, 1890-12-09
THE COAL OUTPUT T4I.

The Sun has figured it out to a nicely
that it costs money to maintain a state
government, Our present assessablt
valuation is but very little more than $50,
600, 900. \ levy within the constitution
limit OF four mills will not provide sufi.
Gent money annually with each to pay
the state expenses and maintain the cash
basis required by the constitution. To
meet the situation the Sum can only see
one way which IS to tax the coal output as
the constitution permits. There is still
another way Of helping out which is to
conduct the state Affairs at a minimum of
cost, keep salaries within proper bounds,
avoid the creation of all unnecessary Offices
in a word to bring the business down TO
a hard pan basis until such time as we
can afford to DO better.
10 connection with the suggestion OF
taxing the coal output we take pleasure
in reproducing an article from the Rock
Springs Independent which is well worthy
of p%erusal
I'VE see that our able contemporary,
NaN 1fAh1Nbh ANefNAtfs y hAkAuE ANI IA
ing the output OF coal mines. While the
constitution empowers the legislature tn
impose such a tax, VIC hope they viii mol
find 1t Necessary to do so. for the plan is
opposed to the best principles OF taxation
ard unfair in pracuce. With Just as
much fairness We might tax the daily
sales OF the merchant as well as his stock
and the crops Of the farmer As well as hi
lspd and tools, The machinery and land
of the coal mine owner is now taxed and
1t would be unfair TO also tax his output.
1T may be quite true that coal mines
do not now pay enough taxes but the
remedy is not IN taxing the output; it is
in placing a much higher tax upcn the
land. Coal land is now assessed at $50
per acre, which is very much less than
its actual value 1t is only kept at this
price because it IS the government valua-
uon. Thousands of acres of coal and oil
land are held merely for speculative pur.
poses. Ii Is desirable that these natural
esources be developed but a tax uDon
the output is practically a fine on in
dustorY and a bonus on speculation. A
man or a company who opens up a mine
and gives employment to labor is a public
benefactor and ought to be ENCOURAGED
and we are in favor Of taxing his i'm
provements as lightly rs possible and
placing as much Of the tax rs is practi
cable upon the land.
As the country grows and population
increases the land becomes more valuable
and this value. which does not result from
anything the mine owner has done, goes
back to the community in the form Of an
increase in the land tax. IL is very de
sirable that our mineral and oil lands
should not be gobbled up by a few great
corporations aud spectators. but that the
capitalist. be he great OF small. should be
encouraged to give employ ment to labor
BY the opening up OF mines and oil wells.
Both objects can be accomplished by OK
empting, as far as possible, the output
and Improvements aud putting the tax
on the land.
This may be Henry Georgeism but
there Is a great deal of ~plausibility in the
arguments even though some objections
might be raised against them when the
principles are put into practical operation.
One objection might be as to the price to
be set upon each acre of coal land. There
is nothing more uncertain in value than
coal land for as is frequently proven,
land which passes as such is often under
laid with an inferior quality of coal which
has litte If any commercial value. Sur
face indications might be equally good on
two pieces OF land and yet through a fault
or a series of faults the value OF One, upon
investigation. would prove little or noth-
ing as compared with the other and still
both might be assessed exactly alike. II
u scale of values is to be adopted what
will be the hasis Of ii?
On the other hand it may be alleged
that a tax on the output OF coal will in
reality not come out OF the mine owners
whom it is so DESTROYS to reach. They
will secure their price. If the %legisla-
ture puts q sax upon their product they
will put it on the consumer 10 the shape
OF increased price. As people living out
side of the state use a large proportion of
the coal mined here they will in this way
contribute something to the maintenance
of our state institutions. but the mine
owners will still practically escape bearing
any share of the burthens Of taxation.
The legislature will probably seek the
readiest way out of the diff ,ulty. For
the present this will perhaps be found
IN taxing the output Of mines, although
a higher assessment OF coal lands IN the
same connection, to discourage holdings
for purely speculative purposes would be
a move in the right direction. Eventual
". however, we believe the principle ad.
vocsted by the Independent will prevail,
for our present mode of taxation IS unc-
dual, unirst and consequently unsatislae-
tory. In Pennsylvania the coal output is
taxed three cents a ton. According to
the niue inspector Wyoming is nov pro-
ducing over 4 600. 900 tous a year, which
at the rate mentioned will net about SI25,-
600 a year. This will prove a great help
in maintaining the expenses OF a state
government, but the Legislature instead
Of seeking out now methods Of increas-
ing the expenses should keep them down
TO a minimum so that taxation may fall
lightly upon the people for a few years to
eOme.
FINDING that ~bulldnzing didn't bulge
the acting governor our esteemed CON
temporary is now trying the effect Of