Bisbee daily review., 1906-08-24
IINTER-TERRlTORlAl FINANCES.

The Santa Fe New Mexican warmly critizises a statement some time ago made by Secretary Roy s. Goodrich of the anti-statehood committee concern ing the indebtedness of New Mexico. Mr. Goodrich said that the debt of Santa Fe county was approximately S1, 100000 and that its assessed valua- tion was approximately the same.
 The New Mexican undertakes to cor rect these figures, and errs in falling below the real indebtedness and valua- ton more widely than MT. Good rich in his approximate statement ex- ceeded them. The New Mexican places the debt of Santa Fe county at $920, 900 "as nearly as can be ascertained." The Financial and Commercial Chron- icle, whose business it is to ascertain, such things exactly, to the cent, found that last May the indebtedness of San ta Fe county was s1,151,0 900. It is not claimed by the New Mexican that any part of the debt has been paid since. MT. Goodrich's statement, for an ap- proximate one, was therefore not very wide.
 The New Mexican proceeds to con- garrison of the debts of the two terri tories. using figures which are as care lessly taken as those it uses in describ- ing Santa Fe county's indebtedness. The indebtedness of all the counties it places at S2,SOO 900. The Financial and Commercial Chronicle gives them as $3,176,OOO.
 These differences of figures, how ever, may not be regarded as essen tial The Republican recently gave the indebtedness of both territories, the figures being taken from the Fiji nancial and Commercial Chronicle. It was shown that the debt of New Mex ico largely exceeded that of Arizona, to say nothing of disputed bonded in debtedness of about s900,O00 and an indebtedness represented by the so- called militia warrants, estimated at from s1,O0O 900 to s3,O00,u00.
 The most interesting thing in the criticism of Mir. Goodrich is the New Mexican's assertion that no matter what the indebtedness of Santa Fe county and the other New Mexican counties may be, we could in no event be concerned. since the counties would have to pay them. We have already pointed out that the status of the county debts of the territories is not so definitely determined by the joint statehood bill as to put it out of the realm of conjecture. There can be no doubt that, if jointure were effected, there would be those who would con tend that the bill contemplated the Jumping of all the recognized debts of the territories and the validating Of those not now recognized.
 ,, But concsrning the county debts the i New Mexican observes: HThe territory of New Mexico has nothing to do with ! this debt, and the future state of Ari- zona, if it be created, will have nothing
 to do with it unless the people of the new state in their kindness of heart, | being chuckful or the milk of human | kindness. will come to the rescue" Right there is the point. This milk of human kindness would naturally be
 found in the breasts of those who de-
 sire to be rescued, and they would
 have the necessary votes in the legis-
 lature to effect rescue.
 This is prospective danger, not cer'
 tain, but possible if not probable. Why
 should Arizonans tasle the risk when
 they are doing well enough with in
 creasing values and falling tax rates l-Arizona Republican.