The Arizona copper camp., 1915-08-20
HUNT AND DEMOCRACY.

The Bisbee Review, the strongest
and staunchest of Arizona's demo-
cratic state dailies in a strong ed1torlal
attacks Governor Hunt, especially
charging the governor with failing u
give to the state an economical ad-
ministration and to tighten the burden
of taxation. Here is what the Re
view has to say !.
Nearly twelve months have passed
since the citizens of Arizona first
heard the good news that the expense
of government would be reduced with
out impairment of efficiency, and that
the burden of taxpayers would be
Iightened IF the Hunt administration
were continued in power. This good
news was later emphasized and made
more plausible by being embodied in
campaign promises. Governor Hunt
personally put in circulation the prom
ise bearing his unqualified endorse
ment, and instructed his lieutenants to
go forth and propose this covenant to
the people The people took the
Hunt administration at it's word.
Hunt was elected.
Review readers will recall that this
newspaper-which counseled against
the re-acceptance of Hunt--never-
theless made his reelection the oc-
casion for an expression OF nope /
that his second term would prove OF
greater benefit to the people than
his first. The Review in all sincerity
pledged it's support to every worthy
undertaking which the administration
sponsored.
1.-The time has arrived when the
taxpayers of Arizona may know
whether or not they have been de-
ceived. Only that testimony put forth
by the Hunt administration exclusive
burden of proof rests entirely upon
the Hunt administration. Nothing
controversial must enter into the re-
port on Hunts stewardship. Whether
Hunt is a paragon of executive ability
or so-called public servant of
lamentable but astonishing imbecility
: has no part in the arraignment. That
u the case may be presented in alb
solute fairness, the promises Of Hunt
must be set over against the fair
keeping or the false treatment of
+I,oeo y,ropoieacD
Here is Hunts covenant:
Il promise economy to the people
of Arizona"
Here is the result: Increase of
s1S,OOO,OOO in assessments of 1915"
Here is Hunts covenant:
Il promise to tighten the burdens
of taxation"
Here is the result; Increase in
tax rate of nine and half cents on
The hundred dollars. This increase
is at ratio of twenty-one and half
per cent"
TIE question naturally arises:
rs the Hunt administration solely
responsible for these results?"
The answer is:
Senate bill No. passed by the
recent legislature provided for a tax
levy of 44139 cents, which would
have raised $1,S56,210.Os for State pur-
poses This bill was the sole arbiter
- of its destiny. He proclaimed his dis
approval of the measure by deed of
hand. He increased the demand upon
the taxpayers of Arizona to $2,27O,-
9O125.
In 1914, the assessed valuation Of
the State was $4O7267,99S. Yet what
did he do after election? He in
cerased the assessed valuation of the
State to $42O,597,412 for 1915.
Let no taxpayer smarting under
betrayal of Hunt turn impetuously
upon the Democratic party George
Washington P. Hunt has betrayed the
Democratic party of this State no
less than the people as a whole. Let
no taxpayer harbor the belief that
redress can be secured by drawing
democracy to defeat in. order to efface
Hunt and his hirelings. Until the
party fails to repudiate the man, there
must be complete dissertation of the
party and the man in efforts to cast
lNllIIllIlIIlIlIlIIIIIIIlIIIlIII Observation-Disclosures