Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1903-07-29

behind on their years operations?
Has any one heard of the board O
! supervisors. cutting down the taxes
or making any cash donations, to an.
one of these, to whom the above min,
fire was real hardship and calamity
I on account of loss of business.
If the real reason for the board O
supervisors donation to the United
Verde company of that 81, 600 which b,
right belonged to the county, was be
cause they believed Senator Clark los
81, 600, 900 last year, what excuse cal
they offer for the favoritism shown
him as against the scores of others
who lost business and to whom tn,
j loss was a real hardship? Why thi,
handsome donation to him and moth
ing to the poor tax payer? Why fav
oritism to the wealthy?
Perhaps they were attempting t.
fulfill the assertion that ''t6 him that
hath, shall be given abundantIy. and
from him that hath not shall be taken
even the little that he seemeth OF
ahinketb to have
So admitting the truth Of this very
gauzy and himsy excuse set up by a
paper in defense of their action, they
cannot escape from the charge of fav-
oritism to a wealthy corporation.
Another excuse is that Senator
Clark would have carried the matter
into court and kept it there for a
( great many years, while the county
would have been compelled to do
without the money. In plain English
this means that the board of supervis-
ors has made complete surrender to
Mr.. Clark and virtually says to him
now that is all right senator, just
say what you are willing to give to
this county towards its support, and
it is all right. You know you have
the money and we are willing to take
the few crumbs which you are willing
TO drop to us
In the first place it is mere assump-
ton that Mr. Clark would have kept
this in litigationNfor years. He tried
it for short period and was knocked
out in the first round, and took no
steps to keep this litigation alive in
the shape OF an appeal, until the day
of that famous compromise. when for
NAL notice was given. Even this was
done for the benefit of the supervis-
ors, and to afford them the semblance
of legal support for their action.
Will not the county be worse off in
future years through lack of funds, if
this principle is to become permanent
in the assessment sof property, than it
would have been, even admitting that
Mr.. Clark might have kept this in
court Tor q few years: Suppose small
tax payers should club together and
issue an ultimatum to the board of
supervisors and dictate to them what
their assessment shall he, with the
alternative ihaJ il their demands are
not complied with they would refuse
to pay their taxes and take the ques-
ton to court.
This would be just as feasible and
practicable as for Mr. Clark to do so,
and if the latter is to escape Just tax
alton why should not ali:
One of the papers in question eyades
the issue entirely and thinks this
board of equalization is vested with
authority to act. AM travels several
miles away from the real live question
of the day, and in seve. al directions
from it. 1t seems to be aware of the
fact this is burning question for
the tax payers OF he county and evil
IDENTIFY does not want TO get its fingers
burned.
It cries politics against the Journal
Miner and Immediately proceeds to
endorse the action of the board and
the act of the county assessor as well
for placing the assessed value this
year at IS, 200, 700. The assessor did
right in fixing this value, and the
supervisors did right in reducing the
assessment over $1,000, zoo. This is a
sample of logic that is used in defense
of the board.
Another plea is that "Senator
Clark mines, and their management,
have been a thousand fold more po-
tent factors than all others combined
as an inducer of investment in Yava-
pal county" Admitting this, is not
a Sl4, 600 outright bonus, and a reduc-
ton of assessment of 81, 600, 600 val
uation. pretty big bonus to pay for
immigration purposes. Every success
ful mine in operation in the county
is a good advertisement for it. If a
royalty is to be paid to the United
Verde for advertising purposes, every
mine that ships a dollars worth of
bullion OF concentrates Is entitled 10
equal prOpnrtiOnate favors from the
board. Carrying out this same line of
argument there are scores of enter
I prises which not only help to build
up and develop the country, but helr
TO advertise its resources. Where is
the line to be drawn? Is the United
Verde Copper, the wealthiest institu-
ton in the county to be the sole and
only beneficiary: In fact it must be
apparent to the most obtuse mind that
. in every excuse attempted TO be made
by these two apologists of the board
of supervisors for their high handed
proceedings they only weave a closer
web around them, by making il appear
on their showing that they have play
ed favoritism with the wealthy
Montana senator and his wealthy min
ing company, while overlooking the
poor tax payers of the county.
Both of the papers III question have
made mention or al intimation of a
fact in connection with this contro-
versy which the Journal Miner has re-
Trained from heretofore mentioning.
/ The Courier says:
''Then, let Us not jump at conclus-