Semi-weekly herald., 1911-02-09

being operated at a profit is magnet
which draws capital. for the ear OF
capital, which remains deaf to all the
piteous calls for help which q COM
munity can utter. will instantly catch
the sound of the clipping off OF cou-
pom or the declaring OF a dividend and
will become interested the instant that
sound Is heard. sF
The question Of the taaxtion OF
company or a corporation rs matter
which often decides the question OF
the location. or the operation, OF an
industry which means great things to
the community. A tax ridden people
are rarely a progressive and investing
people for the reason that capital and
taxes are deadly enemies and import
ant enterprises have been killed by
avarice. Let us take up the case of
the smelter, located here in Durango,
for an example. and in the handling OF
this subject we want to say to begin
with that being totally unacquainted
with the affairs Of the American
Smelling and Refining company we
can only deal with IL in a general
way and along general lines, and let
US take 1t up as a cold-blooded propo
siuon and treat 1t In most cold
blooded, take into. consideration only
the question OF Durango's good re-
gardless of the welfare of the COM
pany. and what do we find;
We find great corporation operat-
Ing smelter in our city, the com.
pany employs great many men, just
how many we really do not know nor
does that matter, these men are here,
they arc part oil the city and they
are interested in the welfare of the
city, they are with us and OF us.
The monthly payroll of an establish
ment like this means great deal to
the financial interests of the place, 1t
means that just SO many consumers
are here and that they have just that
amount OF money to spend in the city
The amount in question. whatever 1t
may be, is a regular crop. crop which
natures monthly and which has a
ready market. crop which is so far
spreading In its disbursement that Il
part of 1t comes to the reader and to
the writer, and 1t Is of much greater
worth than an occasional flood of even
greater volume might be to the To-
cality.
Now. If the people demand a greater
portion OF the oompany's profit, In the
way of taxes, than Is equitable and a
portion which will make the institu-
ton become much less paying prop.
osition. the owners OF the institution
can, II they wish, close down the
works, throw their men out Of en-
ployment and reduce to no inconsider-
able extent the business of the city.
On the other hand If the people are
Inclined to be fair with the institu.
ton 1t will continue. like the tabled
goose, to lay daily egg of gold and
perhaps. enlarge its scope OF opera
tions and attract still others OF like
nature, In SO far as the good OF the
community is concerned, to us.
We do not know that we have made
our meaning clear. but the idea that
we wish to convey Is that capital
should be offered inducements to come
instead Of driving away that which we
may have. We believe that every cor
poratim and every company, as well |
az every individual. should pay an
equitable proportion OF the taxes
levied by the city. county and state, |
but we do not believe that in an at
tempt to secure money for present
may cause the destruction OF the
means by which we reap a daily profit. |
Now We do not presume to say that |
the taxes levied against this institu- |
ton are either too great. or too small, |
we know that the matter is being
agitated and that there are probably |
good men who hold each way, We
merely use the smelter Us an object
by which to Illustrate the point which |
we wish to make and that is that we
had better concede many things to
an enterprise OF vast extent and great
Importance to the community rather
than by driving 1t away from our midst
by being too grasping in our demands. |
The idea Is correct and few will dis
pute it.
DISTRICT COURT.