Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1876-02-10

the principal at maturity, would amount to
$50, 900 per annum, making total of $780,
600 year, of which the taxes upon the rail-
road property would pay $16o,00O, leaving
only $50, 1000 to be paid out of the taxes COL
lected of the citizens of Montana. This is
only taking about one-third of the real tax
that would be actually collected Of the rail
road company l undertake to prove this as
follows
First. l will ask. what is the usual per
cent. collected annually in this Territory for
taxes? Is it not about two per cent. Of the
assessed value? I think it is. If it is two
per cent, what will bc the amount OF taxes
collected of the railroad company Oh $15,-
OOO, 900 worth Of property when we come to
add the necessary per cent. to pay the inter
est on the Territorial bonds:
Having now, say $25, 600, 900 worth Of tax
able property, We levy twelve mills additional
tax. This would make q total tax of thirty
two mills on the dollar. Now, how much
money would we collect per annum of the
railroad company in the way of tax?
WHY, we would collect of that railroad
company the nice little sum of $3.50, ,OOO-
$22O, 900 more than enough to pay off the in
terest and principal of our So, GOO, 00U of Ter
ritorial r. r. bonds.
Why, this little surplus would more than
pay all other taxes Of the Territory, and the
present citizens Of the Territory would have
no tax to pay whatever. But do not hold
that this would be right. 1t would be unfair.
Let US reduce the number of mills taxed to
1S, and then the railroad property would just
pay the interest and principal Of the Terri
torial railroad bonds, and leave the people Of
Montana to pay no more tax than they now
do, and probably not near as much as We do
at the present time.
Now, presuming that the railroad COM
pany would be eight years In constructing
their road to our western border, have
Shown you that the tax on their property
only half way across our Territory would, at
20 mills tax, keep US out of debt. What will
be the result when they will have completed
their road all the way through the Territory !?
leave that for you to figure up for yourself.
But, sir, facts and figures are very convinc.
ing-facts arc stubborn things and figures
won't lie
Now, permit me to call your attention to
another little matter. As trifling as it may
seem, it is nevertheless worthy Of some no.
tice. 1have now splendid scheme fol get
ting another railroad constructed into our
beautiful Territory. We are all aware that
Mr.. Richardson has proposed to build the
Utah Northern into this Territory for di-
rect gift of $1,500,000 worth of Montana
bonds. Well will tell you how we can get
that road Give him the bonds he asks for,
and yet in the end it will not cost the Terri
tory one cent, provided the Northern Pacific
Railroad shall be constructed through this
Territory within the next twelve years, (and
I don't believe there is man in Montana,
honestly, who would prophesy to the con-
trary).
Why, sir, all we have to do is to subsidize
the Utah Northern Railroad 1900, 900. Civ
ing our bonds, payable in twenty years, at
per c.nt interest. The Total amount neces-
sary to liquidate those bonds would be only
$4,000, 900, and that, as / am informed,
weld bring the Utah narrow-gaugc some
:.istance into our Territory. Now, sir, we
would have eight years of taxes $50, ,O00, 900
worth of the Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany's property to collect this sum on. Let
US see how much we would have to lax the
n. P. r. r. annually to pay off this debt Of
1000, 900 to the Utah Northern. We would
have to levy tax on the property of the N.
P. II. r. Co. of 16s mills on the dollar per
annum, thus raising all the money necessary
without taxing our people one dime. These
matters, sir, are nuts. for Montanians to crack.
PYTHAGORAS.
BUTTE CITY.