Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-01-23
A BURDEN TO TAXPAYERS

The hill recently introduced In the ,.a,,,..ure to curtail the enormous and daily growing bounty burden on sne of the respective counties oi tho territory is a good one, of 1t goes far enough,) and should meet With nnai massage. The original law authorizing ,na pavment of these bounties on the scalps, hides and ears of wild animals and pests of various kinds has been grossly abused, and at it's best IS some thing of an injustice to more than one half the taxpayers of Arizona. The Sn- yer Belt will admit that the farmer mas hean and will continue to be for some time to come, greatly annoyed and nand- icapped by losses from the ravages oi wild beasts and pests of different va r,et,es But the farmer is victim oi his environments and will ind httie relief until the country becomes more densely populated. If the real facts could be ascertained it is doubtful that census of the wild animal population if taken today, would show any material decrease over that of one, two or three wears ago. There is bare possipintg that it would show an increase. But let that be as it may, bounty payments, as prescribed under the law as 1t ex- ists today has put nearly every county in the territory up against serious financial problem, and one which must receive prompt attention at the hands of the law makers. In some sections oi the territory, so report says, the prop agation of wild animals and rabbits i' encouraged purely for the purpose oi killing and securing the bounty. Bu' here's the rub. The man living in th' towns and cities of the territory mus share the tax equally with his brother on the farm and ranch that these oount! demands may be satisfied. The none! goes back to the farm to remunerat the rancher in a degree, small tnougi if may be, for any losses he may hav sustained as a result of these annoyinI ''beasts."
 The Silver Belt has stated that tn farmer is the victim of environment The town and city tax payers are als victims of environment, but relief not afforded. They must work out thei own salvation. And they do so withou complaining. A Globe man, for IT stance. builds a fine block in the bus ness district. Next door and for sex eral doors down the street stand TOW of old shacks-regular fire traps-and
 menace at all times to his own blocl The city affords him no relief. Tn county would not make good his lo' in any way should he be burned ou No sir. He goes down in his jeaI and digs up the insurance premium If the board of supervisors would pa a bounty on the scalps of insuran' agents the town fellows might have
 little chance to break even and, Ill the farmer, get portion of his mon' back. But the insurance agent is re ogrized as a necessary evil, and Ill the poor he will be always with us.
 But to the serious side of the que ton. The offering of a bounty W
 to encourage the slaughter of list
 destructive agents raising havoc wi
 the development of the country. Tn
 it has proven an expensive failure ca
 not be successfully denied. It has U
 doubtedly afforded a little unusual re ,enue to the farmer and his hired he
 but we will venture this assertion th
 no greater number of beasts have be
 killed under the provisions of the bor
 ty law than would have been killed h