Gilpin observer., 1913-10-16
DENvER's TAX CON-
PLANT Is uNWARRANTED


publican ideas, especially when com
ing from such a strong partisan as
Richard Broad, Jr.. OF Golden, re-
garding his article in the Golden
Globe, ON the state tax commission.
Mr.. Broad, like ourselves, is an old
resident of the state and knows what
he is talking about. We all know
that for years the outside counties,
especially the mining counties, have
paid greater proportion Of our state
tax than Denver county. Mr. Thomp-
son, our assessor for the past ten
years, informs us that with. but few
exceptions, he has listed property in
Gilpin county at its full value, while
Denver county has been assessing on
a one-third value. The property in
this county today is assessed for
more than 1t can be sold for. The
state must raise it's taxes because
it is getting larger and more money
tax commission was created to see
that the burden of taxation is equal
ly distributed, and because they are
treating all counties alike, we hear
murmurs from Denver that they are
being Disseminated against.
We have a kindly feeling for all
sections and wish every industry Of
our state to prosper. But you must
not kill the hen that lays the Golden
egg and then wait until another chick
Is Matched to scratch the golden sands
Of our mountains for the nuggets
that turn your wheels of industry.
Fruit raising, dry farming and irriga-
tion schemes should be fostered with
other industries but we have to look
to our mountains for the main sour.
ces to build up this great common
wealth, viz, precious metals. marble
and coal. We who have spent our
lives here know full well that Gilpin,
Clear Creek and Boulder counties
built Denver to her $4,000 population
when Leadville and Cripple Creek
came to the rescue and made it the
beautiful city it now is, and II we
wish to be in the van Of the sister
hood of states of this western en-
pire, we must always consider as the
chief factor the product of our noun
tains. The waters may deluge and
innadate our lands. The simoons
winds may destroy our crops IN the
twinkle Of an eye. Pestilence may
kill the cattle On our thousand hills
in short time, but these everlast-
ing mountains, ever kind and subser-
Went, have never proven unfriendly
to man, or refused his demands when
properly appealed to.
The nefar.ous bill that was pass
ed by our last legislature placing a
heavy tax upon the gross output of
our. mines, was introduced and faith
cred by a fruit raiser on the western
slope and corporation lawyer Of
Denver, neither Of which perhaps,
had ever entered a mine and were
not familiar with the heavy expense
pertaining to the mining of ores.
That very bill when 1t was enact
ed into a law and placed upon the
statute books OF our state. has done
more to stifle and retard the devel-
opment of the state than any other
act since the days Of Pinchotism
and Guggenheimism.
The interests Of the farmer and
Of the miner are SO allied that the
success of one means success to the
other, and disaster to one means dis
aster to She other. With the min
ing esction densely populated. the
farmer and fruit raiser find a ready
market for their crops at home, thus
saving expensive freight rate charges
etc. II we wish TO show the inves-
tor the states many and varied re-
sources, let us be fair and Impress
him with the Importance Of our chief
industry. mining, the industry that
surpasses by many millions Of dol
lars annually. any two OF our other
industries, the industry that has
built and fostered our beautiful "city
Of lights" and our towns and VII
lagos Of mountain and plain. We are
proud OF our fruit orchards, our vast
herds o fcattle and sheep, our sugar
factories, and our safe crops by the
means OF Irrigation. but we must not
forget that Colorado's main wealth
for years to come, must come from
sectional strife and united. work for
a common goal. viz. the upbuilding
Of one Of the greatest and most pro
life states that the great father Of
the universe ever permitted the sun
to shine upon.