Arizona republican., 1906-08-03
AN ANTI-JOINTURE REASON.

AN ANTI-JOINTURE REASON.
 The joint statehood papers and per sons have been insistently demanding reasons why there should be no joint ure. They have clamored for argu- ments against it; even one argument. We have already advanced many which we think were sufficient but We will now from time to time put forth others, though giving reasons why we do not want joint statehood is a good deal like giving reasons why we would not want the bubOnic plague.
 Here is one reason which alone, we are quite sure will be sufficient for nine-tenths of the taxpayers of this territory. It is the difference between the tax rate of Arizona and that of New Mexico.
 The territorial tax rate of New Mex ico last year was $15O. The territor iaI tax rate of Arizona at the same time was .95. Qt will be somewhat lower this year. We presume, though it is a violent presumption, that the money raised by the New Mexican rate was economically and judiclously expended for the support of the ter ritorial institutions. We are certain that the money raised by our tax rate was so spent.
 It is not proposed by the joint statehood advocates that any of the present public institutions shall be abandoned. We are told by them that we are to have two penitentiaries, two insane asylums, all of the normal schools and both of the universities. The statehood bill allows us to main tain all these institutions if we choose.
 It is unreasonable to suppose th"t the New Mexicans with their superior voting strength will surrender any thing and we do not think Arizon'ans will want to give up anything.
 So if a dual set of public insttu- tiOns is maintained, they will cost as much under joint statehood as they have cost under the two territories. A rate of taxation will have to be fixed to raise as much money as both te = ritories have been expending on their public institutions. This rate must be equalized throughout the joint state, so that it shall be s1221A.
 That is. the rate for taxpayers with in the Arizona side will be raised PIE and the rate for taxpayers on the New Mexican side will be lowered .271s The tax rate for Arizona will have to be increased nearly 30 per cent to assist the New Mexicans in bearing their heavier burden In ad- dition Arizona taxpayers will continue to support the burden they now have.
 We are not taking into account new and additional expenses, such as the salaries of governor, secretary of state, the judiciary, members of the legisla- ture, now paid by the federal govern ment. We would gladly meet, these additional expenses under single state hood, but we allude to them now only to show that a joint state tax rate of even s1.22h would be utterly made quate if all the present public institu- tions are to be kept up.
 The taxpayers of Arizona are thus given their choice of two things-one is the assumption of part of the New Mexican burden equal to 30 per cent of that they now bear; the other is the surrender of their own institutions in order that they may less painfully bear the New Mexican load. We'll. there is still another choice. We can decline to bear any part of the New Mexican load and at the same time decline to give up the instltutionss which we have cheerfully and proudly supported for so many years. This choice may be taken by voting No at the joint statehood election.
 We are quite confident that the in creased tax rate win serve as one req son why there should be no jointure Others will be marshaIled from time to time.