Arizona republican., 1908-08-15
AN EVASION OF THE MAIN
FACTS.

FACTS.
Using the unfortunate Ways as a
medium again last night. Governor
Kibbey in a further editorial on the
Doran bill, engages in a bubble.
The governor proves by the legisla-
tive journal that bill I5S was sub
stitute and not the Doran bill itself.
The Republican has not at any time
contended that the bill was not Of
ficially designated as a substitute
but that it was never referred to by
speakers for and against it and the
public generally, as a substitute but
as the Doran bill since the principle
of that bill was strictly maintained
in the bill which became a law. 1t
is still popularity known as the Doran
bill.
The governor is guilty of an error
in stating that the new bill had been
introduced from the committee which
had sought to meet the governors
objections to the original bill and
had found the Doran bill incapable
of amendment" The governor had
never encouraged the committee to
meet his objections; he had distinctly
stated that no measure on the basis
of the Doran bill would be accepta-
BILE to him. There was then pending
in the house bill No. 143 in which
was embodied the governors views
on mine tax legislation.
The notion that the Doran bill was
incapable of amendment" was the
the governors and not the commit
tees. With the exception of sub
stituting "25 per cent for 40 per
cent in the provision relating to that
part of the product of the mines
subject to assessment, not a change
was made by which the new bill
would produce a single penny of
revenue more than the Doran bill
would have done. There were a few
minor changes, not one of which
met the slightest opposition from
Mr.. Doran or other friends of the
original bill. The governor speaks
mysteriously of important changes
but he neglects to designate them.
The bill passed, and the original
bill were so nearly alike that those
ichf ell
have thought they were the same.
Surely the Doran bill whose principle
was not changed in the slightest and
whose form was almost impercepti-
bly, altered can not truthfully be
said to have been incapable of
amendment" And nobody ever said
it but the governor and the attorney
general.
However all this is unimportant.
Everything that has recently been
said in connection with that legisla-
ton has been unnecessary and
would not have been said but for
the governors assumption of credit
for legislation which he denounced at
the time and threatened with his
veto.
The essential points in this whole
matter stand out definitely. They
are: the legislation was declared
by the governor to be a failure; its
defects were pronounced incurable;
its principle was denounced as vi
cious; the governors supporters in
the council and house opposed the
Doran bill and a majority of them
consisting of the more ardent bench |
men opposed the new bill up to
and during the last vote on final |
passage. The governor was believed |
at the time and has been believed |
ever since to have encouraged the op- |
position. This BILL as well as the |
original bill The Republican warmly |
advocated. The governor believed it |
would decrease the revenues. 1t has
added s6,OOO,OOO to the mining val
uations of Arizona. The governor
now claims credit for forcing it upon
the legislature. Less than two years
have elapsed since that gubernatoriaI
pressure" was exerted. Nearly all
persons who were familiar with the
circumstances are still alive and of
sound mind and memory. The gov
ernor is also yet alive but of de-
fective memory.