Arizona republican., 1895-03-30
1t Becomes Operative in
Two Weeks.
The Penalty for Holding Office
in Wealthy County.
How the Law Lost a Section in Its
Journey Through the
legislature.

There is story connected with the
passage of house bill No. 9, for the re-
classification of the counties of the
territory. There are results following
it which if not already felt by many
county officers, will soon be felt.
There is mlsapprehension concerning
the time when it will go into effect and
some persons even believe it will not
60 into effect at all. This latter sup
position is enormously based on the
fact that the last section of both the
original and amended bill specifying
the date on which it would become
effective was stricken out. AS THE Re-
PUBLICAN has already explained this
omission does not invalidate the act,
since it is provided in such cases, that
laws 60 into effect thirty days after
passage.
The bill was introduced by Mr.. Fish
of Graham county. The original bill
providing tnat the law should take ef-
feet Immediately upon its passage was
amended by the substitution of the
following:
Section 6. This act shall take effect
and be in force from and after January
l, 1897" At some stage of it's progress,
Just when, the man who rememb bers
has not been found, the bill was again
amended by cutting off this section.
In that shape it was passed and trans
mltted to the governor. Before signing
it he sent for Mr.. Fish and called his
attention to the omission. Mr.. Fish
| was satisfied and the Dill YVES signed.
As IS generally understood it divides
the counties OF the territory into six
classes, based on property valuation,
determined by the last prtceding as
sessment. The classes are as follows:
First class, those having an equalized
valuation of s3 600 600 or more; second
class. those having valuation of $2,.
| 100000 and less than $3,000,0O third.
| class, those having a valuation of 81
000,0 900 and less than $500, 600; fourth
class, those having valuation of ST.
100000 and less than $2,000,000 fifth
class, those having a valuation of
81 100000 and less than 81 800, 600;
sixth class, those having valuation of
less than 81 10000 Under this arrange
ment the counties are therefore
classified as follows: First class,
Maricopa, Pima, Yavapai; third class,
Cochise and Coconino; fourth class,
Graham fifth class, Pinal, Mohave and
Yuma; sixth class, Navajo, Apache
and Gila.
Up to this point there could be no
dissatisfaction with the law. 1t would
cut no essential ignre to any county in
which class it might be placed, but it
does make mighty difference to many
| office holders.
There is an all round reduction from
the salaries readjusted by the Seven
| teenth legislature. the greatest reduc-
tions are, however, made in counties of
| the first class and they come upon the
heels of the effect Of similar economic
efforts by the Seventeenth legislature
which began to be felt few months
ago. In this county, therefore, after
April Is the county treasurer's salary
will be $4,000 per annum. The district
attorney and the county recorder will
each receive $1,000. cut in each case
OF $500. The assessors salary will be
81 800 and the probate judge will draw
81 500. The sheriff emerges from the
wreck unscathed.