The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-01-20

sum- Such is not the case.
But there is another way to arrive 1t conclusion
to whether the Anaconda company paying the same
relative tax its enormous holdings, as other property
In Its issue of January g. The Anaconda Standard which
presume will Be considered competent authority in mat
! ter of this kind, said:
2ssso div,
lowing an price Of Is cents for during the year.
its win to nearly ooeoo This Win leave PROSPECTIVE
H The day Mr.. Kelley delivered his speech, Anaconda
shares closed the New York stock market at $s625
This represented IAN actual cash value of the Anaconda
Mr. Kelley says his company assessed last year
total valuation including railroad timber lands coal lands
hotels, stores livestock sawms etc. etc. of $33lOo93
or 15H per cent OF its actual cash value.
On Mr.. Keeys statement these figures irrefut
able Is that fair proporonate assessment to other Mon
property? The banks of the state paying upon IS
per Of their capital and surplus five times the rela
tive paid by the Anaconda Copper Mining company
If there any farms in Montana that assessed upon
ony 1874 per cent of their cash value have not heard
of them. If there are any railroads in Montana that
cash value have not heard of it, If there any
home in Montana who paying taxes upon only
1874 cent of the cash value of their homes we have
not heard Of it.
And yet when it proposed to have the big mining COM
panies pay similar amount of tax to property owned by
residents Of Montana he grayey talks of selecting for
spoation, and confiscation and the sacriegous mis-
use and abuse of the high function of public office"
For the demagogue who would propose such an inus-
ce"-o his New York ientshe has only that unspeak
able contempt which he richly deserves" Such
ton said the orator, lis not taxaton-t is conscation it
the evying of tribute is the abuse against which free
men have fought since the days of Magma Charta and
constrained the belief that in this day and generation it
is to be perpetuaed by the enactment Of alleged
law by the state of Montana.
No wonder them that at the conclusion of his address
Mr. Kelley was fairly mobbed by men who desired to offer
their congratulations.
|
But let us see how other than Montana have dealt
with the subject of the taxation OF mines Down in Ar-
zona which has outspped Montana in the production
of copper, the of The Miner owns great copper
mine-the United Verde. r.
In its issue Of January TO- The Anaconda Standard said
| paid the
dividend and extra dividend of "
| distributed
monthly
paid this year several extra dividends of IS cents each
$780, 1914, ss75, 1913 1925" ~.
Down in Arizona they these great copper mines
the basis of the assessed valuation of oneghth Of the
gross output four times the net profit plus the value
of the improvements"
In other words the copper mines of Montana pay pro
rata, oneh of the taxes paid by the copper mines Of
Arizona.
In its issue of January g. The Anaconda Standard said
year produce
something like cents is probable
AT the average price of IS per pound that would
yield, in round numbers, $83750000 dollars Under the
Arizona plan of mine taxation, the Anaconda company
would have been assessed its mines alone approximate
| ly as follows:
One-eghth gross output ($s375oooo) IS 1o46875o
i Four times profits ($47 OOO0O0) .~~~ 188OOOOOO
Improvements, approximate 100000
Total - $2ol 46s,7 $50
II And STILL under this Arizona system of "conscaon
the United Verde paid during the past year l8 consecu
tive monthly dividends"
Fl If the proponents of equitable license fee tax in Mon
ana only had an available champion of their cause, the
equal of Mr. Kelley in eloquence and with his great per-
suasve powers audience such he demonstrated
Helena Thursday evening, we believe that he might
also be fairly mobbed by who desired offer their