Weekly journal-miner., 1915-02-24


 ment was as follows: + Ayes - Bacon, Campbell, Chase Crabb, Goldwater, Karns, Lovin, Mac Millin, Webb, Sims-1O.
 Nays-Claridge, Colter, Drachman Kinney, Martin, Munds, Riggs, Stap ley-9.
 New Mine Tax Bills.
 In the house the anti-Sunday bar bering bill was recommended by tho committee of the whole as was also the Brooks state flag bill. Represen- tative Acuff accused Senator Gold water of stealing his (Acuf's) thun- der in the introduction of the fish hatchery bill in the senate. This measure was unfavorably reported.
 A new mine tax bill is ready and will be introduced tomorrow morn ing. It is an exact duplicate of Sen ate Bill No. IS it is said, with the ad' dition of the Mahoney amendment which provides that all costs for breaking strikes shall appear on the company's books as separate ac- count and shall not be deducted from the gross in determining the net. This bill will be offered by Representative Mahoney (Mohave).
 Another mine tax bill along entire ly different lines is also being prepar- ed and will be introduced in the upper house soon. This measure is said to have the support of the radicals"
 PHOENIX, Feb. 19 - The state tax commission is to be abolished ii the senate has its way about it. In committee of the whole this morning by vote of 13 to 6 the Stapley bill providing for the removal of the tax commission and passing its powers to the corporation commission, was rec commended for passage. The lineup was as follows:
 Ayes-Bacon, Chase, Crabb, Garvin, Goldwater, Karns, Kinney, Lovin, Martin, MacMillin, Riggs, Sims, Stap- ley-13.
 Nays Campbell, Claridge. Golfer, Drachman, Munds, Webb-6.
 The Debate.
 The debate was opened by Senator Golfer (Apache), who is recognized as the administration floor leader in the senate. He said that "the bill is wrong in principle"
 Senator Claridge followed with an argument for the defense in which he averred that the corporation com mission itself might better be abol- ished. He charged that particular interests" are back of the bill because they do not want taxes capitalized" " Claridge accused the democrats of de string to abolish every office held by republican, and argued that the leg islature had no right to do away with an elective office.
 Prior to the opening of the debate an opinion from the attorney general was read holding that the commis- sion, being creature of the legisla- ture, may be done away with at the pleasure of the legislature.
 Economy and Efficiency.
 Senator Stapley eloquently defend cd the right of the legislature to abol- ish the commission and urged that economy be indulged in. It costs $240,000 to govern state with a pop ulation of 25OOOO," he said. The speaker went on to point out that the commission performed no original research work but depended upon established sources of informa- ton, county and city officials and the corporation commissions books. The commission" he said, twas not strong enough or able enough to tax cities and called in an expert at a salary of $700 month to install the Somers system. They taxed the peo- pie to death and then hid behind the mine tax law. If it cannot tax city it certainly is not capable of taxing state. The corporation commission is ill a far better position to assess than the tax commission can ever be, and the state can save $l9,000 year. Wake up, and get little economy into the state of Arizona"
 Point of Law. Claridge raised the point that the state will be liable for the salary of the commission during the period for which the members were elected. to which Stapley replied that if they were so sure of it he failed to under stand the lobbying which has been going on in the city and the capitol against the bill.
 Senator Riggs (Cochise) said that "a start must be made somewhere il we ever get anywhere" and declared his intention to support the bill.