The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-09-04
ATTACKS THE
TONNAGE TAX
Marquette Editor Talks at Detroit.
Mining Institute Officers

Protesting against the tonnage tax
on upper peninsula mining operations
Wednesday noon i'm an address at
Detroit before so members Of the De-
troit Board OF Commerce and $50 visit
ing members OF the Lake Superior
Mining institute, James Russell, editor
of the Marquette Mining Journal. de-
clared the law unjust. He said
While many persons think the up
per peninsula Is "a wilderness, others
seem To think II is rich enough to pay
majority OF the mining properties are
being operated on assessments on
stockholders They already were pay
ing a high rate of taxes as the cities OF
the state and "A rate much higher
than is paid on farm property. For
that reason the tonnage tax is un-
just and that is one OF the things we
want to talk to you Detroiters about
while we are here.
Were II not for the mining develop
ment and the enterprise up there you
would be using 40 pound iron rails
instead OF 80 pound steel rails on
Michigan railroads. In this connection
let us urge that the close business and
political interests OF Detroit and the
upper peninsula lie so close together
that in order To preserve their proper
relationship, better transportation ia
cilities are imperative.
closely Allied Politically.
Politically you will admit the upper
peninsula once saved a governor for-
mer Governor Alger) from defeat by |
voting with Detroit, and the political |
ties Of the two extremes of the state |
should be kept close together. Trans |
portation facilities are the keynote in |
the two together--you can't do ii by |
taxation"
DIR. r. w. McNair, president OF the !
Michigan College of Mines, reminded |
his hearers that a circle, with Detroit
at its center, large enough to include
the upper peninsula would also include
st. Louis and would almost include
New York City.
He also referred 10 Detroit's activity
in booming South American export
trade. He referred 10 that movement i'm
a highly complimentary manner and
the next great development in
United States export trade would be
in the direction OF Latin-America.
William Kelly. general manager of
the Penn Iron Mining company. at Vul- Il
can. asserted the Straits of Macklnac
should not he a barrier between the
two parts Of Michigan, but rather a
link.
Unconsciously the general mien of II
the upper peninsula visitors reflected
gloom. Copper and iron operators are
poor. they say. A long strike has been
closely followed by foreign war
which has cut off copper expectation
to belligerent nations. Since 90 per
cent of the copper mined in the Supe-
rior region is exported to Europe, the
business has been virtually brought to
a standstill, and many mines have shut
down. The greatest mine OF all the
Calumet & Hccla property. passed by
a dividend for the first time in 80 years
at the last meeting of the directors by II
way of retrenchment and il is an
nounced salaries OF employees must he
cut to meet conditions.
New officers Elected.
The Lake Superior Mining Institute
elected officers as follows:
President one-year term, l.. NJ. Har-
OF Hurley. Wis; vice. presi
dents. two-year terms. G.. r.. Jackson,
" Gwinn, Mich, and r. a. Flanagan.
" Hibbing. Mimi; managers, two-year
terms, Henry Rowe, OF Ironwood,
Mich; NJ. T.. Richards OF Iron River,
Mich, and Enoch Henderson, of
Houghton. Mich. treasurer. T.. w
Hopkins, OF Commonwealth. Wis; sec
'etary, A. j. Yungbluth, OF Ishpemng,
Mich.
Secretary Yungbluth was chosen
or the thirteenth successive time as