The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-06
TO BOOST TAXES
OF CORPORATIONS
Cutler Wants Legislation to
Secure More Equitable
Assessments.
GIVES INTERESTING FIGURE
MENDATiON MADE IN
LETTER TO THE SENATE.

Governor John G. Cutler is I'm favor
Of a higher tax on corporations. In d
communication sent TO the senate yes
terday he calls attention to tho
amount of taxes paid by several smelt-
ing and mining concerns in Saft Lake
county. and says they are not paying
their just proportion of the tax. This
condition, he alleges. exists throughout
the state, and he asks the legislature
to take some measures to remedy il.
The governor also favOrs obtaining.
if possible, some revenue from the large
mail order houses doing business i'm the
state. These companies pay nothing
i'm the way of tax or license.
Accompanying the communication is
a list OF the amount OF taxes paid by
several Of the largest corporations do
ing business in Salt Lake county. The
list was prepared for the governor by
County Treasurer ]. a. Groesbock, and
is as follows;
United states Mines & Smelling
co -. observation-disclosures. 15.75s %
Titan Consolidated Mining Co $50 50276 ~
Bingham Consolidated Mining Co 7,Sl4 81
Utah Apex Mining Coz. Is C6
American Smelling a. Refining
Co =. ....................... 2i.5Si Il
Boston Consolidated Mining Co. 5.5OS 90
Utah Copper Co ..-................ 5.64i 80
Total 49,. ....................... .S1O7, $50 y
According to the governors conten-
ton, these concerns are not paying
their Just proportion OF the tax" He
says an examination of the assessors
books i'm other counties will show this
same condition TO exist, and recon-
mends that some steps be taken by tax
ing these corporations more, to increase
the state revenue.
Unique recommendation.
The recommendation regarding tax
ing mail order houses doing business
i'm this state is unique. AS the gov
ernor says, however, it would be eX-
/ tremely difficult to frame a law TO
reach these concerns, because OF the
/ interstate commerce act and the consti-
| tutional test to which il would have 10
/ be put The taxing of the business OF
corporations doing business IN Utah
through commercial travellers IS also a
novelty.
The text of the governors letter to
the senate follows in full:
II neg to enclose, for the information
of your honorable body. statement
from the treasurer of Salt Lake county,
I showing the amount OF taxes paid Dy
hcertain corporations in the county
From this statement / am led to belieNe
that not all corporations are paying
/ their lust proportion OF tax Doubtless
q similar showing would be made, II
fuller statements were obtained from
him. and from the treasurers OF otner
counties / would suggest that you IN
vestigate this matter, with the view OIL
enacting legislation TO secure equitable
taxation of the various corporataons III
the state. 49,
.'I observe that a bill has been nitro
duced in the house of representative
~ license all corporations. domestic
and foreign. doing business in the state,
I arprove of such a measure. PROVIDED
If can be made to apply TO all corpora
tions doing business in the stare
through commercial travellers, as this
wound secure cons iderable revenue from
houses that are doing business IN the
state but are paying practically nothllIs
for the support Of the state govern
ment. .,...,,. 90,
I'm this connection, if anything car
he done to obtain revenue from me
large mail order houses operating III M
s,ate from abroad. and paying nothhlE
i'm the. way of tax or license, II Woulu
be very desirable. OF course you un-
derstand that all legislation alons mes
lines must be very carefully guardeo
in order to be able TO stand the constl-
. tutionsl test. and not conflict with Iht
{ nrovisions of the interstate commerce
act. ,eo,- With
{ .,,our committee on ways anu means oi
Win any of the members OF your non
, oyable body. as may be desired