Arizona republican., 1907-02-23
PHOENIX. ARIZ.. FEB. 23. 1907.
THE ORIGIN OF THE DORIAN BILL

There appears to be in some quar- ters a misapprehension of the origin of the Doran mine taxing bill and its supporting sentiment It having been rendered improbable that the bill will become a law. it is announced that the big mining companies have been de- fea;ed. We may stop here long enough to observe that the tendency to forget the small companies and the small owners is the very thing that will defeat all mine taxing legislation if it should finally be defeated.
 It is not our understanding that the big mining companies regard it as vital that there should be any legsla- ton. They have got along very we'll much better other taxpayers think under the present law than they should have done In the preparation of the Doran bill. Mir. Doran had in view not merely an increase of the revenues, but an increase to which the small mine owners should not con:ri- bute approximately more than the larger ones.
 There are less than a half dozen great mining companies in the terri tory and it is not charged that all of them have sought to evade their share of the burden. one of them. the Cop per Queen, has been looked upon as the chief offender and in attempts to make that company behave itself the rights of the smaller companies. some of them the owners of non- productive and probably valueIess mines have been disregarded
 The larger companies and especially the Copper Queen. have not clamor- ously demanded a bullion tax law or any other law and doubtless the Cop per Queen would be able to conceal its grief if none should be enacted But all these companies understood that the people were insistent upon mine taxing legislation and were de- termined 10 have it. 1t seemed inevit- able and thus they yielded to plan which though it promised to raise their taxes assured equality to all mine owners. This is our understand ing of the attitude of the mining com panies toward the present proposed legislation.
 Those who are earnestly desirious of the passage of the Doran bill or one which may be built upon it to meet the objections which have been made. are not the big mining companies but those who neither love nor hate them. those who recognize the existence of the small miner to whom some consideration is due. The present law as has been said is a fair one. but the operation of it has been at times outrageouslv unfair. Assessors and local boards of supervisors under the domination of powerful companies have violated their oaths of office in such a manner as to deprive the territory of revenue justly belonging to it. This iniquity can be circumvented only by the op- pression of the small mine owner.
 This has always been SO and always 1 will be so under this law until mine ! owners, assessors and boards of SUD- 1 ervisors become honest.
 The Doran bill proposes to replace ! th's system dependent for successful ! and equitable operation upon the ab- solute honesty of administrative off | cers. by one which is automatically l fair and which at the same time will ! increase the revenues. Those who are | oppos. ng the Doran bill have suggest | od that the present law needs oniv a provision regarding the better opera ton of it. This suggestion has not i been definitely made, though 1t is un- derstood to involve the placing of the | whole power of mining taxation in the l territorial board Of equalization. whose | members are appointed and removed | at the pleasure of the governor.
 An afternoon paper yesterday thus put this suggestion plainly. rather l baldly, but in such a manner as to | be clearly understood:
 If the Arizo.a legislature VII give our governor the unrestricted power | 10 tax thc-e mines neither the mines | nor the ta=-pay.ng public will suffer. I The governor is a fair just man"
 The unavoidable inference is that | if the governor were not fair and | just man t,.e mines and the | tax paying pubi. might suf- t fer. We think the legislature will f. balk al this suggestion. The last