The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-06-27
WE REMEMBER

The mines of Iron county have had
their former valuations reduced by
about two millions. The business men
are not pleased.
The mines of Hegaunee have been
reduced by about two and half mil
lion and business men are complain
ing -. 49,
It's a big reduction and the other
property must make up the difference,
but please remember how the mines
were boosted few years ago Iron
Ore.
We remember, Brother Newett. We
have a long memory. longer by far
than the state tax commission ana
than almost all of the present mine
managers. We remember how we stood
the brunt OF taxation under the old
regime without protest, being salts
fed that the industries that supported
the communities should get some the
best of il in taxation. We remember
how the mine values were raised. we
remember how we turned in with the
mining companies and pleaded for q
Just valuation. We remember how,
when tho final figures were set we
said, Now that the mine valuations
have been raised so outlandishly' 1t Is
no more than fair that our property
should 60 up also. " In the race OF
this manifestation Of fair play we
remember how the mining companies
filed complaints against our property
and asked the tax commission 70 raise
us We remember that a secret session
tMr. Barnes told us we could call 1t
secret session il we wished for in his
opinion that is what ID was) was held
and the mine valuations reduced. We
remember the farce that was pulled of
when the action Of the spring was sus-
tanned in the fall We remember how
the next year the theory OF exhaustion
was sprung and the mines lowered to
be placed back at subsequent session
OF the commission We remember how
the board Of review of this city, in
order Ca equlaize between the several
pieces of property IN this assessing
district, added enough 10 the Youngs
town mine last year property that
has not been worked since the year
1890. being held for reserve, TO bring
the valuation np 20 $3.50, 600 from the
stig GOO where the commission placed
IL. and how the commission came
hore and said it wasnt worth that
figure Tbal Wu. ia.t vear when chic
mining properties wele worth more
than taay aco today #a remember
huw the commission ,ais yeaI placed u
valuation at e1aG 900 au That property
although there hash been ass much a.
change at air about IL to make IL
more valuable than last year. We re-
member how Ben Nicely appeared be.
fore thai board At the same session and
protested that his exploration, lying
under 200 feet of quicksand and with
no possible chance OF turning the pro-
perty. was valued too high at $50. 00O
only TO be truned down by the com
mission We also note that this same
exploration is placed this year latter
Mr.. Nicely was compelled by the high
taxes TO let ID 90 back TO the corpora
ton owning IL and that corporation
visited Lansing) at S25, 600, although
there hasn't been shovel stuck in the
ground on the forty acres the pas
year.
Yes, the resident taxpayers have
long memories. At that, their com
plant is not against the reduction o
the mining property, If reduction Il
deserved. but against the wabbly. in
consistent and unfair policy of TIT
commission that keeps us in tur
moil by applying one rule TO one kinc
of property and another TO another
kind. Even the mining men them
selves are laughing mp their sleeves a
the way they are putting 1t over a
Lansing And when we are on thi
subject. WHY, Mr. Newett, should th
mining company representatives b
CALLED to Lansing TO confer wit
the tax commission any more than an
other property owneri
We remember all Of these things
We also recognize and remember ths
times have changed. That men al
no longer awed into silence by ccrpors
ton managers II our mining friend
would recognize and remember
much they would come out bette
in the long run for as sure as we al
writing this reaction is coming
There Ia a feeling abroad in this Ian
that the mine men have not bee
square with their neighbors and whe
man gets into bad repute with b
neighbors he hasn't any base e bull
M n reputation upon away frol
home. The neighbors have been dom
woman service in fighting OIL u
tonnage tax. How long they will COZ