The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-07-27
A CONTRAST.

"
sized every sunday for Now
Mexico M Arizona distribution,
carried In adjoining columns articles
reviewing the valuations for assess
ment purposes Of the states of New
Mexico and Arizona The New Mex
leo item was headed
NEW MEXICO VALUED AT
t2so.O0O. 600"
The Arizona article WAS headed:
ASSESSED VALUATION OF
ARIZONA FOR 1914 slOi. co., GOO"
The articles which followed these
headings made even a worse adver-
tisement for this state than the
headings themselves. for the articles
explained In turn that the sfO4.0 OO.-
600 from Arizona was the valuation
of property As TAXED. while the
t25o.0O0. 600 from New Mexico was
the ACTUAL VALUATION OF ALL
PROPERTY In this state: the valua-
ton actually taxed being but me-
third Of two hundred aud fifty r;il-
Hons
Thus the news goes cut to the
world, not only in this
with a quarter OF a million eader
hut In a dozen newspapers of equally
large distribution tina Arizona IL
taxed on ii valuation practically
double tho actual valuation OF New
Mexico. in other words that In nat
ural and In property de-
yeloped, Arizona n several times as
rich a commonwealth as our own.
II 4 not necessary to repeat the
well known fact that one 81 the mat
tiers first investigated by investing
capital Is general business. general
progress. general conditions. and
that its next inquiry is directed to
taxation and governmental condi-
tions.
The contrast drawn by the assess
ment rolls Of the two sister states
with almost Identical climatic and
other natural conditions, lying side
by side aud ooustitnrng the bulk of
the far southwei ths contrast Is
such "a one as wi Ine, tally work to
the grave injury o. Sew 'icxicu. The
New Mexico correspondent makes an
attempt to explain the slim value Of
New Mexico's total wealth by "A
statement which makes his story
even q worse advertisement OF IN
State although he tells bu' tho sim
pl" truth. Hc shows clearly that up
To this time we nave not been able
10 govern ourselves properly. No
government can be called competent
which permits to stand a ~slip-shod,
ruinous taxation system.
So. aside from the tax burden
which the small owner = improved
property carries. and which the large
owner Of huge land n live stock
II bank stock interests osca pes,
aside from the injustice ~ our ex-
iaiing system. II IL may be 30 far dig
nified. the future development Of this
great state demands that our taxa
ton system he attended 10 and at
ended to NJ once, lent We gain a ma
uonal reputation aH regards our re-
sources which we can never over
come.
We hear the statement from the
interests which favor "a continuance
Of tho present system - legalizcd
tsx-dodginE in this state that ART
IONA really Is a richer state than
New Mexico. This statement Is
false; and the wise owners OF coal
hand and srazing land and mineral
land who make Il know Il IL false.
This centtast has come or in New
Mexico before. Il hos been flung in
the faces Of our legislators and they
have been Graded 60 sleep by the
old Republican machine bosees with
h song that New Mexico really IL a
poorer" country than Arizona.
The facts are M returned at real.
forced sale value. New Mexico prop
sTty, IN bulk. IL worth more than
Arizona property, The railroad mile
age OF the two states Is approximate
~ equal with the balance a trifie in
New Mexico's ~ In earning ca
paoiiy the New Mexico mileage u"-
doubtedly Is the larger,
New Mcxico has about double the
area Of improved producing agricul-
tural land that Arizona has. lts
area subject 10 irrigation Is about six
times greater than that Of Arizona
50 that sc are far ahead Of the Sis
ter eafs, as regards agricultural
land 10 both actual and potential
farm land values
IN live stock. New Mezieo has
about ten times ~ many sneep. about
four times ~ many cattle, about five
times az many goats and aoo twice