Graham guardian., 1915-04-16

out OF the pockets or the taxpayers,
so that Pima or Thatcher would
have better chance by increased
population to get the county seat.
A very nice proposition. indeed, to
put up to intelligent people. And
if at the end of six years the popu-
lation has not increased sufficient to
make it safe to hold an election,
further delay for another six years
might be attempted.
In the meantime there would be
no new court house, but the ex-
pense would 90 on just the same,
increasing as the needs of keeping
up the present degenerated pile
must be met.
1t is an insult to the intelligence
of the people of Graham county to
say that an additional tax of 2 cents
on $4,000, is sufficient reason to
vote NO on county seat removal,
when the reason back of it all is a
selfish one.
The need of new county seat
and a new, up-to-date court house,
such a one as the people could point
to with pride, is admitted on all
sides, and this fact was made more
emphatic when the bill for county
seat removal was introduced by Mr
Lines, of Pima, a member of the
State legislature from Graham
county. What was the reason for
introducing and working for the
successfully passage of this bill, if
it was not intended to move the
county seat? More than that, why
was the emergency clause tackled on
the bill, which reads as follows:
Sec. 10. WHEREAS: This act
requires early operation 10 order to
preserve the PUBLIC PEACE,
HEALTH AND SAFETY, therefore,
an emergency is hereby declared to
exist and this act shall be in full
force and effect from and after it's
passage and approval by the Cover
nor, and is hereby exempted from
the Referendum provision of the
State Constitution"
Why. if county seat removal was
not absolutely necessary, if new
court house in order to PRESERVE
THE PUBLIC PEACE, HEALTH
AND SAFETY, as stated in the emel-
gency clause, was not needed, was
the emergency clause tackled on the
bill to prevent the people by refer
endum action from defeating the
object Of the bill, namely, to remove
the county seat of Graham county
and build a new court house in order
to preserve the public peace, health
and safety of the people of Graham
county.
Funny, is it not? That when the
bill for county seat removal was
successfully accomplished and the
people of Graham county began to
get ready for the election to make
the change which was declared to
be absolutely necessary in order to
preserve the public peace, health
and safety Of its people, that we
should be told now that we don't
want county seat removal.
Why don't we? Was the legis |
lature also deceived when it was de. |
clared that conditions existed that
demanded the construction of a new
court house?
Let US go little further. The
certified copy of House Bill No. a
(mark this number, the fourth bill
introduced in the House of Repre-
must needs be prompt
action at the time) gives the fol-
lowing as the true reasons for
county seat removal and the con.
struction of new buildings:
SECTION l9, WHEREAS, The court
houses and public buildings in some
of the counties of this State are
now in an unsafe and unsanitary
necessitating the immedi-
ate construction of new buildings;
and,
WHEREAS, Conditions exist rem
dering it expedient to construct
such buildings in the community
where same are now located; and,
WHEREAS, The court houses and
public buildings of some counties of
the State are now located in places
inaccessible and inconvenient to
I,.o.o ron;,.;,,, &c H. a;t;..S. e