Nogales international., 1932-07-02
highways.
Unemployment

'I called the Tenth Legislature Of
Arizona in Special Session to act !
upon the question of unemployment. |
I realized, then as now, that there
we're two horns to the dilemma. /!
On the one hand we. have great un-
employment with consequent suffer-
ing; on the other hand the serious
situation of the taxpayers. It was
and is evident that public funds for
the relief of unemployment must not
increase the burden of taxation on
property.
'<I advocated to the Special Ses-
sion a program of unemployment re-
lief based on public works to be
financed by taxes on so-called lux
uries. This plan provided that the
surplus Of proceeds from the luxury
taxes should go into the general
fund for the lowering of taxes on
property. / advised the Legislature
that in case my plan was not accep-
table, I would sympathetically con-
slider any program which it might
adopt for the purpose 1t is a mat
ter of keen regret to me that the
State Legislature neither adopted
my program nor presented one of it's
own.
"Since that time, the National
Congress has adpoted similar pro-
cram in order to balance the budget
and relieve the financial stringency
of the Federal Government.
Copper Tariff
ARIZONA, in common with other
states. has been confronted with
rapidly declining valuations OF all
CLASSES of property. Our situation has
been more acute and distressing by
the deplorable conditions existing in
cur great copper industry. The cop
per properties in the past have con-
tributed as high as one half the
total of State taxes
Thousands of ciizens had lost
their enjoyment in our copper in
dustry due to the disappearing mar
Eet for. copper. The situation indie
ated that the time wa.s not fa- dis
tant when this industry would be
completely closed. Inasmuch as two
out Of every three dollars Of Arr
zc,a income were derived from cop
per nairing, the loss Of this indust-
~ to tLlc state would injure every
Arizona citizen.
q created and organized a COM
mission CT five men to serve as the
Arizona Tariff Commission with an
advisory council G ftwo hundred Of
the best informed citizens of our
State. Our problem was to arouse
Congress- and the nation to the ne
ccssity Ct stepping foreign combln-
atioa from capturing the American
copper market, thereby destroying
the second largest metal indusry in
America and the largest means OF
livelihood in Arizona.
Gan organization was perfected
throughout all the copper producing
states and extended to every state
IN the Union. The fight was car
ried on against powerful interests.
With the invaluable aid of the Ari-
zon1 delegation in Congress, we
have obtained a measure of temper
ary relief through the enactment OF
a four cert tariff on copper in the
Finance Bill. The fight is but half
! won. If normal conditions in our
great cope; industry, with all that
they imply to our people, are to be
4 permanently assured, then it is Wit
ally important that the fight be con-
tinued for fixed and higher tariff
rates by the National Congress. The
Importance OF continuing the organ
ization which has been perfected
for this purpose cannot be over
stressed. Restoration of our copper
industry is one Of the essential fac
tors in the solution of our present