, 1889-09-25


gle year. Why, there are many citizens
who could remember when the Union Pa
cifc bought from the Colorado Coal
Il Iron company. There was an
erroneous impression about the immense
profits OF coal mining. With a tax of the
sort proposed and assuming that the
industry became greater in a
few years, the interest would
leave a residue in the treasury, in
viting raid, upon the Golfers Of the state.
Then the mines were to contribhte more
to the support of the state than the
county. The opposite should be the case.
He held that the fact. of the territory
paying more for the protection of coal
mines than the interest covered into the
public treasury was a fallacious argument.
All citizens, in whatever business, must
be protected by the government. Mr..
Clark said that investors in coal claims
were not certai.s of gain. There was
great competition and the constitution
should not frown upOn those who desired
to engage in the business. 1t was not
fair to single out coal mines for taxation
and fail to levy tribute on oil wells, soda
lakes. gold, silver, copper and iron mines.
The mining of coal by persons other than
the Union Pacific on the line of that
road had not been successful until the
interstate commerce law came into force
only n vaar or nora 600 nf tho pro6te
of the Union Pacific he knew nothing,
but did know hat coal could not be put
on the cars for less than $l.75 a ton. 1t
had been said that the tax would come
from the consumer. At Omaha compe-
ton was so keen that the Union Pacific
used, to a great extent. lows coal as far
west as North Platte. Business prInci-
pies settled prices. The tax would come
from the operator or the miners them
selves and no one else, but probably from
the laborer. In either case this money
would come from citizens.
1t had been said that the value Of a
coal mine could not be determined. This
is a mistake as the amount of coal can be
measured almost to a ten. The first ton
of coal brought to the surface from a new
mine cost $4,000. Mr.. Clark had heard
members plead in the convention for
fairness. He asked only for Justice.
Teschemacher argued that if the con-
stitution makers of Dakota had levied a
special tax on wheat they would have
been fully as consistent as the members of
this convention in forcing a tribute from
the coal interest. The line of argument
might apply to the cotton in the south.
Don't extort a tax from persons who are
assisting in the development of the coun-
try. The speaker was appalled, to hear
Democratic doctrine from President
Brown, whose Republicanism had never
been questioned. Teschemacher SAID his
party fealty had been doubted, and on
the Democratic basis argued that the
special levy was wrong.
Mr.. Potter objected to the special tax
on principle, and urged that an industry
of such great importance should not be
throttled. This matter should properly
be left entirely to the legislature. There
would be no difficulty in learning the
value OF these properties. Mr.. Potter
read an amendment which he had pre-
pared. 1t differed but little from Mr..
Hays.
Mr.. Riner asked Judge Brown if l.
SOC, 900 tons of Wyoming coal, taxed
$37, 900. could compete with 800, 900
tons of free list Colorado coal.
Mr.. Coffeen thought the only true sys-
tenn Of coal taxation was by the ton. He
called attention to the fact that the cattle
man paid taxes on his herds for several
He asserted that more than half OF the
coal product of the United States paid a
tax of three cents a ton and that this
convention need not fear to make the
smaller levy mentioned.
Mr.. Hay said that his amendment did
entirely abolish coal tax, but left the mat
ter to the legislature.
Mr.. Campbell was familiar with the
situation In at least one county in Penn.
sylvania and would oppose the special
tax. There the mines had been corralled
by the corporations and the laborers were
perhaps the poorest paid in the country.
Mr.. Baxter had first favored the origi-
nal bill and still believed it not improper
at all, but in the course of the argument
had come to think that perhaps the sub
ject was one for Legislation. There was
scarcely a possibility of the treasury being
overburdened on account of the tax. He
held that the ease of Dakota's wheat was
no parallel. If the tax were to be levied
in the constitution make it apply to all
classes OF mines.
Mr.. Harvey advised that the principle
be incorporated into the constitution and
that the legislature be allowed to make
the application. Two mining companies
in Central Wyoming had not made a cent
and in creating castles on ozone had never