The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-01-20

There Is probably NO subject pre-
senting itself to the Legislative mind
} surrounded with 70 many ditIicultiea
, ~ that Of taxation. There b always
. q Z: eat deal Of sen~eless populsr exam
7 or stout the wealthy escaping their
reasonable share Of the public bur-
dens. These people fail to take n"te
! Of the fact that capital p"esesses the
. power to shit any burden that may
be placed upon It. Men who loan
money on mortgage invariably make
the poor borrower pay not only the
cost of the transaction, hut the taxs".
So Transparent H. this fsct tl,st many
States provide against double taxa
ton, which is always b,'rne hy the
poor, that when the rally h taxesj
the mortgage shall " fr~c. Of the
same nature Is . tax against credits.
That man Is nm idiot who i:na9tnss
that business man pays taxes on his
l OAOVN ia OUSIss9So. 11so Css~sVsssSs0
ply them. Legislatures may pile up
taxes On railr ads, and 1t will he
found in the end that the dear people
are paying these taxes In increased
rates.
| Taxation il u thing III such womb
erful lr.wer vi distribution and 20
far-reacl,iny and general IN It's "pera-
ton, that wherever traffic reaches
there may so,ns Of Its effects de
traced. II j. not circumscrihed t,y
county, State or natiUnsl line. We
must aprriciat. that VIC are MT "nly
helping to pay the taxes III New
York City, a'ut it, rents and clerk
hire a. we'll; while New York In
turn Is helping I" bear the burdens
Of people from, the utternsost parts Of
the earth. THE elasticity Of trade; the
minute division 0f the burden from
it, general distribution and the
option that ali enjoy of seeking tn.
hest market through competition,
regulate this tli~t ributing quality Of
taxation I" prevent its becoming
oppressive.
This line "f argument h not used
~ . reason why capital should e.
cape taxation; although 1t can be
confidently stated ax an axiom Of ln,.
iiti<.sl economy th"i \ tax on capital
actively employed is an additional
burden plats.i upon the people.
Many of our profounl~st thinkers Le-
lieve that taxes sh,uli oe ~ laid, E,r
the reason that they distribute them
selves throughout the community In
n way that Is not s..nsibly felt by the
public. The same cisinl IL made In
favor IF u tariff E'r revenue. The
Deopic Of the United Slates are pay
ing over SsO, OK. Nk' y year, and no
one feels 1t but the importer. Others
as strenuolis'y contend that taxe~
should only b.. laid on visible proper.
ty--that which Is constantly in view
If the public, and UPON which the ss-
~e,srs'r can put n valuation without |
any annoying inspection into private.
personal affairs. In support III this
.isn:. rinc 1t l. urged that the grs.at |
bulk Of intan .ible property ba''itual-
" ESCAPES taxation.
Although, there was a great deal NJ !
foolish clan"r Ut the time albt.ut lex-
islatlng in the interest Of '.bls,atsd
lond-llultlers." there was probably |
never wiser Congressional net that
which exempted government bonds
from taxation. Government taxa.
ton IT bonds amouAts to = tax on tue
Government Itself. Government
l'o'Mls are even held in Montana, l,ut
not Ole "f them would he held he, e
II the holders hal I" pay aiDut tw
per cent. annual tax on them. This
Territory cannot 10 y wiser thing
than 10 exempt Territorial. county.
and school bond. from,
taxation. The tax upon then, yields
no revenue; 1t merely l,anisl,es them,
and the general circulating medium
Is yearly diminished BY the amount
nj interest sent away Oh their
sccouut. 1t l. true the money
tor which they may I've sol.l
's'turn> to u, and a email portion Of
L may I'm I its way on the Assessors
roll; hut it would BE- far better in
every aspect Of the case tn have these
bonds held here untaxed. Disregard
Iug the: denlsgogism and unthink.
ing clamor that accompanies ques-
ions Of taxation. Legislators should
direct their attention tn
',ch system ~ will produce ade-
luate revenue with the least burden.
In his farewell message Governor
Potts recommends q repeal Of the law
liking tie assessment of mining ! I
IrOun.). There will No doubt be !:
strong effort made for the repeal II
his Law. 1t will no doubt I've urged
hat valuable mines are not Tearing
heir just share ri the public burdens:
hat practical exemption from taxa
lon Is premium to men to hold such !
property for speculative purposes; q
hat the industries Of the Territory I
anguish BY the existence In the body
'oIitfc ola privileged clase; that b,,si- q
'ess men in proximity 10 such ex. 1
n'ptetl property suffer through ito &
'on-deve'op'nent: and that the owner \
4 a Sl0, 0Nl"and of cattle, which he 6
ra'!es for sl".MHlmine, should be t
axed in one casc the same % he /
'ould in the other. The arguments I
u favor Of repeal arr slecioss, hut in O
be light Of sound views upou the n
inject Of taxation are not In accord. q
nee with the public interest. The z
tscu-sion Of this subject must he re- =
Prved for . subsequent article. n