Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-10-27
PHOENIX. ARIZONA. OCT. 81, $780,
AS to the Proposed Reputation.

A suit filed In the ulStIlCt SouiI VI
t.,!s county yesterday, seeking TO
invalidate the legislative acts whereby
certain railroads were exempted fer a
term of years in consideration of their
construction within a given period, IL
illustrates once more the faulty with
which some people rush into lawsuits
when cheap notoriety or a small proht
is to be gained personally and when
the public may be made to pay the
bills.
The gentlemen composing the board
Of supervisors OF Maricopa county are
not descendants of Solomon, but on
most occasions they have displayed a
fair degree of common sense, and we
do net anticipate that they will be so
foolish as 10 use the hands of the tax
payers to pull from the fire the chest
nuts which are imagined to lie therein
by the enterprising individuals who
have brought the suit. Even II this
county were not so fortunate as to
have a sound lawyer for adviser to the
supervisors. the supervisors themselves
could not fail to keep in the right path
simply by taking notice of the sign
boards of disaster which some of cur
times gone by, supervisors in this ter
ritory have too readily listened to adj
venturous lawyers who had nothing to
lose and everything &c gain by starting
litigation for the avoidance Of immov-
able obligations-with enormous eX
net results.
Yavapai county. for example, justly
owed n certain amount. evidenced by
bonds legally issued. The supervisors
were persuaded that the debt could be
set aside. and on behalf OF the county
they backed a long and costly liti-
cation. 1t trrned out just as good
lawyers said it would. The justice of
the debt and the validity of the bonds
were upheld, and the county was loser
by thousands upon thousands OF dol
lars.
Pima county found itself loaded with
IL debt which was Ubiquitous. but which
could not he escaped. Speculative
lawyers persuaded the supervisors that
the obligation could be avoided. how
ever, and struggle Of several years
duration was begun. 1t cost the ccun-
ty more than two hundred thousand
dollars in exI enses and extra interest.
Other examples less conspicuous
could be cited,
1t can be said, however that in most
OF these cases there was the saving
excuse that the supervisors and some
Of the people believed that the obliga-
tlon complained of was unjust Conse-
quently. sound sense was superseded
by sentiment.
But not even this much can be said
in favor CT repudiating the legislative
exemption acts. Deliberately. and
, after careful consideration, the people
through their legislature said to capt.
tai: above everything else. Arizona
needs more railroads. We recognize
the fact that our population is sparse.
that our industries are in their infancy.
tiS1l lAit NOi.ENt uGllOll VI railways III
this territory is unusually costly. as a
rule and that the inducements are not
the best. There is wonderful future
for the country, however, and in time
the money invested in railroads would
pay very satisfactory returns. Now
TO induce capital to construct the rail-
roads without delay, and without wait
ing for the further development of our
industries, we will exempt new roads
from taxation for short period" The
solemnity of legislative enactment was
given to this proffer. Capital accepted
the proposition in good faith. New
railroads were constructed. and an era
Of unexampled prosperity set in. Mines
were developed and made steady pro-
duccrs Of wealth. The general devel-
opment has gained momentum with
each year, fer succeeding leglsla lures.
seeing the wisdom of the exemption
policy and the rapid creation of tax
able wealth on account OF new rail-
this offer Of the people to the railroad
builders. So that we see. today, in this
year of 1903, more railroads under con-
struction in Arizona than perhaps in
any state or territory in the union.
There is. to be sure, a small pro-
portion of regulators in every COM
munity. Arizona has her share, but
we believe no more than her share. OF
men to whom the word honor does
not appeal, and who would disgrace
Arizona's good name and drag it
through any filth for a slight personal
gain, but this class has no en-
enlargement from the great mass
Of the people. And we fancy that most