Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-02
FOR JOINT STATEHOOD.
Col. Bird of Arizona States His
Reasons.
THE CORPORATIONS OPPOSE
Because Their Taxes Would Neces-
sarily Be Increased.
PEOPLE FAVOR PROPOSITION
Know That There is Nothing Better in
Sight for Many
h Years. 5s


] Two ardent advocates of the joint state
| hood bill for Arizona end New Mexico are
! in the city in the persons Of Col Allen T.
| Bird of Nogales, Ariz., and J. L. Hubbell,
| a prominent merchant of Canada Ariz.,
| and a resident OF that territory for over
| thirty years. They and others are going
to try and impress upon Congress that the
majority of the people of Arizona are ready
to vote for the jointure proposition If it
| Is submitted to them in the form of a state
constitution, all arguments of the single
| state boomers to the contrary notwith-
| standing
| Give us the amount OF money which the
| single state forces have expended In the
| past year in their interests in Arizona
| said Col Bird last evening to a Star re-
porter, land we will bring here In the in
| terest of the other side such deluge of
| territorial citizens that the clamor of the
! opposition would be completely drowned y
! Col. Bird went on to explain that the
| railroads which operate in Arizona would
| find it in their interest to prevent state
| hood, and are therefore An the forefront
| of the opposition forces Conditions In the
| territory pretty well known to him, for
| he has been the editor and proprietor of
| newspaper, called the Oasis, in Nogales, for
| thirteen years, and has been identified with
| the territory for a much longer time In
| many different ways. He is eager to tell
| of the conditions there which will affect
| the statehood question and enlarged upon
| the subject in this manner:
Not Against Joint Statehood.
II can say from my own experience that
the sentiment of Arizona is not against
joint statehood by any means. Many are
opposed to single statehood under any cir
cumstances, and this class includes such
men as President Ephraim of the Nogales
Nrafa
prominent mining expert of that section.
The others would rather have single state
hood, but realize that such Is impossible
and therefore advocate strongly joint state
hood. If the proposition is put to vote
of the people IN a constitutional election
upon constitution framed along modern
lines, the people of Arizona will give 1t a
tremendous majority. 1t Is because the op-
ponents of jointure know this that they are
making so desperate a battle to beat the
issue in Congress.
The underground-working miners of
Arizona have worked for years to get a
mine inspection law like that which exists
in all the mining states, but they have been
defeated repeatedly in the territorial legs-
lature by the big mining interests. Now
a constitution would doubtless compel the
enactment Of such law, like the consti-
tuition Of Wyoming and other mining states
with such provision there are from 10000
to 1900 miners who would vote for the
constitution. There are five great mining
camps in the territory, producing annually
$40, 100000 in copper. They are owned by
corporations capitalized at over 800 600 COO,
and their assessment is only about s., 0G0
eco; while. all other, property. except the
railroads, is assessed at from 80 to so per
cent of it's cash value The people have
endeavored for yearS to get enacted a
bullion tax law such as prevails by con-
stitutional provision in Colorado Wyom-
ing, Montana and other mining states.
They have been defeated in every instance
by the Vaccinations of mining companies
and railroads.
"a constitution with provision making
mandatory a bullion tax law similar to
| those in force in the states named would
bring to its support many thousands of
voters, who, If asked off-hand, would tell
you they are opposed to jointure.
THE railroads have also avoided taxa
ton. The Atlantic and Pacific pays under
a congressional act fiat rate of only S175
per mile, in lieu of all taxation, which Is
equivalent to an assessment of from $1,000
| is assessed at $1,000 per mile, 40 per cent
more. In California and Texas. under the
state constitutions, the railroads are as
| sessed S14 COO per mile.
Under q provision like that incorporated
| in the California constitution providing for
| state board of equalization elected by the
| people. the railroads of Arizona could be
| brought to a higher rate of assessment. The
practical congressional exemption of the
| Atlantic and Pacific would also disappear
| with statehood, and there could be no OBJ
| lection to its rate being raised to the
| Southern Pacific rate, while that would go
| up to equal the assessment of property
| owned by the same company on both sides
| in California and Texas
Excessive Railroad Rates.
Business interests of Arizona have long
| been crippled and burdened by excessive
| railroad rates and by discrimination. Under
the supervision of the Texas railroad COM
| mission q limit is placed on charges in
that state and the railroads are giving a
freight rate from gulf and Mississippi points
| as nc HI, N
| that rate roads from Missouri river points
| give q like rate, but the moment freight
| gets west of the Texas influence the rate is
| jumped 200 and 800 per cent. / have seen
| condition. one Of which ] will cite: A car
load Of building paper from Kansas City
to Tucson was charged $249; $50 of this
covered traffic from Kansas City to
| Deming, N. NJ, and from there to Tucson
| q distance OF 225 miles, the remainder was
| charged That was more than three times
| as much for 223 miles as for loo
| I'VE have in northern Arizona extensive
| forests and valuable timber industries and
| yet no one ever sees a stick of timber or a
| board from northern Arizona in southern
Arizona. Everything used In the lower part
| of the state comes from northern California
| or southern Oregon and from Louisiana,
| where the railroads have timber interests
| from 700 to 1000 miles farther away than
| our own mills from the seat of consumption.
This is due to railroad tariff discrimination
high rates within the state and low rates
| from ABROAD. a SlDilIdT CouultlOu eAlSlS III
| regard to hay grain, etc.
| Now give us constitution with a pro-
| vision for the election of a railway COM
mission, responsible to the people, and there
| would be very quickly arranged q system
| of railroad tariffs to do away with discrim-
| nation in favor Of outside products and to
open Arizona markets to Arizona producers.
| With such a provision In the constitution
| we could go before the people and carry II
despite the clamor OF the monopolists.
THE foregoing are a few OF the many
| reasons for the outcry against Jointure and
| such desperate efforts as are being made
to defeat Il in Congress The opponents OF
the proposition know they cannot win be-
fore the people in a constitutional election
and realize that their only hope Is at Wash
fngton.
| mo, the continental divide is not nat
ural barrier to joint statehood There are
mountains In Arizona higher than the divide
and they are crossed all the time by rail-
roads without difficulty, also by good wagon
roads. The alleged difference in the Gus
toms of the two territories does not exist
| There are lots of Mexicans In Arizona and
In some counties more than are in some
1 af