Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1899-03-29
TIE BILLS THAI FAILED.

PbeniH Republican Governor Mur phy gave his reasons for withhold ing his approval from a number oI bills passed by the legislature, o. which the folloEing is a synopsis:
 Council bill No. 70, known as th, "Goldwater bill, ," creating the board of public affairs. and abolishing tb' board of control. all other existing boards, capitol site commission, etc. did not become 9 law for yariou, reasons, the principal of which va. the sweeping nature of the bill and the great expense which must nee essarily attend its operation. TLt bill provided for the app ointment oI five members of the board by the governor, one each from four dis. tricts which it proposed to create and one from the territory at large and a clerk to be appointed by the board. The chairman was to re- ceive Sl,SO0 per year, for the pay ment of which, however, no pro- vision was made. Meetings were re- quired to be held at the capital each month, and at such other places as the board deemed necessary, and  mileage, per diem and expenses were authorized. The auditor was re- quired to furnish the office room without compensation. The board was invested with censorship over the affairs of the auditor aud treas urer of the territory; and to make the law effective and beneficial the cost would be four or five times the cost of the present system. There were many other defects in the act ln view of the loud auie-election boasts sud accusations of the demo cratic party, 1t IS not strange that the bIll failed, notwithstanding the power with which it proposed To in- vest the governor.
 The land tax bill, au act which failed, was ors through which the legislature assumed to as- sess property by fixing a minimum price per acre, at which grant lands must be- valued for assessment pur- poses, viz: 50 per cent of Sl.25, or 62i cents per acre. Every we'll iu- formed citizen knows that the legis- lature cannot legally assess nor de- termine the value at which property must be assessed. Although it IS perfectly competent for tue legisla- ture to require all property to te assessed at its full cash value, 1t can not arbitrarily fx that value. The assessors of the different counties have every requisite authority now to properly assess without further law upon the subject.
 Council bill No 39. the initiative and referendum, is 90 widely at vari- ance with our organic laws and stat utory provisions now controlling leg Islstion, and is so thoroughly inn practicable, that comment seems un- necessary. Not only would its oper- stions be cumbersome, because of petitions and elections, but 1t would De very expensive and lead to seri- 1us legislative complications. Con- yTesssioual sanction would never be given to It. it IS only another case )f printing in the statutes worthless md imperative enactmeuts.
 Council bill No. n, an act to regu- ate territorial printing, providing hat all the territorial printing of whatsoever nature, consisting of all 'dveriisiug and job work of the 'arious territorial officials, iustitu- ions and boards, should he con rolled by the secretary of the terri ory, without limitations as to e1- ,enditures. While the act required hat he shodld advertise for bids md let the work to the lowest re. ponsiblo bidder, be was given the ight to reject any and all bids uder the provisions of this act no nor official could control ts own work. Proclamation,. ad- .ertisemeuts for warrants, nor public printing of any kind could be done .xcept Inier the coutrol and direc- iou ot the secretary.
 Council bill No. 69, proposed to nAke the failure to file plSts of own sites and subdivisions thereof, $ required oy law. a misdemeauor. is believed that the present law is utlicieut. and that neSo,iAtors rill see that all prerequisites to ltle arc complied with; and It rould he just As reasonable ,o make he iailur, Co tIe and record a deed Q realty a misdempSnor,