Rocky Mountain husbandman., 1884-08-14
Editor
THURSDAY, AUGUST IA, 1884

rcticent on the new Constitution. Only one
or two of them have yet declared their posi-
ton. Their silence, however, may be in
tcrpreted as favorable. The Helena Herald,
though believing as we do, would rather
have the instrument as it is than get into a
sQuabble that is liable to postpone the day of
Statehood, and urges that it should be car
ricd by large majority in order that It's
adoption might influence Congress to early
action in our behalf The New North West
is satisfied with its provisions, and though
it does not claim that they are entirely
equitable, thinks the leading question, that
of taxing the mines, should be settled once
for all and that now is the proper time to
do it. The Mineral A1guS, less scrupulous
than the rest, advocates it on the assump-
ton that it would "clothe one of the indus
tries of the Territory with the protection
necessary to guarantee its rapid develop
ment and investment OF capital" But why
should we protect one industry more than
another? Certainly only the weak should
ask such a privilege at the hands of any
people, and the argus certainly will not
claim that mining is weak. 1t is as old as
any industry in the country and if it will
ever be able to bear its just share of the
public burden it is able now. Unwilling to
meet the question, that journal misquotes
w ha fav Of hnl
in the ground. Not so we advocate the
taxing Of mines, not "hoes in the ground"
However, if holes in the ground have val
ue then tax them for all they are worth,
just as other property is taxed. We do not
demand taxation of property on the basis of
its cost, but on the basis of its value Farms,
stock and many other things that are taxed
annually, are not taxed in proportion to
their cost but on basis OF their value It
er. He has hard time, we admit, and is
deserving of the highest esteem and of hav-
ing his rights jeaously guarded. All poor
people are entitled to this-the poor farmer
as well as the poor miner. He is equally as
useful as a citizen and sees as many hard
ships in his road as any member of the Com
monwealth. But a tax on mines would
work less hardship upon the poor than is
now imposed. The poor prospector, as a
if mines were taxed the burden upon him
would be lighter. There is to-day from
fifty to one hundred millions of mining
property in Montana owned by foreign cor
porations that do not pay dollars tax.
Thus the wealth of the country is being
dug up and shipped away to enrich those
people, and what does Montana get out of
it? Merely the cost of digging. 1t cannot
be argued that the mining investments do
not pay. The annual yield of the Terri
tory clearly demonstrates that they do.
Then what is the sense of talking about en-
couraging mining. 1t is encouraged and is
as prosperous as any other industry Why
should it be any more so? Why should we
be in any great haste to have our rich min
eral deposits worked out. The average lite
time of the best quartz mines is not over
twenty years, and we need not be alarmed
our mines will be worked out time
enough without any protection. 1t may be
argued that mining is uncertain. So it is
with farming, woo-erowing and other
branches OF husbandry. Grasshoppers,
hail storms, etc, destroy our crops. and low
markets render it almost impossible for the
farmer to make ends meet. Our sheep have
scab and wool is low. Sheep and cattle also
die OF starvation and perish in snow storms.
Vet no one ever thought of taxing only the
net proceeds of these industries. Mining is
entitled to the same protection under the
law as other industries; no more, no less
Our fair-minded colemporary, the Ne,0
North West, who is always courteous, invites
the attention OF the Territorial press to the
issue, and pending this suggests to us:
1st. That, so far as we have knowledge
every State and Territory il. the Union pro-
ducing the precious metals from rock in
place provides by constitution or statute
fully as liberal mining exemption as that
proposed in Montana. Colorado does not
even tax the net proceeds. The action of
others, resulting well, is light Of expert
ence to us.
I'd. TO equalize the conditions as nearly
as possible the Montana Constitut ion also
exempts growing crops and live stock under
six months old.
Sd. The clause as embodied in the Consti-
tuition is precisely, as relates to mines, as
the Law now stands on the statutes of Mon