The copper era and Morenci leader., 1913-05-09
Editorial Page
wH,PPLE AND MINE TAXATION.


 In another article in which Representative Whppe of County gives his voting "NO the Graham tax bill, which added the commission bill, and provided or assessing producing mining companies in Arizona The Graham bill provides for an assessment of 12k per of the production annually and 400 per of the production It is estimated that the Graham bill would place the producing mining companies increase of 600 cent in the vaua- ton of mines during the past five years figure producing mining companies of Arizona would AZ per cent or all the taxes oi tue s'ae anu estimation that all in Ari- $3OO00O0OOO0 for the 1915
 When the Graham bill on final passage Represen- Whipple No and in his statement advocated mines, together with all other property should be assessed at their actual cash value That IS theory, has been statute for, these In his statement, how ever Mr. Whipple fails to tell us just how at producing mining caims This has the stumbling block in the past and has the vexatous question with which officers upon contend. It is gem orally accepted fact that nobody see into the ground There be millions of dollars worth of undscov- in a producing mining claim-and again there may The old bullion law sought to place the assess
 producing mines solid basis and the tax commission adopted general vixen increased the assessment the The Graham bill goes still further the commissions assessment year. but still following the bullion tax plan as basis.
 Representative Whipple opposed bullion tax plan judging from his remarks in the past He favors of the mining companies based upon the selling price capital stock. If such had been the method in the past the Arizona Copper Co. would have escaped with very small assessment. For years the of the Arizona Copper Co. held light the balance Its operations were carried on at it's stock going begging The fuctuaton In the selling price of stocks for purposes of as sessment unsettled condition of the maintenance of the state and counties One it would be feast, and possibly next year. famine.
 The Graham bill says that the value a producing mine of taxation shall be in year fhoC notion and rent the net. Whether these percentages sufficient mining companies their just proportion but the important factcr the Graham bill establishes business method of with the vexaous question of mine taxation in the that all producing mining companies shall pay alike. It removes the question of mine taxa tion from the political and with such law books the bone of contention between the large mining companies and the small taxpayers will be forever removed
 It is now the Graham bill in the form of an amend the commission bill, nothing. If it shall be nothing the first legislature of the state of Arizona will behind rcord of incompetence and blund The laundering is already pretty well made up, but it efaced by the enactment of workable law for the taxation of the mines
 We do not know, and know, whether the Graham bill provides adequate of the mines The mine themselves could not know. We may suspect that the basis of valuation would be too small But this much we do know-that the amendment would give the mines taxable valua tion of least s12O,oOO,OoO against $45ooO.o9o last year, addition of $750O00OO to the tax roll of This increase than half the valuation kinds of property the little than $140,00OO00 But whether the Graham bill makes provision adequate beginning along the right direction, gone enough will make it easier proceed Let take this
 Gentlemen of the senate, do not leave this mine taxa tion mudde in existence longer. Here is chauce proftaby bring of chaos, member himself embracing it.
 Some of the opponents of the amended bill offer the foolish their opposition that it is stutional the constitution prescrbes that mines shall be all other classes Certainly they shall bear the of there in the constitutional convention enough to that mines could be assessed the other classes property. Railroads assessed the other classes of property. In fact, there hardly property quite
 
 Every member who votes against the pending bill is obstructonist If this bill should be defeated will have little useful constructive legislation the great expense the last special of the legislature though will have a legislation which urgently needed, if al We will have legislation which there than need.
 THE GOVERNOR AND THE CRIMINAL CODE.