. Our Salt river valley sis ter seems to be perfectly willing to reap all the benefits possible from all the public institutions she can get, and then, like the horse-leach's daughter, cry for more, but when it comes to paying her share of the ex- pense she is more than willing to permit the balance of the territory to do this.
 A riot took place recently among Chinese soldiers, at Ichang, in which the property of all foreigners was destroyed. Speaking of it, the North China Daily News says: "There are points about the Ichang riot of serious importance. It was in no sense the work of mob. There was indeed pretext in the shape of a child said to have been kidnapped on the day of the riot, but this was evidently a subterfuge in order to give a shadow of excuse for the out break. The evidence that it was directed and carried out by soldiers are only too numerous. The Chi nese brigadier-general at Ichang is a great friend of foreigners, but he was helpless in the presence of or ders that had evidently come to his Hunanese soldiers to destroy all for eign property they could on that day. Where no gun-boat can go the position of foreigners, unless in numbers, is very insecure. When the soldiers get orders from their secret leaders, as at Ichang, they care nothing for their officers. The central government is powerless, for it has Hunanese officials everywhere, and the troops everywhere are Hu- nanese men except Li Hung Chang's disciplined force. To order him to suppress Hnuanese with these men is to start civil war. The situation is very critical, and the only solution is for foreign force to overawe the Huanese with the tacit connivance of the Chinese government. There will be no security for foreign life or property in China unless the re- bellious Hunanese are suppressed by force"
 "J. c. Martin of the Prescott JoUsNAL-MNER and register of the land office of the northern district. Herbert Brown of the Tucson Citi- zen and register of the land office of the southern district, and R. c. Brown of the Florence Enterprise and of the worlds fair commission, all federal office holders, are all opp posing the admittance of Arizona under the pretense that the consti- tuition is faulty. Mighty easy to find fault at all movements threat ening their public pap, which is more to them than the development and advancement of Arizona. What do they care for home rule, when L |.