Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1921-05-29

6 per cent bonds of the district. Then
the district would be required to levy
a tax against it's own lands to pro
vide interest and a sinking fund.
Surprised at Opposition
Captain Alexander expressed sur
prise that any farmer in this valley
should be against this measure or the
constitutional amendment increasing
the limit of bonded Indebtedness of
the state to per cent of the total
assessed valuation which will make it
effective.
"Within eight miles of here" he
declared. there lie 10000 acres which
can be reclaimed under this plan, ir
rigate6 from the Verde river, devei-
oping so 900 horse power of electrical
energy and adding to the taxable
valuation of this county from $780,
o00,0 to 10000, 000-"
The speaker charged the copper in
terests with being behind the oppo-
sition to this measure. 1T is true,
he said, that the mines pay 90 per
cent of the taxes of the state. but the
mines won't last forever, and the bur
den of taxation will be shifted to the
farmer and the stock raiser. Isn't III
well then, that We anticipate the slt-
uation ard prepare for the future
by letting new improved lands yet
TO be reclaimed pay part OF inns
increased taxation?
Referring again to the Paradise
Verde project. Captain Alexander de-
clared that from S10.000,000 to sl5,-
900 900 would be spent in construc-
ton. bringing about good times
through the expenditure of outside
capital. and at the same time provfd-
ing an increased demand for farm
PRODUCTS. the sale of which is now
being thwarted by excessive freight
rates.
IF YOU are standing against this
measure, you are standing against
your own best interests" he said
W. T. Smith spoke in opposition to
Alexander, stating that he viewed
house bill SO in an entirely dlHerent
light. He was opposed to the meas
ure. he declared, on the ground that
it was equivalent to the state issu-
ing $50. 600, 600 in bonds. for. in the
event of any deficit in the payment
on the bonds by the district, he ar
gued. the state would be the loser
Smith cited the Lyman dam as an
example of ruthless extravaganza on
the part of the state, and one which
would be multiplied if the limit on
the states bonded Indebtedness We're
increased under house bill SO. This
project. he said, now owes the state
1875, 900 with only 1000 acres under
cultivation. There are IA other prof.
ects which would want the state to
back them. he said. and this might
easily lead to the state bankrupting
it's credit.
In closing. Mr. Smith argued in
favor of private financing of private
enterprises. citing as an example the
Gillespie dam, whose promoters had
not asked a single cent of public
funds or credit.
At the special invitation of the
chair, Judge o. J. Baughn of Flor
ence addressed the meeting He was
in favor of these bills. he said, as a
promising piece Of legislation which
was vitality needed at this time. Con-
tinuing. he said:
To Be Great Farm State
MY friend Smith came to this
county. I presume, in a wagon. but
today he wouldn't think of travelling
except by automobile or train. Let's
get out of the wagon stage. Arizona
will be large or small in proportion
to its cultivated lands. The days Of
the mines are numbered. Let us pre-
pare for the day when they are no
more In this connection I made a
prediction the other dav, and I make
it here. that Arizona is destined to
become the greatest agricultural state
of the Union. The fertility of the
soil is ours, all that we need is water
development
"Over in Pinal county we are pre-
pairing to build the San Carlos dam,
but without any thought of taking
advantage of this bill. And yet
venture to predict that Pina1 county
will he SfrOno the for
1t means more wet land, and this
means more people to share in the
burden of taxation. A former speak
err referred to the fact that Arizona
has a scattered population of some
500, 900 souls We can increase the
population only through increasing
the agricultural wealth of the state
and that can be increased only by the
DEVELOPMENT of reclamation
TT is all well and good to say that
everv project should stand alone hut
a child must be helped by its father
and the desert land owner must be
/ helped by the state and with the
strong safeguards which these meas
ures provide / fail to see where Ari-
IONA has any chance to lose 1t is
possible that there might be one
crooked official willing to approve
an unworthy project, but it is not
pOSSlDle lnaI Inefe would De i've
crooks in office at one time"
Explains Lyman Dam Deal
d. F. johnson, chairman of the
state corporation commission and
former treasurer, was given the floor
to explain the LYMAN dam deal the
first loan on which was made when
he was a member of the state loan
board. Assuming that the state had
loaned 100000 on the project, he
said. he did not believe that the state
would lose one cent. as it was pro-
tected by lien against the land I'M
der the dam, and that the acceptahce
of the work was to be made at once
F. A. Jones. former member of the
corporation commission and A A
Belts, present head of the rate de
partment of the commission. spoke
on what had been done and what
might be expected in the matter Of
reducing transportation rates. The
matter now hinges largely on a de-
cision which is expected to be handed
down by the supreme court, accord.
ing to Belts.