The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1899-06-17
Upper Peninsula Representa-
tives Against Mining
Tax Bill.
PROVED WORDS BY FIGURES
But Nevertheless the Bill Passed
the Committee of the
Whole.

The following is from the Lansing
State Republican regarding the pas
sage of the mining tax BILL
The house of representatives has
witnessed many an interesting fight
during the present session, but
never has more hard fought battle
taken place within its historic walls
than the one put up by the whole
upper peninsula delegation, with
the exception of Representative Nc
Callum, against the bill taxing cop
per and iron. The passage of the
measure was contested inch by inch
by the northern men, but despite
their tenacity they were overcome
by sheer force of numbers and the
bill passed the committee of the
whole.
Representative Chamberlain led
the fight against the measure. He
denounced bitterly the idea of fore
ing a few institutions in the upper
peninsula to pay more than one.
third Of the entire state tax. He
produced tables to show that this
would be the result if the measul
prevailed. In his characteristically
emphatic manner he denounced those
who for the sake Of making political
capital sought to impose unjust
burdens upon those who could i'll
afford to bear them. 1t was due
largely to his arguments that the
tax on iron ore was reduced from
three to two cents per ton.
Representative Handy of the Dick
inson district moved to amend the
bill by making the tax one cent per
ton on iron ore instead of three
cents. Il am not in favor of this
bill at any rate, said Mr.. Handy,
'but if you are going to pass such
bill in the name of justice make it
somewhere within reason. The min
ing companies on the Menominee
range, which | have the honor to
represent, are taxed as high as other
property there and the people are
entirely satisfied. AS a whole, the
mining companies. of the upper pen
insula are assessed nearer their cash
value than the corporations of the
lower part of the state. make the
statement, and challenge its con-
tradiction, that the iron mines of
my district have not cleared 3 per
cent during the past six years and
now you propose to take that away
from them. / ask you is it fair, is
it honest, is it just?"
Representative A. w. Kerr, OF
Houghton county, made fight
against the bill from the copper
standpoint. He offered an amend.
ment cutting the rates named in the
bill in half, claiming that the rates
named in the bill raised the taxes on
the copper mines from 200 to ,20C
per cent, and showed by figures tina,
under the schedule of rates nameG
in the bill the copper mines of one
county (EIoughton) would be com
PEELED to pay one-third of the take.
Of the entire state. He roundly de
nounced the governor for using il
his message what he claimed to b.
unfair and untruthful figures, will
regard to the taxes heretofore pat
by the mining companies. He in
sisted that the companies had al
ways paid their just share Of th'
state tax imposed on them by tn,
state board of equalization and tha
nothing more should be expected o
them.
Representative Rulison also spok,
against the measure. The Who'll,
delegation from the upper peninsula
with the exception of Mr.. McCallun
fought its passage.