The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1879-11-04
other hand, whatever retards one will injure

other hand, whatever retards one will injurt
the other. !
1t is plain that in a country as far removed
from a foreign market as is Montana, thai
unless her farm products find a market neal
home they will never repay the cost of produc
tion. Take wheat, our chief serial, as ar
example and take one dollar per bushel as
its average price in the markets of eitheI
Chicago OF San Francisco, and it requires no
figures to show that wheat cannot be trans
ported to either of those markets from this
Territory the cost of transportation being
more than its value when it reaches market,
Now, as Montana can produce wheat as
cheaply and a%bundantly as almost any otlel
State or Territory, it follows that the greater
the number of consumers at home the better
the market, and the greater the profit to the
wheat grower. And what is true of wheat is
true of everything else produced from the
ground which can support life, or add to its
enjoyment. See on the other hand the ben
eft which the miner and all others derive
from the product IN of bread and the other
necessaries of life at home. Mining is not
what many persons ~unacquainted will 1t sup
pose-a pursuit Of certain and limitless profit
but on the contrary is of all pursuits attend
ed with uncertainty and taking into view the
capital invested and the numbers engaged, it
is questionable whether the profits are as great
as in any other pursuit that can be named.
1t follows from this that if you increase the
expense of living to the miner, you cut sholt
profits already light and uncertain, or other
wise compel him to abandan that industry
for some other which is less precarious. In
crease the cost of mining fifty per cent. above
what it now is and probably more than half
the mines CT the Territory that are now
worked would have to be abandoned, and
where would the market then be for the sur
plus farm products pl oduced in the Territory?
There may be rivalry and competition, and
therefore conflict of interests between farmers
themselves by Ovcr-production, but there is
not and never can be any conflict between a
producer and a consumer. and this is the re-
lation which exists between the farmer and
the mirer.
As to the other question which more than
anything else gives rise to the feeling of jeal-
ousy which exists between these industries
the apportionment of taXes-the sam rule
should be applied that is already applied to
the merchant, the mechanic, and all others
owning property it should be taxed equally
and bear proportionately the just and neces-
sary expenses of government; and whether
such taxes shouldbe imposed on the estimated
value of the mines, or on their production, as
at present, is II question which must be con-
fided to the wisdom of those who: make our
laws. A matter which has troubled leglsla-
tors and statesmen in all time, has been how
to impose taxes in such a way that the bur-
dens would be equally borne, and owing to
the difficulty OF doing this arises much of the
discomfort and rivalry between different avo-
cations and sections. While absolute equality
of taxation may not be attainable, there are
two principles never to be lost sight of in
striving for that end. One is, to frame laws
which will make taxation as nearly equal as
possible. The other is, not to impose burdens
on one industry for the benefit of another "a
political heresy which the world has outgrown,
with the exception, possibly, of Mr.. Kelley,
of Pennsylvania, who still thinks the world
exists for the sake of pig ron.