Daily Arizona silver belt., 1907-01-23
Need Restraint of Law

fall Is the natural and deserved fate of the weak--might have much to com mend it if the rule concerned men alone. iiu as we have progressed in population. es the territory has become more and more the home of families, the fate of women and children has become in. volyed and men themselves have assum ed new social responsibilities, 80 that the old rule, if ever the right one. is not now applicable,
 With tho new conditions, new duties devolve upon nen, Among these duties and by no means the least important is the imposition of restrictions upon the conduct of members of society, os that as little temptation may be placed in the way of the young, as little immoral ivy may be taught them by example or appearance, as possible. Public senti ment has doHe much to accomplish this but unfortunately in every community. new -er old, there are some men not amenable to public sentiment who are ignorant of--or if not ignorant, then in different to--their new responsibilities Such men require the restraint of law. Public sentiment in this territorv de. nands these restraints. am convinced that the vast majority of the people of Arizona are mequivocally in favor of a strieter regulation of public morals than has hitherto prevailed amongst us.
 The Gambling Evil
 One of the most ilagrant of the evils of which there is just cause of com oiaint, and for the abatement of which there is an urgent demand, is public gambling. ! know of not a single word That can be said in favor of gambling. it is productive of no good thing. It is the direct and the indirect source of so much of unhappiuess, of despair, of ruin- of poverty, not only of it's devo- tees, but of innocent, helpless. despair ing and neglected wives and children. that it can have no claim on our indul- gence. To it can be directely traced other vices and crimes, and of all the temptations of the young to evil and crime, gambling is the most insidious. We neglect a plain duty, abont which there can be no honest difference of opinion, f we do not at once remove The evils and temptations of public gam bling
 l therefore recommend to you that you enact law repeating the provis ions for licensing gambling, and making it unlawful for any person to maintain conduct or permit gambling in any pub lie place, or in or about any place where liquors are sold. dispensed or permitted Go be drank, or in any other place to maintain, conduct or per init such gambling for the purpose of gain or hire and for any person to gam ble in any of said places
 Saloon Regulation
 also recommend that you enact law making it unlawful for women or girls to frequent or to be employed in any capacity in and about saloons or 1iher places where intoxicating liquors arc sold
 And l recommend that you enact law requiring all vendors of iutoxicat ing liquors that are to be drank upon he premises where sold. to close their places of business and co refrain from ceiling or dispensing such liquors be 5wceu the hours of l2 clock miduight and O clock a. m. of week days, and during an of sundays
 There is another serious evil that wouid call to your attention. The ill effects of Inc use of tobacco upon i'm mature youth must have impressed it self upon even the casual observer The
 cigarette boy may be instantly known by his sallow complexion, by his stunted development and by his unfit ness for eitber study or work That the victim of the vice cannot be brought to see that be is blasting all his hopes of usefulness or influence. renders his situation the more pitiful He should be disabused of his notion that it is manly Co smoke, and as other efforts, 1 if any have been made, to abridge or correct the vice have failed, l recon mend inc enactment of a law forbidding the sale of tobacco in any form, cigars lr cigarettes, under severe penalties, to 1 any person under 2 years of age, and | with hke penalties upon the person un der 2 years old buying the same, even notwithstanding the consent of an in lnlgent but foolish parent.
 Assessments and Taxes
 The total assessed valuation of all property in the territory for the pur pose of taxation in 1906 as fixed by the territorial board of equalization, was sG2, ,227, ,635.54
 The territorial board of equalization at it's meeting in June, 1906, reduced the territorial tax levy to 75 cents on each $lOO of property assessed This was a reduction of 20 cents This re- luction was made possible by increased revenues. due to an increase of wealth, and to increased valuations of property | whiel, previously had escaped taxation 10 very great extent.
 For the same reasons most of the counties were enabled to make notable reductions in their tax rates. The fol lowing comparative statement for the years 1905 and 1906 gives the tax levies for the two years in the several courlt- ies. The rate given in each case is the total rate for all purposes, and is of the territorial levy of 75 cents.
 Total tax per slO0.
 County. 1905 1906 A nache .......................$f.00 $3.75 l