Arizona silver belt., 1898-02-17

pay out of the territorial treasury to the Murphy syndicate who own them. the interest thereon amounting to about ST. .000 per anuum.
 In reference tp the prison lease the governor says: "Scarce had he as stunned the duties of his office hen de- mand was made upon him to enforce contract made by his predecessor for the working of tho convicts at the prieon. This contract had been de- clared to be of binding force by the supreme court of the territory, and the appeal to the supreme court of the United States had been made in 50 bungling q manner that there was little doubt but that the case would bs set | aside as soon as reached by that tri- bunal Governor McCord at once eet himself to try to secure certain modih- cations of the contract which he suc- ceeded in doing and which made the contract, in the opinion of all un- prejudiced minds, fair one, tho en- forcement of which would rebound to the credit of the territory"
 This prison lease. I have every reason to believe, was inspired by Me Cord. He, am told. was the author of the legislation leading up to it, and as one of the members of the board of control under Governor Hughes made the contract. It was passed upon by our territorial courts and WAS cn ap- peal in the supreme court of the United States. When his confirmation was pending in the senate it was charged that if he was confirmed he would ex- ecute this lease and also refund the Yavapai bonds. McCord appeared be- fore the senate committee and pledged himself not to refund the bonds until compelled to do 80 by the courts of last resort Why did he not keep his pledge? He snys becanse to refuse to fund the bonds was repudiatiou and that the appeal of the prison lease case ''wss made in so bungling manner that there was little doubt but that the case would be set aside ss soop ss ii reached that tribunal" the supreme court of the United States. What right had he 10 pass upon the legality of the bonds or the manner in which the appeal in the prison lease case was brought before the United States Su preme Court? Since he has assumed the functions of lawyer, judge and jury in these matters, perhaps he will kindly inform us wherein it is repudi- ation on the par. of Arizona to arsumc Yavspai's debt, without Yavspai's con sent, and also ip what respect the ap- peal in the prison lease case was hung lingly made. He tells us that he caused notifications to be made in the con tract which made that instrument Il fair one. Do the lessees of the pris oners pay any cash towards their main tenance? Not cent Does the com pany obligate itself to build Q canal and make it operative? Not thst any one has ever heard of. Does the company permit the water rights to be laid by any individual upon lands under the canal? No. Does the company waive it's right to purchase these terri torial water rights at price offered any outsider? No. Mir. McCord sim- ply required that the company should have s20,000 of machinery on the ground before he would consent to re- lease the prisoners 10 work on the canal.
 By the by-laws of the company every water right must be laid 0n an 80-acre tract of land before it becomes valid. The territory owns about 2200 acres of laud more than half of which is sub ject to overflow and needs no irriga- ton. What will Arizona do with the remaining water rights after the one thousand acres are covered? Why, under the contract the company can buy them at price that anyone else will offer which, under the eircum- stances, will be little or nothing.
 The company does not bind them selves to build canal of any kind, much less one that can be available for irrigation, so that the claim that S1 900, coo will be added to the taxable wealth of Arizona thereby, rests upon mere assertion.
 We are told that it costs no more to keep these prisoners nt work on the desert than in prison walls. Before this can be credited let the governor give us the figures. It is apparent to any one that the prisoners worked ten, fifteen or twenty miles from the prison would require more guards, would use more food and clothing and require an extra outlay for shelter, unless they are chained up like wild beasts at night 
 As to Governor McCord's appoint menis, both general and territorial, for he claims credit for ell, l shall have nothing to say; let Republicans settle