The copper era., 1901-01-31

1 Is D.
the same old song 10 the taxpayers Of
the county. whose Interests it has very
much at heart just al the present. II
sevs Graham county has Just now
reached the zenith Of high tax-burden.
Every condition now points 70 lower
ing OF the tax rate from this time on.
In five years, with anything like
economy in the management OF our
public affairs, our rate OF taxation will
not be more than $50, perhaps not
more than 81 on the hundred; il is
now 81 on the hundred. II the county
lied both the new and the cid
wfTIhavc to continue indefinitely to
pay the old rate ana perhaps more. "
Now let Us analyze the above fairly,
candidly aud impartially. In the first
place the Bulletin acknowledges that
the zenith OF high taxation has been
reached, therefore it could not be in
creased by division, while it is fact
beyond dispute that the affairs of small
counties are conducted much more
economically :han those Of larger ones.
As an illustration, take the county Of
Sierra in New Mexico. 1t is the small
est county in the territory, and when
it was created the people OF adjoining
counties predicted that it could not
maintain itself. But. while the indebt-
edness of its neighbors increased from
wear 20 year, Sierra gradually reduced
Is indebtedness, and Is today in the
best inaocial condition of any county
in the territory. Its people are more
than satisfied, and have been relieved
of the great expense If attending the
county seat far away from home. "Ev-
ery condition now points To 4 lowering
of the tax rate from this time on"
The same condition" has been point
ing for years, bat today the county
has an Indebtedness Of something like
5000, GOO with practically nothing to
show for it. We have no public bridges
or roads to speak OF, aud no school
houses, and practically no schools
worthy Of the name, yet our tax rate
has reached the full limit of four per
cent. The Bulletin says that with
economy IN five years our tax rate can
he reduced TO $3.50. This statement
has been made before, but the much to
be desired result never materialized.
No man can predict the future with
certainty, but the past is well known.
The honesty and integrity of the court
for many years, yet the affairs of the
county have not materially improved,
and it may faithfully be said that with
out division every condition now points
to an increased tax rate from this time
on. 1t has been so in the past, and SO
IL will continue to be until after the
county is divided, when it will be real
lied that small counties can be run
much more economically than large
ones. 1t is not only II matter of taxa
tion which should he considered, but
also the great Inconvenience and eX-
peuse which The people of the eastern
half of the county are now compelled
to undergo in order to reach their
county seat. The expense Of such II
trip is quite considerable, certainly not
less than an average OF 50, to say Meth
ing Of the loss Of time. The people of
the east end of the county are busy.
They are mostly wage carners, and to
compel them 20 leave their work and
undergo such an expense is II great
hardship which but few are able to
stand. Are their interests not worth
Must they forever be
put to this great personal expense that
= few at Solomonville may profit there
by Must they continue to be taxed 10
satisfy tho greed of very few? The
people Of The east END are almost n unit
in asking for division aud are willing
to take their full share of the indebted
county. The people of the
western half of-the county have long
complained at the heavy tax put upon
them by the expense of criminal cases
brought from the east end. This can
be avoided by division, and both sides
of the county benefited thereby. a
large majority Of the people of the
county favor division, but few who
have pecuniary interests in the matter,
oppose it, and are really the only ones
WIN ara roal,iru "A fi,vht uUafpSt IL