Arizona republican., 1916-08-24
The pedo Bird as an Issue

Our democratic neighbors of both factions have locked horns over the mine law when there is such thing. They might well be quarreling over color of that extinct bird the dodo, the habits the almost forgotten Gyasticuticus Both factions are declaimng against the mine tax law. One Is ac cused of having time favored it and the other is accused of favoring it since.
 All this is for the confusion of the voters, many of whom that the mines this year were assessed under system identical in principle with the mine tax law that was in force during 19l3-l4 and mine bill that failed in the second legis lature The tax commission adopted that principle, using only different factors and making different classification of the mines.
 There is belief entertained by a majority of voters we believe that physical valuation of the mines has somehow been made; that they have been assessed as other classes of property have been sessed. That is not the at all The tax commits sion merely determines the be employed in assessing the upon the value of their produc- tion instead of having those factors fixed by the legislature.
 For the enlightenment of democratic voters who will almost certainly not receive it at the hands of the democratic politicians of either faction. will briefly present facts regarding mine legis laton in this When the first legislature met in 1912 of the first things attempted was the actment of code. Nothing could be accomplished in the regular session in either of the ordinary sessions of that year. The house favored and passed mine bill known the Graham bill. The senate rejected it and passed general taxing bill leaving it to the tax commission to determine the value of the mines as it might see fit A majority p the commission opposed the Graham bill and had fanclful theories. among them the Michigan plan. for arriving at the physical value of mining prop critics
 Late in the spring of 1913 another third ex- traordnary session of the first legislature called chiefly purpose settling the question of ation. The Republican, which had not favored spe- cial mine bill but had taken keen interest in the subject, favorng a system which would all property alike. that the two houses could be brought together in favor of general law in favor of the Graham bill 1t had passed the house A fine prospect opened up of confusion when the tax commission came to assess the mines under the old territorial Some threats against them and and other great corporations had been made and The Republican foresaw stubborn and long litigation such the territory had suffered in attempts to collect taxes and it impressed upon advocates of the mine bill and it's opponents the necessity of getting gether. It suggested the operators increase of the factors proposed by the Graham bill and to bers of the senate a trial of the bill, amended. The operators at first refused compromise saying factors entirely high. but length they yielded Enough members of the senate changed their position to attach the amended Graham bill rider to the general bill with the promise that the rider should remain in effect only years
 Its operation found fairly satisfactory. though The Republican believed, as many others did that though it increased the valuation of the mines and their properties s14OOOOOOO it still did impose their full share of the burden upon them
 Tn the next legislature another mine bill presented. It became factonal rather than economic bone of contention. It passed the senate but failed in the house.
 But we have stated, the principle, the machinery slightly altered of the first mine tax law still wives in the commission, which has only been relieved tf restrictions by the legislature in the operation of it. Still, the mines assessed as other property is assessed The chmerica schemes for arriving the actual valuation of the mines been abandoned