Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-07-31
x1NER vs.. COWBOY.

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at some length to IN article which appeared
in TIE MINER some time since upon the
preponderance Of the cowboy interests in
the Legislative Assembly and the necessity
OF sending an able delegate from Silver
Bow to protect and defend its great inter-
est, mining. During the last session the
cattlemen continually threatened the
mining industry with legislation that
if carried through would have stopped
the working Of almost every mine In
the camp. The shameful domineering
OF the Stock Association composed
almost exclusively OF members OF the Legs
lature certainly cannot have escaped the
memory OF those present at the capital.
They held their meetings regularly. mostly
in the evenings, occupying the Legislative
Halls for that purpose to the exclusion OF
the members who did not have the honor
OF belonging to the institution. They Gre
ated a cattle and horse a%ristocracy makk.
none but the owners OF horses and cattle
eligible to certain Offices they created. They
forced upon the people Of the Territory a
veterinary surgeon with salary OF $4,000
peryeara and his necessarytraveling expenses
which by any proper construction ofthe Law
creating the Office is paid out ofthe Terrific
rialfund. 1t gave to this veterinary surgeon
the power to appoint two deputies, whose
mileage, by the same construction, should
be paid out of the Territorial fund. Sec
ton IL of said act was purposely drawn
with a view OF hoodwinking the people by
making it appear that the salary and
mileage OF the surgeon, as well as the mile
age Of his deputies was to be paid out OF
the fund created by the act, when in fact.
by the very terms OF the act,
they are to be paid from the
Territorial Treasury, and not from the
special fund. We apprehend. that the
amount which may reasonably be required
for this purpose and coming from the gen.
eral fund, will amount to 5000 per year,
and add to this 81. 900, as shown by the
report of the Territorial Auditor, for boun-
ties for killing wild animals, and we have a
total of SIS, 900 that has been paid back
to that industry. Under the present tax
OF two mills the COW industry pays into the
Territorial Treasury about $4,000 per
annum, while up to last year it raj only
half that sum. The estimate of Territorial |
expenses, as shown by the Auditors report
for 1886, is $40, 900 and ofthis amount as
is shown above the boosted COW interest
$40. 900 net aside from what |
it drains from the Treasury by unjust laws.
Is it then possible that any ono will deny !
that this interest is compelling other in |
dustries to contribute to it's support? On |
the other hand Silver Bow pays to the |
Territory for licenses $4,000 per year and
for other taxes $4,000 in all $35, 600 or
81, 900 more than the entire cattle interest
OF the Territory. Here almost all pur-
suits, excepting the one, have not
only to pay tax upon their property, |
but have also had to pay a tax upon their
business. This burdensome license has |
been carried SO far as to place a Lax upon
brains and skill. Any n who takes the
to read tho license law of the Ter
ritory will be astonished at it's oppressive |
provisions. and in this connection let it be |
that one-fourth OF this sum is !
paid into the Territory. There is not and |
cannot be any excuse or justification for
the Wholesale extortion,. but under existing |
all residents, including the pro-
f~essions, are compelled to pay it.
We repeat that Silver Bow County should
send an able delegation to the next Legisla-
ture, lest the audacious cowboy may take
it into his head to drive out the mines by
excessive taxation. The mining industry
is the hope Of the Territory. 1t aids and
encourages settlement. It furnishes a mar
ket for all that the rancher can raise; it
ranching and settlement possible.
It builds cities and towns, it furnishes en-
ployment to thousands and scatters mil
among the laboring classes. OF this
perhaps no better example exists than that
the Anaconda Company, which supports
city, the third in size in the Territory,
and pays more money to the laboring
classes than the combined cattle monopo.
les. If Montana's broad acres create
market for more ranch produce, it con-.
more to civilization than would
if it were one unbroken COW
'anch, en1ivened only by the crack of the
revolver and the music of the
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