The herald., 1898-01-19

TAX ON MINES
Arizona to Add to Her
Revenues
A SUPREME COURT SESSION
TRAIN RoBBER PARKER HAS AN
APPEAL
A SUPREME COURT SESSION
INJURY Would Result From the Es-
tablishment of Grand
Canyon Park


will know a novel convention on the
25th of the current month. 1t has been
called by Governor McCord and will be
constituted by the territorial board OF
equalization, the main territorial offic-
falls, the assessors of the twelve coun-
ties of the territory and representatives
from each of the twelve boards of super
visors The questions will be taxation
and revenue. The fact is, as I outlined
to the readers of The Herald several
months ago, Arizona is slack on revenue,
despite tax rate that runs up to per
cent in some few of the counties. The
fault is not with the rate; it lies in the
valuations. Farms are taxed high
enough, all are agreed. Stock is taxed
about all it should be, in the aggregate,
though better prices may warrant rise
in this direction during 1898. The rail-
roads. while undoubtedly assessed at a
low rate, pay nearly as much per mile
as they do elsewhere, and several of the
more important are tax-exempted for
dozen years to come.
ASSESSING MINES
About all that is left is the item Of
mines, and on this subject the conven-
ton is expected to speak plainly and to
formulate for the next legislatures ac-
ton, some measure that will pull part
of the burden of government from the
farmer. Speaking plainly, and with all
appreciation for the most important of
Arizona's industries, the mines OF the
territory do not pay tithe of their
proper proportion of taxation. The stu
alton has frequently been summed up in
this illustration: The total assessed val
uation of Arizona property, mines in
cluded, is $30,000000. Yet when W. A
Clark, main owner of the United Verde
mines at Jerome, wanted per cent more
of the stock of his company, a few weeks
ago, he paid for it at valuation for the
mine of s32,00O,0OO. There is no doubt
that this single mine is worth more than
the total assessment of the territory;
the bullion product demonstrates it, if
nothing else. Yavapai county, wherein
the United Verde is situated, has valu-
alton of $3,S5400O, of which only $264,oO0
is charged against the mines. Yet va
vapai is the queen of the mining coun-
ties of Arizona. Every hill has its shaft
and ore dump and the annual product of
metal within her borders is to be reckon
ed in millions of dollars. Here is an in
teresting problem: Suppose w. A.
Clark had the value of his mine invest
ed in town lots in Prescott, or in agricul-
tural lands in the Salt River valley, un-
productive property at that, would 1t
not be better for the territory at large
than his possession of the greatest mine
in the west?
There is no way to reach mines on un-
patented ground, save by taxing the
bullion output. This was once the law
in Arizona. 1t was repealed in the noto-
rious thirteenth legislature, under cir
cumstances that were a disgrace to the
territory. The law was presented for
re-enactment to the last legislature. Its
defeat was one of the scandals of the
session. Bribery was charged in connec-
ton with it, even Governor Franklin ap-
pearing as one of the accusers.
TRAIN-ROBBER PARKER
The territorial supreme court is sit
ting in Phoenix, after recess of year.
The calendar is the heaviest ever known
to the court and all the more prominent
attorneys are here from every town in
the territory. The most important
criminal matter to be disposed of will be
the appeal of Parker, train robber and
murderer, who held up Santa Fe train
near Peach Springs and later escaped
from the Prescott Jail, killing Assistant
District Attorney Norris as he went.
But Parker is now safely in the Prescott
Jail again and is being closely watched.
A few days ago it was found that he
had filed through his leg-irons, with the
intention of making a second break for
liberty 1t will not be considered
forestalling of the judgment of the su-
preme court to hazard the opinion that
Parker's execution will be one of the
next events of interest in the south
west.
In civil way the court will have next
week the question of the Yavapai county
railroad bonds, decided against the ter
ritory last week by Chief Justice Street,
in his capacity of judge of the Third
judicial district. The attorneys for the
bondholders have filed another suit in
the lower court, simply that the cause
may be taken to the supreme court and
clinched, settled for all time. Yavapai
county is the loser in the transaction,
being charged by the decision with the
payment of about quarter Of a million
of railroad bonds, issued in subsidy of
a road that has now no existence. 1t is
assuredly tough proposition, yet Ari-
zonans as a whole approve, as a fail
ure to recognize the bonds would have
put upon the territory the stigma of re-
pudiation.
Another interesting case the supreme
court has already heard is that of Geo.
Cluff, who, as probate judge of Graham
county, was convicted of raising school
warrants in petty sums, in all amount
ing to several hundred dollars. Cluff
was considered one of the rising young
men of Arizona. He was leader in the
progressive element of the Mormon
church, was principal of the schools of
Pima, one of the larger towns, lately
made good race for councilman-at-
large on the Republican ticket, and
then was chosen probate judge of his
home county. His criminal peculation
of petty sums could hardly be believed.
The appeal is on purely technical
grounds.
PARKING THE GRAND CANYON
Advices from Washington state that
Secretary of the Interior Bliss will soon
transmit to the president recommenda-
tion that congressional action be taken
making national park of the district
lying about the Grand Canyon of the
Colorado. At first glance the idea seems
an excellent one. but there are draw
backs to be noted by anyone who has