Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1914-08-05
CONFERENCE MEN VOTE
PRESCOTT REAL PLACE
(From Sundays Daily.)

/
port together with a general tusi-
ness session upon matters pertain
ing alike to the interests of the diff
| ferent counties of the state yester-
day concluded the annual State Tax
| Conference which was in session
here for the past week. The veter-
ans of the conference who attended
until the last hour of the session,
numbering about forty in all, dis
persed in numbers on yesterdays
trains while a few others remained
over to make the trip today.
The closing hour of the session
was featured by an interesting dis
cussion on cattle valuations and the
presentation of a resolution calling
upon the conference to take a hand
in the long standing dispute between
/ the State Land Commission and the
Interior Department relative to the
opening up of 100000 acres of
script land in the Indian reserva-
tionS of the north. The resolution
was ruled out of order by Chair
man c. NJ. lander who maintained
that the matter did not come with
/ in the jurisdiction of the conference
in that it had no bearing upon tax
matters.
/ The cattle industry, its divers
phases interesting features and pro-
/ fit results came in for warm three
quarter of an hour debate. During
the hearings upon the assessment
rolls of several counties, the aver
age p rice of S21 for head OF cattle
was conceded too low and it was
the consensus of opinion that the
Tax Commission sitting as a board
of equalization would send the fig
ure floating upward next week
However some interesting testi-
mony offered by Inspector Ed
Stephens OF this county before the
conference yesterday may change
this conjecture. Mr.. Stephens has,
himself, been in the cattle business
for a good many years and stated
that he talked from experience
alone. He pointed out that S2l
was a fair figure for assessment.
Mr.. Stephens also bemoaned the
fact that the cattle business is
fluctuating one and likely to be az
soon graced by failure as success;
that last year was one bearing
loss for Yavapai cattlemen because
of the draught and that no cattle
man ever knows of his exact pos
sessions, or better still, not within
twenty per cent of what he act
rrally possesses.
He declared that oft times from
twenty-five to seventy-hve per cent
of a herd was lost from various
causes to be considered in the bust
ness. Concluding he declared that
when a man sold a stock of cattle
for 100000 he was actually receiv
ing $4,000 for his range privileges
which were comprised of govern
ment lands.
Mr.. Stephens advanced these
arguments to show that the cattle
industry was not as much d gold
mine as has been claimed. Other
men acquainted with the cattle bust
ness and taxes spoke along the same
lines
The session adjourned at 1 O'Clock
in order to permit thosse tax men
going north to catch the LIS train.
The closing minutes were featured
by the same genuine jollity and wit
which marked the opening day. For
instance: "Yes, my wife heard of
Prescott's brand of hospitality and
that's why she insisted upon COM
ing along" Ditto" and Ditto"
from numerous corners of the room.
Then again, Chairman Zander was
ing plaza made the transaction OF
extended a vote of thanks for his
Courteous and well behaved" man
ner in which he conducted the srs-
sion at all times.
The entire session has been fei
tured by a spirit OF liveliness which
was no doubt actulted by the SPLEEN
did climatic conditions. At no time
was the court room uncomfortable
because OF heat and the surround
business a pleasure. The visitors to
a unit expressed themselves as sat
ished in every detail with the selec-
ton OF Prescott as the scene of this
years conference and extended votes
OF thanks to the Chamber of Com
merce, Board of Supervisors and all
others who have helped make their
stay here pleasant.
There will be published a yer
batium report of the proceedings and
copies when printed will be sent to
any tax payer upon request.