Phoenix weekly herald., 1897-08-26

Two things the people of Arizona gre
 exceedingly desirous of having done for
 their welfare and prosperity, vz, taxa
 tion reduced, Indebtedness decreased. | Gov. McCoEG bas very psFtiaenbly
 suggested movement toward the lss-
 ter consideration, but his suggestions involve an inoraege of taxation. The l people Of the Territory have come to B
 point where they are beginning to look
 eb this apparently peradoxicsl demand of She further development of their business interests, in very serious ard
 critical manner. The Arizona public
 has begun sharp inquiry into the
 csusee of She present condition of affairs,
 She system of doiDg business by which
 she Territory never seems to be able to
 pay it's annual expenses and tinuslly
 resorts to borrowing or bonding, con-
 tinuelIy depends upon the future that
 as continually brings ite own burdens.
 The past has resorted to outrageous ex-
 tFavsgeDces that form g portion of our
 burden of taxation todey and today in-
 cPssses that burden by its own extra
 vagsnces. The fast Legislature made
 appropriations to the smount of very
 nearly s85, 5,OOO, of which little over $3OO00 were on eccount of the appFo-
 prisbion bill of the Eighteenth Legisls- ture which failed to pass, and the re-
 msining S55,CO0 appropriation wss on account of the Nineteenth Legislature
 Ot this $55, ,OOO most essu=edly not over $35,O 1000 were necessary and legitimate expenses. the remainiug S20, ,OOO was olear cut imposition on the tsxpsyere, sn unnecessary and inexcueable takiuR of the money of the people, and it adds largely to their tax burden. It should be Femem beFed thet these Legislative appropriations have nothing to do with the maintenance Of our Territorial pTis on, nothing to do with the maintenance of the Insane Asylum or Ncrns al School or University, nothing to do with the payments ot interest on Territorial road bonds, OF any other Territorial bonds | whatsver- These great expenees are provdsd for 2 sort of indefinite aod l wey, so faE IS bhe taxpayers oen learn, by percentage Of taxation 1 on the esssHsed property ot the people. | Whatever tue total taxable property in 1 the Territory may be the tsxpsyes nev- sr hears of sn excess Of funds raised for any CTS of these purposes however much may be the increase of property valuation. These are some of the lead- ng points that attract the public at- iention. There is something wrerg The system oeeds complete overhaul ng and Yeadjustment. There is but iwo resoufcee in this emergency, irs5 to out down the expeuses of the Territorial government, sscond to assess nd tsx such property in tbe Territory s is now escapirs texation or ia taxed nersIy st 6 nomioaI vsfus, and to do he we need not break faith wish those nterpriess the Territory in its wisdom as Seen ii to encourage by exe mption 'hs idea Of raising the rate oF tarseion q peessnt tuily assessed ard taxed roperty would but ioorease the bag IDS vf taoss who now carry all they lu sndare, aad usanot pe considered as variable. The rs5uosion of expenses Id the raising ot t4zas on property 1st nov practically escapes taxation re two thipee that can be dore with ut Increasing the burd~us of those ow maintaining the Territory an6 L..