Arizona republican., 1906-08-19
INTER-TERRITORIAL FINANCES.

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 The Santa Fe New Mexican warmly criticizes a statement some time ago made by Secretary Roy :. Goodrich of the anti statehood committee concern ing the indebtedness of New Mexico. MT. Goodrich said that the debt of Santa Fe county was approximately Sl.2OO.0OO and that it's assessed valua- ton was approximately the same.
 The New Mexican undertakes to cor rect these figures. and errs in falling below the real indebtedness and vaIua- tion more widely than MT. Good rich in his approximate state ment exceeded them. The New Mexican places the debt of Santa Fe county at $92O.OOO "as nearly as can be ascertained." The Financial and Com mercial Chronicle. whose business it is to ascertain such things exactly. to the cent. found that last May the indebted ness of Santa Fe county was $1,151,OO0. It is not claimed by the New Mexican that any part of the debt has been paid since. Mr. Goodrichs statement. for an approximate one. was therefore not very wide.
 The New Mexican proceeds to a com parison of the debts of the two terri tories. using figures which are as care lessIy taken IS those it uses in describ- ing Santa Fe county's indebtedness. The indebtedness of all the counties it places at $2. 500. .OOO. The Financial and Commercial Chronicle gives them as $3.17G. 900.
 These differences of figures. however, may not be regarded as essential The Republican recently gave the indebted ness of both territories, the figures be- ing taken from the Financial and Com merciaI Chronicle. It was shown that the debt of New Mexico largely eX- ceded that of Arizona to say nothing of a disputed bonded indebtedness of about s9OOOOO and an indebtedness represented by the so-called militia warrants estimated at from s1.OOO.O .O0O to sS.OOO.OOO.
 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 concerning the county debts the New Mexican observes: "The territory of New Mexico has nothing to do with this debt, and the future state of Arl- zOna. if 1t be created, will have nothing to do with 1t unless the people of the new state in their kindness of heart being chuckful of 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 legislature to effect a rescue.
 This is a prospective danger, not cer- tain. but possible if not probable Why should Arizonians take the risk when they are doing we'll enough with in- creasing values and falling tax rates