The copper era., 1907-02-28
Railroad Bill is Defeated in House.

After two days debate the lower
house defeated Bells measure, which
provides for the repeal of the act OF
1891, granting tax exemption to Ari,
zona railroads.
The debate was confined to its
legal phase, Bell answering briefly
that the supreme court of the United
States has held in other cases that
tax exemption is a special privilege
and is illegal.
On the final vote Bell, Bailey,
Whitesides, Mccormick and Murphy
voted for the measure and all the
rest against it.
The council will probably adopt a
bill fixing the maximum railroad fare
at four cents.
One of the features of the session
was the speech of Bell, who, in a
discussion of his bill providing for
the repeal of the law exempting
railroads from taxation in Arizona
for certain period, being intended
to encourage railroad building, pro-
ceeded to line up the railroads in
great shape.
People who have been attending
the session and believe that Bell has
said some pretty harsh things about
the railroads., concluded after this
speech that all the members from
Maricopa county had said before con-
cerning corporations was intended to
be supplementary.
Several important measures were
introduced. One of the most i'm
portant acts was the introduction of
joint memorial for the appropriation
of S150,OOO for the completion of the
capitol building. This was unani-
mously adopted, being endorsed by
Day.
Bailey introduced H. B. 4, which
relates to the incorporation of cities
and towns and is the charter law
agreed upon by representatives of
Phoenix, Bisbee, Douglas and Globe.
House bill was introduced by
Pace, and provides for the appoint
ment of a commission of three resi-
dents of the territory to decide upon
a site for the territorial prison. The
bill carries with it an appropriation
of SO day for the members of the
commission, who must not spend
more than ten days in their work.
The bill opposed by Whiteside who
se Of he
tion committee, on a motion to sus-
pend the rules, for it comes up for a
second reading, but the motion car
ried, as did a subsequent motion for
d third reading, and the bill passed.
The committee will visit the sites of
these institutions and upon returning
to Phoenix will report either favor
ably of leaving them where they are
Or removing them to some other
place.
Additional bills were introduced as
follows:
H. B. So, by Crenshaw, granting to
Incorporated cities and towns certain
privileges.
H. B. 5, by Crenshaw, to provide
for the holding of annual meetings
of stockholders or members of cor
porations in certain cases.
H. B. rs, by Day, to defray certain
expenses incurred by the territory
IN legislation.
H. B. II, by Day, concerning all
stracts within the territory.
H. B. so, an act to authorize boards
of supervisors to appoint county road
superintendent. This is one of the
laws recommended by the recent con-
vention of supervisors IN Phoenix,
and it is fathered by Hull.
Hull's II. B. A was passed unani-
mously and the bill providing for
salary of $500 for chairman and
$1,000 for members of boards of super
visors of the second class, passed
unanimously.
c. B. 10, providing for the appoint
ment of deputy district attorneys at
salary of $1,000 a year, was commit
ted to the committee of the whole.