Bisbee daily review., 1906-10-03
THE PREJuoicED IMAGINATION OF THE PHOENIX GAZETTE.

ministration. that paper continues to seek to make it appear that everyone in Arizona is in combine to aid and abet the large producing mining com panies in Arizona to eyade their just proportion of taxation.
 Especially is this overworked imag- ination directed against the Kelly newspapers in Arizona. We recog- nize the fact that the Gazette hopes to build up its circulation among the farmers of Ahricopa county by this violent attitude towards all mining companies. Maricopa county is es- sentially an agricultural community. The prosperity of the mining industry and its advancement in the territory means less to Maricopa than any oth- CT county in Arizona, and the Ga zette. in order to cater to a popular sentiment locally, knows no end in it's tirade against those who refuse to ac- cept its doctrine of "cinching" the mines.
 In order to further it's policy the Ga zette has untruthfully stated that the Kelly papers favored the abolishment of the Territorial Board of Equaliza- ton. Such is not the case. There has never appeared line of news matter or editorial comment in any of these papers fayoring such a prop osition. But it was good dope" to build mp the Gazette's self imposed at titude of protecting the people, and it was sprung without hesitation.
 The Review has pointed out from time to time the unjust method at pres ent in vogue of taxing the mines of this territory. Not that the large produc- ing mines of Arizona are paying more than their proportion of the taxes of the Territory, but in an endeavor on the part of the Territorial Board of Equalization to raise the assessment on producing patented mines, under the present system, an unnecessary and unequal burden is placed upon the little fellow who has been hanging on | to his patented claim for years in the hope of interesting capital for it's de- velopment and to his ultimate profit. Every time the Territorial Board goes after the big producing mines of the Territory it whacks the little fellow just as hard. and in several of the mining counties of the Territory, such action simply means the confiscation of mining property.
 Before the territorial political con- ventions met this paper advocated the passage of bullion tax law, believ- ing the time was opportune for the placing of a law upon the statutes that would reach the big producers without imposing an unnecessary burden upon the small owner. This paper still maintains that this will yet be proven to be the equitable method of assessing taxes upon the mines of the Territory, and we expect to hear the first cry for this remedy come from Maricopa county.
 The Review does not believe in plac- ing the power of taxation of any kind of property absolutely in the hands of one man. Such is the case in this Territory at present. Governor Kib- bey is the sole taxing power at pres ent. Admitting that the present gov ernor has honestly attempted to equal ize the burden of taxation, the law which he is compelled to follow makes it imperative that he raise the small patented non-producing claims every time he attempts to reach the large producing mining companies. That is the fault of the present system, and it is so glaring that we opine even our farmer friends in Maricopa county will admit the forcefulness of the conten- i ton.
 Our form of government never in- tended that the power of taxation should be vested in a one-man board. The next governor of Arizona may be mining man himself, in sympathy with the mining companies and their interests. What is to prevent such a governor, whether he be Democrat or Republican. from surrounding himself with one-man Territorial Board of Equalization, willing and eager to do the bidding of the mining companies?
 It will be better to place the matter of taxation of the big producing min- ing companies directly in the hands of the people, through the medium of a bullion tax, and have an end of this vexatious question for all time to come. The people generally can be depended upon to treat all interests fairly, and if we ever reach an equita- ble plan for taxing the rich producing mines of Arizona it will be by this method. It is absurd to contend that an assessor can go upon the ground of a mining company and arrive at a -xfk { t< <~I l.