Bisbee daily review., 1908-08-27
ASSESSM EMIT
AND TAX RATE.

AND TAX RATE.
We fail to find anything in the state
ments contained in the territorial re-
publican platform concerning the
assessment of property and the rate
of taxation in Arizona which is
particularly creditsble to the republi-
can territorial administration. The
figures are given which shows that
there has been a rapid increase in the
amount of taxable property returned
| by the assessors of the several coun-
ties, but the accompanying tax rate
figures does not show a decrease in
proportion to the increase in taxable
property. The taxable property, &C
cording to the platform, has increased
about ONE HUNDRED PER CENT
while the tax rate has only decreased
about TWENTY PER CENT. This
on its face, shows extravaganza in
the territorial government. The de-
crease in the territorial tax rate has
not been nearly so great as the de-
crease in the tax rate in Cochise
county 1t has only been few years
since the tax rate in Coehise county
was 81 on the hundred dollars valua-
ton. The county rate is now only 81,
showing a fall of ONE HUNDRED
PER CENT. So, so far as Cochise
county is concerned, our people have
a right to be proud of the democratic
administration here, as it makes a
much better proportionate showing
than does the republican territorial
administration
No one has ever accused the ter
ritoTial administration OF being
crooked; thanks to the good citizen
ship of Arizona this territory has
never been blackened by official or
political scandal. However, the friends
of Governor Kibbey have done him
an injustice by undertaking to show
that his administration has worked
wonders in increasing the taxable
wealth Of the territory and reducing
the tax rate when it is known to all
men that the only governmental con-
dition which increased the assessed
value Of the territory was the passage
of the Doran mine tax law in the last
legislature which Governor Kibbey
fought to the finish, declaring it to
be vicious in principle and not one
which could ever be regarded as a
justly measure That law, which was
fought SO hard by the governor and
his Official family resulted in increas-
ing the mine assessment of the ter
ritory something like $4,000, 900.
Aside from this ali the increase in
the assessment Of the territory has
come from the development of its
resources by those who have been
behind the mining and agricultural
industries and Governor Ribbey and
his administration is entitled to no
credit for that any moro than the ma
tional republican party is entitled to
credit for the good crops which are
slowly righting the country from the
financial panic Of last year
| The people of the nation have seen
Arizona make marvellous progress
during the last ten years. they have
seen the mining industry practically
doubled, they have seen the copper
production grow to be more than that
Of any other state in the union, they
have ssen activity in real estate in
Narivopa county because Of the build
ing Of the Tonic dam b. the govern
ment- Certainly Governor KiB5ey
cannot claim credit for these favorable
conditions which are behind both the
increased assessment Of the territory
and behind what little reduction there
is to be found in the territorial tax
rate.