Arizona republican., 1915-02-15
The Mine Tax Bill Debate


 The Republican endorsed the principle of the bending mine tax pill believing though that II should be amended so that would produce d larger share of taxes from the mines than the terms and factors seemed to provide. But endorsed the lrinciple of the bill because possessed the quality of definteness which nowhere else visible. The tax commission promised nothing except that it's duty would be performed according to the best ot it's ability and the oaths of it's members. EVi- deny the commission has no definite piah tor tax ing the mines to propose it IS neglectng to take an anxious inquiring public into its confidence
 hopeful that some plan of the com mission would be disclosed in the course Of the debate the bill in the house, though it had been carefully concealed, if existed, during the eN- haustive hearings before the senate finance commit tee and those of the ways and means committee. as well as in the joint hearings of both committees.
 But the chef effort of the opponents of thes bill on Saturday directed against all discos- urc against debate and when, at last debate was forced. they could only bid rely upon the integrity and the oracular wisdom of the tax com mission.
 Some foolish comparisons made between mining and other classes of property, and there was much talk against special legislation by gentle men who were alarmed the sound of the
  who have kept pace with the progress which students of taxation have made the last few years, ;,nd who still believe that equal equitable taxation means that all property shall be taxed the WAY Some of the opponents the bill urged that within the province Of the legislature t., take a hand in taxation; the commission had been elected by the people to perform that duty.
 The following from the twenty fourth annual re' port of the New York Tax Reform Association bIank- all these ancient objections special legis laton:"
 Most 0 the constitutional provisions requiring uniformity adopted many years ago before the development of modern industrial conditions. of recent years it has be recoGnized that the attempt to tax all property in the way has broken down completely and that the system of personal property taxation required by the uniform rule is imprtctcale and unjust Special in vestgating commissions in many states have recom mended repeatedly the repeal of such provisions. In 19o6 Minnesota led the way by amending constitution so to permit legislative freedom in dealing with class of property Oklahoma and Arizona followed Minnesota when they ad- mtted as states and Michigan abolished uniformity in the revision 1908. The Virginia constitution adopted in 1902 provided that after ten years the legislature should be free classify property North Dakota joins the group of states which allow their legislatures substantial freedom in taxation.
 The reference Arizona in tie foregoing has do with the late temporary mine law.
 
 efforts made last year abolish the uniform y plan which is everywhere being ousrown. In the first effort for the reason that though il received q majority all the cast, it lacked the thirds required for the adop- lion of constitutional amendment. In Kansas campaign made for amendment, which was vigorously attacked yet it defeated by less than 10000 votes of total of 525,O00 that ques- ton It will be seen. therefore that throughout the country the tendency is toward recognition of the fact that all classes of property cannot be taxed the way.
 We must admit that the debate Saturday afternoon was not, either side, very enlighen- ing and did not disclose an overwhelming faniliar ity with the subject, but think that any fair minded, intelligent concede that the pro- ronens of the bill had much the best of it, all the best of 1t But when members pledged either in legislatures in congress, debate is oniyf way of wasting time and words
 The Republican has endeavored to take an i'm partial view of this question. the most important, by far, before the legislature. It has sought all available sources of information concerning it. and the public It believes in the principle Of bill, but it also believes that it should be amended to make that the mines shall pay their multiple of the net produced by multiplication of clause, if possible providing that the mining indus all the state taxes The mines paid almost that