Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1906-08-29
BRAzEN WORK or SOME ARIZONA
 ASSESSORS.
(From Fridays Dsily.)

 in their work of placing valuations on the patented mines of the territory is 50 glaring, and SO brazcn as to call l forth the most severe condemnation | from every man who has modicum of | justice in his makeup. says the Arz. ona Gazette.
 The assessor in Cochisc county, for instance, seems to have gone out of his way to create wide differences in his figures as between claims located in different parts of the county, his work in some instances being plainly in favor of the big Bisbec companies ut the expense of the smaller and less wealthy outside companies owning claims that no one convcrsant with the situation in the south, will even hint arc as rich as the Bisbec claims.
 The assessor accepted a valuation on l23 patented non producing claims of the Copper Queen company, amount ing to &7,2O3.2O. These claims are located in as rich mineral belt ns there is in the world. Opposed to this merely nominal valuation is that of &I3.sGs.65. placed against the Tomb stone Consolidated company's 6I claims. which arc located outside of the Bisbcc belt, and conceded to he not nearly so valuable. In other words, the Bisbce claims are assessed at t5s in round numbers, while the Tombstone claims pay on a valuation of $207 for each patented non-producing claim.
 By what line of reasoning can m assessor arrive at such figures if his work is honestly doncs How can he. in the face of the fact that patented, non producing mines in Maricopa coun' ty are assessed nt *l, 900 each, have the tcmcrity to place a valuation of $5s on the same class of property in Cochise county that is infinitely more valu able, There Is no justice in this, and if there is honesty, it does not show . | uDbH NS ba''s
 It is such acts as these that the min ing corporations and their journalist ic allies would pcrpctuate by either abolishing the board of equalization ol so amending the present law as t' make it imperative. They would keel the taxation machinery in the hand
 of county officials whom they hnv'
 controlled in the past and prcsu'nabl.
 will continue to control in the future ' to the end that it may be possible C ' return their patented non-Produein - claims at a valuation of &5s a claim Il Cocbise, while patented non'produ' '. tive claims in Maricopa county pa !. n valuation of $1,000. They woul
 make it so the patented non-produetiv
 claims in Bisbee pay taxes on va'u' ton of A5s. in round numbers, wh''
 those in the same county, hut oufs"
 of that rich belt, are assessed at ov'
 s2Oo n claim for patented non'produ
 CTS
 While the Gazette is in favor [ '- "homc rulc.' and as an ordinary pro
 osition. decrys the too strong ecntra
 ization of government, in the intere ' of the people as a whole, and in vic \ of such rank practices as are defnh' r' above. if there is no local remedy. |" would seem to be high time for q 'e national government to take n hand. ''r While not convcrsant with he "' pnl points covering such a situation, ?" would look as though there was VI 2" out of the difficulty by congress 'e' thorizing the appointment by the go h' crnor of A commissioner of mines who
 duty 1t would he to see to the cquita' U" assessment of all patented claims |" he who would be answerablc to the gov ne nor for his acts or to the national R' '" ernment. It is . notorious fact that 'n' several of the big mining counties ih Arizona. no man can be elected to 'ed ofSce of assessor or n member of "a board of supervisors who IS not "" ceptable to the mining corporations 'h matters concerning taxation were nee gregated from politics and removed VI" tirely from any influences created 'h' the mines, justice would certainly tain.
 '"' Certainly the people of Arizona he" orally would not object to such
 change, and they are the ones to
 most consulted. The mining corp' RE tions cannot object if they are VIII
 to pay their just proportion of the
 dens of taxation, but if they should the ject, it Is proof positive that [ \m' wish to shirk their duty to inc s' the and such objection should be w''i