Arizona republican., 1907-02-28
PHOENIX. ARIZ.. FEB. Is. 1907.
THE PLAIN FIGURES.

The main argument offered against
the Doran bill. though it is not based
on the actual opposition to it but be-
cause it appeals more forcibly to the
average taxpayer. is that it viii not
produce as great a revenue as is de-
rived under the present law. Yet no
figures have been adduced in support
Of this contention. The average tax
payer is asked 10 accept it as a dictum.
on the other hand, the supporters Of
the Doran bill have absolute proof Of
the advantage to all taxpayers Of that
measure. We present il this morn
ing on page in form SO
simple as to leave no doubt of
the beneficial results of the enact
ment of the bill. The figures are
taken from three reliable sources-the
Boston News Bureau, the Engineering
and Mining Journal and Governor Kib-
bey's report 10 the secretary OF the
interior last year.
II is shown by the report that the
total mine assessment as returned was
$9.S3 .41l43. which at the average rate
Of taxation. 2s6. Welded 22SLo65.55. In
addition TO this valuation there was a
raise by the territorial board Of equal
ization of s4725I3s.32. which at the
same rate would yield SI33.5oO.63.
Though a considerable part Of the lat
ter sum has been withheld by some Of
the counties and viii not be paid and
probably never would b. paid in any
year under the present law. we may
assume for the purposes of comparison
that it has all been paid. In that case
we have a total revenue from the mines
@; S4II555.IS.
Now, we viii see what the Doran bill
would have produced. The Boston
News Bureau showed thar the produc-
tion Of copper in Arizona last year was
275.22S. % pounds. which at 20 cents a
pound. at least five cents less than the
present price of copper. was worth 500
245.656. The value Of the gold product
as given by the Engineering and Min
ing Journal was $3.Is7.256; silver SHE
80. The estimated value Of the lead
was $-67.350. Thus we have a total val
uation of mineral products for the year
OF $50, 1S2. 566, which would furnish an
assessment under the Doran bill OF
Sl2036.5l3. We must add to this the
value of Improvements as are shown
by the governors report. $3,7s7, 1927, .
and we may add a conservatively esti- /
mated assessment Of patented unpro- 1
ductive mines. S2,O0O.0O0. These sums |
amount 10 an assessment of $l7-
S23.gSl27, which at the average |
tax rate Of 2SG would Yield /
S50S.765.S6 in taxes. s227.70O more than /.
the taxes Of last year before the raise, /
and S94l9g more than The collected and |
unco.lected taxes which the raised as
sessments would yield.
The foregoing figures cannot be con- (
troyerted. but it is urged by those who .
oppose the bill that the mine owners |
would conceal their products beyond |
the reach Of thu assessors. This is an .
assumption Of dishonesty on the part |
Of the mine owners. unworthy of fair /
minded men and ir may be dismissed /
with the statement that any material /
concealment would be impossible It /
would involve a conspiracy among the .
mine owners. shipping clerks and other
employees and the transportation COM
panies. There would stiu remain the
reports Of the trade journals and be-
side. any material falling away in the
showing Of one year as compared with
the preceding year would at once in
vita suspicion which would render dis
cov.ry inevitable
The strongest argument in favor of
the Doran bill is the fairness of it. 1t
may be stated as an unanswcrable
proposition that there can be no abso-
utely equitable plan for taxing mines
In fact, there j. no absolutely equsta-
bic way O.: taxing any other class Of
property except cash. but the irnpossi-
biiity Of equaiizilg the values OF min
Ing props rty is obvious and admitted.
The p..1 which more nearly ar
p-o1cnes equalization is the best. The
Doran bin was framed with that object
in view. The mine owners themselves
are moro nearly placed on the same
level As the figures have shown it
would result in such an increase in
assessed valuations as To materially
lower the TAX rate and SO tend to