Arizona republican., 1913-05-05
An Opportunity for Redemption

It is more than rumored that strong element in the will oppose the tax commission bill as it comes from the house amended with the Graham mine taxing bill attached to it. after the bin itself had been amended as to increase the value of mines for purposes of taxation by about $15,O0O,OOO. giving them total taxable value or not less than $12oOOoOOO
 It may be admitted that the passage of these bills as separate measures would have been more orderly but the house perceived that to be mpos- sible. There was time enough at the disposal of the legislature for the consideration either of the two mine taxing bills which had been intro duced. Beside it known that there strong party in the senate as there was weak party the disposed to leave the taxation of mines to the commission which expected 10 work plan for placing a value on mines guessing at the value of them. Any plan that the tax commission would devise would be almost cer- tain to produce expensive litigation long before it would produce any revenue for the state, and the state will be soreIy in this year and next year.
 It is now the Graham bill in the form of amendment to the tax commission bill, nothing. it shall be nothing the first legislature of the of Arizona will leave behind it record of in competence and blundering. The laundering record is already pretty well made up but much of it may be effac-d by the enactment of workable law for the taxation of the mines.
 We do not know, and know, whether the Graham bill provides adequate assessment of the mines. The mine them selves could know. We may suspect that the basis of valuation would De small. But this much we do know-that the amendment would give the mines taxable valuation least $1200 0O000 against $450OOOOO last year, addition of s750o0ooo to the tax roll of the state This increase is than half valuation kinds property in the year little than $140000000. But whether the Graham bill makes provision for an adequate assessment not, it is a beginning along steps right direction and if it is found that gone enough it will make it easier to proceed. Let take this step.
 Gentlemen of the senate, do not leave this mine taxation muddle in existence any longer. Here is a chance profitably bring order out of chaos, and member can himself for embracing it.
 Some of the opponents of the amended bill offer very foolish their opposition that it is unconstitutional the constitution prescrbes that mines shall be taxed all other classes of prop erty. Certainly, they shall bear the same rate of taxation, but there in the constitutional convention crazy enough suppose that mines could be assessed same other classes property. Railroads are not assessed the same as other classes of property. Tn fact, there hardly classes of property assessed in quite the same manner
 Every who against the pending bill is an obstructionis If this should be de- feated we will have very little useful, constructive legislation the great expense the last two special sessions the legislature though we will have legislation which not urgently needed if all. We will have freak legislation for which there less than need