Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-02-14
0vERTAxIaG INDUSTRY.

4dAcS IRE llQt iiOifc ttC DuItttu VI LiAC
rich. They Inevitably q, scend along
the scale and are generally shared in
some proportion b. al. When exe es-
Eive burdens Of taxation emphasize the
competitive Disadvantages Of any con
munity for any branch y class Of bust
ness that community will invariably
suffer a decrease in the industrial Go
vclcpment and prosperity of all within
its boundaries.
In many sections of the country re
ports show that industry is often sub
jected to continuous and unreGs0i.a.lss
burdens of taxes in one form or an
other. This condition Is Cue in part al
least to mistaken public attitude to
ward industrial orctatioil;; OF Ira5d
diced, ignorant or Indifferent oiinioI.s
on the part of public o.acers and po.it.
clans. The history of Industrial coE,s
munities where such burdens are i'm
posed, however, is TIE Les. q :Gaia eo
whether such a policy PAYS angb}'!..
Two manufacturers in similar lie.
of business. one o.catl," p'nHi ".
Massachusetts and tie other located in
Connecticut. we.e recently coniparin,-
notes. They discovered that for eyer.
500 in taxes which the Conneetic.i
plant pays per annum the Massachu
sets plant was paying $1,000, or ten
times as much. The answer to this sit
uation is that Massachusetts has bee
falling behind in the percentage 0
growth as an industrial state compared
with some of her neiehboring COMMIT
mites where industry is not so Often
aimed at by buidensome. unnecess;ii
and unreasonable laws.
The following open letter by J. v
Powell, president of the Fore Rive
CIass.) Sh;. building Corporation. n
dressed to the employees of that COZ
pany in recent Issue of their 'fa,.'d
magazine" The Fore Rircr Log, l's
sents In fair way the average bust
ness mans view on excessive taya.io
of industrial plants:
"What is coed for Fore River is anti
for Quincy, and what is good for Quiii
cy Is good for Fore River.
''The officers and employees of this
company and their families make VI
more than quarter of the population
of the city Their interests are tn &
same as the interest of Quincy and o
the Fore River Shipbuilding Corpora
ton.
"This cCmpany's business is buildin.'
ships, which brings us into compel.
ton with companies building ships i,
other States. Anything that Fore Mvc,
must do in this community that othe
shipbuilding companies do not have to
do in their cities will. in the long run
hurt us.
To-day th,re are more ships to be
built than there are yards to bull !
them. When the war is over there vii
be more shipyards than there are
ships to build. Then the yard that
builds the heapest will take the con-
tracts. and the yard whose costs are
highest will discharge its men.
1.-THE other hig shipyarls do not pay
big taxes. Some of them pay no taxes
at all. If you own Il house and rent it
you add your taxes into the rent. If
you rent house NOu pay tue tdAeS
when you pay your rent. so the, COM
pany must add its taxes when it sells a
ship.
"Such an assessment and such taxes as
! have been levied a"ainst this company
this year in Quincy. which is as much
as the combined cost of its new hos
pital ana club. hurt 1t and will. hurt
you. 1t is n, fair to increase this com
! rany's assc 'sment 90 per cent and to
increase it's taxes neaf;y 80 per CEN
this year as ngain>t y year ago.
"You know flat n eueat part of tn,
company's money spent in improve.
ments has been spent to make Fore
River a better place to work. There
are still many departments needing
new buildings. nav Mushrooms, new
locker roc :. >. AMI many other improve.
ments to make this yald the kind of u
yard YOU and WE both want it to be.
I'VE expect to pay fair tax, but
will not pay an exorbitant one. This
matter Is of interest TO YOU. Think II
over.
"(Signe0 ]. W. POWELL,