The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-02-08


that last yes IN a single county. Col.
fnx. the railroads paid a total APP
proxiInateiy Of $40 900 In taxes. Win.
The total os all taxes paid b. tn
coal properties Of the whole state az
Ereealsd only about $4,000. OF which
latter q considerable amount d be.
Ing contested IN ths courts BY one
coal company, upon the allegation Of
an unfair valuation BY he eeuliza-
ltIon board.
In MeKinieY county. a. against
the states total coal property tax
bald OF sss.ooo. the railroads. or
rather the Santa Fe railroad. paid
Approximately $4,000; while the coat
properties In Mckinley county, 40 this
figures show. paid q total OF 1890.
The assessment Of coal propertie,
In New Mexico was mors nearly GA
equitable assessment IN 1914 than q
had W been before. While this
does not say much for the 1914 as
sessment. as regards this class Of
property. Il is eloquent OF the fact
that in previous years owners OF tre-
mendously valuable coal properties in
this state practically escaped taxation
altogether. There 10 a story OF one
coal company which, In 1911. Is said
70 have paid taxes upon a total as
sessed valuation Of s250.000, when
the income from that property for
the same year reached somethlns
like 100000. This iaster statement
probably is more correct as TO in
come. II is a statement, however.
that Is generally believed. and goes
10 show how ready the public Is TO
accept almost any statement regard
ing the coal property tax situation;
due 20 its many a OF practically
entire escape from bearing its share
OF the general burden.
IL IL reported that the coal COM
panies want a net product tax. which
u n declared. would bring in a total
tax Of approximately $4,000 on the
basis Of the i9i4 DrOdsctioh. IN
view os the insistent popular demand
that those properties be made tc
pay their share of the tax burden.
the coal companies probably would
consider themselves extremely for.
tunato. could they get By" with this
comparatively slight increase. and In
doing 50 escape payment Of anything
like taxation upon actual valuation
OF the properties. with a practical
exemption OF the enormous valuable
reserve eoai lands
We repeat. that II is reported that
the coal companies want this tax on
production. We do not know. The
people generally do not know what
the coal companies want; and as
nearly as we can learn the members
OF the legislature. charged with ad'
tustment OF the whole taxation stu.
alton, do not know up to this time
what the coal companies want. The
coal companies, like Senator Cramp'
toms majority. have not made th'
newspapers the recipients OF theil
confidence. nor the people, nor fol
that matter, apparently, n member
OF the legislature. II might be BETTE
for the coal companies II they coul'
see their way TO repose a little mort
confidence In the people. The atm0s.
phcre Of secretiyeness. not to sai
mystery. which has been thrown
around them. and around their al
legged legislative activities has serye'
greatly to intensity the general pub
ic suspicion hat those companies
are seeking the best OF H."
NO corporation which is well ad
yised seeks what is 90. monty termeI
the best OF IL in legislation"
The people OF New Mexico are no
unhrlendiy TO corporations, especial
AtAbNN hi 81 haAAAAAeA NNfNtffN'N
mature. The general feellng, To th
contrary, IL extremely friendly. Jui
nov. however. the people are in n
mind TO permit to any interest "th
best OF Il" In taxation. aud eNei
should aome interest, through super
ior facilities OF Santa Re. secure IA
best Of Il" IN the pending judgmen
that interest Is reasonably certain
suffer Ia the long run through th
inevitable evolution Of what Is no'
simply a demand for fair play. o
the part OF the people. into a desiI
|, for retaliation. The Herald does ne
assert hat the New Mexico coal IN
terests are seeking the best Of IT,
the taxation adjustment. We do 50
that there Ia a general popular in
pression that those Interests are seel
ing an advantage over the masses
tax payers; due, we have no doubt
the utter and profound lack OF know
edge among the people and In n
legislature. as 10 what these inte
eats actually are seeking. II the co
frfaraaf. an. CHI nnfv what