Arizona republican., 1891-02-10
A PROGRESSIVE MOVE.

A PROGRESSIVE MOVE.
 The city of Tucson is considerably agitated at present over the question ol Pima County and city Improvements, whereby largely increased value will attach to city and county property. For a long period Col. c. P. Sykes has been engaged in the undertaking of inducing capitalists from abroad to come to Pima County to build the railroad from Gala basas to the northern boundary of the county, and to make other investments that would conduce to the material prosperity of Pima County, and in- augurate a north and south railroad system. Colonel Sykes lately arrived at Tucson, accompanied by an officer Of the English army, Captain Fitzgerald. These gentlemen offer to build the rail road provided the bonds that were voted long ago to the enterprise shall be de- livered to the constructing company, upon the successful completion and equi pment of the railroad. The same gentlemen offer to construct an elegant $lO0,0JO hotel on Military plaza, pro vided the city of Tucson will deed to them the property known as Military plaza when the hotel is completed and furnished. This land is desired for the purpose of erecting anneXes to the hotel, and for the purpose of creating a park wherein the Invalids may congre- gate and enjoy with pleasant surround- ings the glorious atmosphere that promises so much to health and lon gevity. It will be borne In mind that nothing whatever is deeded away or in any way jeopordized until the enterprises are completed.
 These schemes present a novelty in this feature from all their predecessors, and the thinking people Ol the com munity became at once enthusiastic to invite the work to be done, by offering the proper inducements upon it's com pletiOn. As no possible risk existed, the proposition resolving itself into a question of whether the proposed works were worth the aid asked when com pleted, and no reasonable man will dis pute that if this work is done, the tax able property at once available will more than justify the cost to the county or the city, while the prospective ad- vantages to accrue from increased tax able property, new life, immigration, benefits of money expended in construc- tion, and future possibilities of railroad facilities for both freight and passenger traffic are too manifold to enumerate There is no other side to the proposition. inasmuch as in case of failure nothing has been ventured and nothing lost, the city and county remaining right where it is at present, and the people will at least had the pleasure of happiness an- ticipated, whether it materializes or not.
 A phase of the situation is, that the small coterie that is fighting these pro- gressive moves, on one pretext or an other, allege that the Board of Super visors have not the legal power to carry out the bond proposition nor the City Council the power to alienate the plaza. Colonel Sykes and Captain Fitzgerald think otherwise and inasmuch as they have the money invested at stake they are untitled to the benefit of the doubt. The city and county risk nothing as in case of total failure on the part of the city and county to carry out the agree ment, those who have taken the risk suffer the consequences, and in the meantime the great benefits have been derived. We would not advocate doing an illegal act, but when 99 per cent of the people of Tucson and Pima County would by vote signify their desire for the enterprises and belief in their legality and when the leading lawyers of the county believe that the Board of Supervisors and the City Council have absolute power in the premises, we be- lieve the majority should rule. We are always on the side of taking sale steps to encourage new capital seeking us and developing our country, and Arizona has always had the reputation of meet ing public enterprise half way.
 The taxpayers of Pima County want to see a different and more satisfactory state of affairs. They want the taxable property increased in their county sc that the burden of taxation will be light and the expenses of county govern. ment comparatively insignificant. They want new life, new blood, new vigor and new faces, in the places of men who de- nounce progress and whose names are not on the tax roll of the county. They want men who will think new thoughts and whose strong arm will till the soil, work the mines and build the railroads The day is not distant when the croak- CTS will have to seek new pastures, and the non-taxpayers, non-judgment satis- fers and non-workers can sink into the insignifcance they so justly merit.
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