The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-03-10

tax would have 10 levy all of this ud-
ON the small amount of residence
property and the lands. wild and TIM
her. that lie within it's border ANY
interruption 10 the program of assess
ing the two kinds of properties m
these mining counties by the same"
method will cause friction and hard
ship upon the local taxpayer Even
under the present method. injustice h.
done, the mining property being taxed
upon it's earnings while the residen e
property il taxed upon it's estimated
worth.
There is but one kind Of tonnage
tax that win not do injustice 10 the
small property owners and at the same
time hold the mineral interests To "a
fair tax rate, and chat is some system
that will assess a tonnage tax should
the assessed value of the mine by the
ad Nalorem system not yield the
amount OF tax that certain rate Of
tax per ton would do. That would
leave no loophole for the mineral inter.
ests To place on the small fellow the
burden they should hear. However,
that thought needs elaboration ana il
is not the purpose of my letter To d.
wise new taxation schemes, but To pro-
test against infringement upon the
small fellow rights.
The trouble with the whole matter
is that the lower peninsula has been
treating the upper peninsula as foreign
territory Few of your people stop I"
think that there may be others up here
than the copper barons who are
taking copper to Boston; the iron bar
ons who are removing the iron wealth
10 Cleveland. or the timber operators
who are denuding the forests To the
of other foreign parts. II
the lower peninsula would send some
of her sons To this upper country 70
take mp and develop the wild lands
that can Dee had cheap ana that afford
better dairy opportunities than any
part Of the lower peninsula if lower
peninsula finanC.crS would send some
IF their money north To develop TN $
land and make it inviting To those who
would not be under the power of the !
mining corporations, this tax matter
~uuld, in very short time. settle il
sell"
Just as long as the lower peninsula |
people hold aloof and allow the richest |
Iart of Michigan to he developed one
sided, Just as long will the taxation |
problem will be acute. If the mineral |
are taking the wealth out Of |
his section for the benefit of Boston |
and Cleveland it is the fault of the |
people of the lower peninsula Wilt |
lave i'm the past, and who now treat |
his region as foreign territory, legiti-
nate prey for the financial adventures
% plumber and for the lower peninsula
AK dodgcr To impose upon.
To-day, a person disposed To enter
lpon the development of the agricu!-
ural resources of this section cannot
'ccurc loans, while anyone with a Will
AT exploration scheme can catch
suckers. Change lbs around; get the
Intention of lower Michigan focused on
his section, send your people up here
md you wiz hear little of this tax
question for the people here will set
lie it and settle it right You people
ire responsible for the mining COM
,anies holding the taxing Offices up
lerc, and so long as YOU keep on with
our present course they will continue
u hold them
Your Grange taxation committee
IRIS i'm that it can see only the mining
up here. why not have the
ommittee that is to frame up "A tax
aw see conditions at first hand, ana
cnsult some other than the mining
ompanics who want To escape taxa
ion or the irresponsible. blatherskitc
gitator who thrives on stirring mp
ate. If they do they will certainly
earn more about taxation matters ia
he upper peninsula than they ever
reamcd Of.