Arizona weekly citizen., 1893-02-11
HERBERT BROWN - Manage
THETuCsoN LAND GRANT.

tue at the CltlZens meetlnR Salurudy night last, but we think otherwise. I'm portant measures that affect the whole people of town cannot, without a fair hearing, be thus summarilly disposed of Did the measure, as a busir ess proposition, have a fair hearing? We think not, ID fact know so, unless report wofully bellies the action of said meeting. To begin with, with all due respect to those present at Saturday nights gath ering, it is impossible to consider such meeting a fair representation of the
 business interests of the community or the result an expression of the wishes and the will of the property owners and householders of the city. We do not say this because we have any interest ID the grant, for we have none beyond that of
 any good citizen, but for the reason that the meeting was packed for pur
 pose-and that purpose was not to give a fair consideration of an important pub
 lie measure, but to throttle it before the issue was born.
 The meeting was not called for that
 purpose. The intention of those who made and signed the call was for the
 purpose of having the matter intelli-
 gently discussed and to give cisizsns
 who favored the grant an opportunity of
 being heard. This was not done, and
 further, it was determined by the oppo-
 sItlon at the beginning that it should
 not be done. The chairman was unjust in his rulings, and boastingly discrim- mated against those who were not of hls own way of thinking. He was, by mo- ton, authorized to appoint a committee of seven, whose duty 1t was to consider the merits of the case at issue and report thereon to the meeting, but he wranged every citizen not of his own way of thinking in the appointment of that committee. Did he give both sides a hearing? Not much. Like the Dutch justice he was satisfied with the repre- sentation of bis side of the case, and did not and would not hear the other. His committee of seven were enc and all known to be bitterly hostile to any con sideration of the grant in any manner whatever other than to denOunce it And when demonstrated with by citizens who favored respectful consideration of the case, be told them in substance to help themselves if they could. He had
 been made chairman and would ap- point whomsoever he pleased, and thIs pleasure ran in direct antagonism to anything but the most bigoted and par tisan action.
 Judge w. H. Barnes, VI ho was present, was fully as incorporate as the chair man if not more so, and loudly declared that he was opposed to land grants on general principles and 'the better the grant the more he was opposed to it." Nay, he even went further and said that if the city's title to the grant was in his hands he would tear it up. We modestly rise to remark that such talk as was at triboted to the learned judge is rot of the worst kird.
 If the Spanish government ever con- fer ed a grant of 10000 acres of land on Tucson, and such grant is to be had by the city almost for the mere matter of claiming it, We think it not only unwise. but foolish to thrust it away. More particularly so when ample assurances are to be given that same could be had without loss to the city or its citizens, or the vitiation of a title or a fraction thereof.
 Under these conditions there are many citizens who favor an investigati' n of the merits of the grant and as tax payers and citizens should be given respect ful hearing. There are numberless ways to bring this about, but none we thInk, more fair or feasible than the following The City Recorder to be supplied with l ballots printed free of cost to the city: | Are you ID favor of the city claiming its | grant?" against which the voter could | vote ives" or "no." Ballots so voted | must then be signed by the voter, and l deposited with the Recorder in whose custody they shall remain till given time when they can be politically tailed | and counted. The qualification for 6 voter shall be the assessment roll for | 1892. If a majority of the property owners are in favor of the city claiming the grant, that majority shall be sufficient authority for the Council to take proper action looking toward the recovery of said grant, but if the majority be found against it then the matter shall be dropped and 70 further consideration be given to it. If however. 1t is decided that the grant is to be claimed then We would suggest that the council give ample security to MT. Ainsa who claims to have the title pa- pers in tow, for the payment of S5OOO | when said title has been confirmed to | the city. That amount to be compen- sation in full for all claims against the city under the question at issue. We do not know whether such compensR- tion would be accepted by MT. Ansa, but we are looking to the welfare of the city and not to individul interests, aud If said title is as easily obtained as we have been led to believe, then 5000 is ample for the services required to be performed.
 Now so far as the grant is concerned we are done. The mates rests with the citizens of Tucsen. Their will is the will of the CITIZEN and their decision is absolute so far as we are concerned.