Bisbee daily review., 1918-06-23

burden upon the shipper of custom ere, who is the small producer. Most of them will not realize the extent to which they are hit until their next re- turns are worked out minus the add;- tional freight increase which ranges from 309t up to 60Po. Somebody is likely to start the cry that the smelt- CTS are doing this, but they will have to look to MT McAdoo The smelters, like the copper producers and the min CTS, were refused any increase by the War Industries Board at its last ses- sion While the small producers will feel the increased freight most, the big operators will dig up additional millions. One company in the state, and not the largest, either, has work ed out its freight charges during 1917 and finds that it paid more than S3- 500, ,000 for transportation of that kind. The estimate it has made for 1918, based on last years figures and the increased rate, is something over $5- 100000. The small producer will be able perhaps, to help himself some through turning to the auto truck, but the big producer has no show of relief to any material extent in this way.
 What the Strikes Cost
 The figures issued by the State Tax Commission tell in part what the strikes cost the taxpayer last year. It is shown in a decreased valuation for the producing mines totaling $47,376- SS425. The state tax rate on this sum means approximately one million dol lars lost to the taxpayers. There is a larger item in the payrolls which were lost to trade channels through out the state during the strikes, and there is another big item in accounts lost by merchants. Numerous other items might be mentioned in this total loss column, exclusive of the city taxes and the federal taxes of various kind which were lost in addition to the state tax. The valuation on mines, it may be explained, is fixed on the basis of production. If the tax commission finds decrease in production during the preceding year it is obliged to low CT the valuation. That is where the strikes got in their direct work on the taxpayer.
 Comp ensation Measure
 Proposed amendment to the consti- tuition to provide compensation for in jured workmen will appear on the bal lot this fall. In less than three weeks. more than the S,744 signatures were made to the petition for this measure to get it before the voters. The sig natures came from all over the state, and are continuing to be received. The general confidence in and desirability of the measure has been given eX pression by not only the mining dis tricts, where the largest number oi those coming under the protection oi the proposed amendment are, but also from the farming and cattle countries. In the mining districts it is realized. that the measure affords definite terms and payments that are higher than provided for in any other state in the union and that it will do away with the lawyer who in the past has been the only real beneficiary under present laws, if the radicals of the class who advocate keeping up strife between employer and eInploye be ex cepted. For these the present laws are bread and meat, because they have accomplished more than any other single thing, with the aid of the am bulance chasing lawyers, in making misunderstanding and grief between employer and employe The lawyer of this class and the labor radical o, the class who wanted a statewide strike on May 1 with which to tie uI the copper so vital to the government and its allies against the kaiser, arr of course opposed to the proposed compensation measure, because it vii kill strife. On the farmers end, tho interest in and favor for the pToposeo amendment is due to both fairness toward employer and employe and ti realization that the working of the amendment would cut down his taxes materially by reducing court expenses and at the same time free the courts of the congestion which has kept hin waiting in line with legitimate busi ness. Neither the farmer nor tho workman pays any of the cost of tho compensation provided under the pro posed amendment for injuries sustain ed. the cost of this insurance being carried by the employers, who vii save the expense of litigation and dis satisfaction as well as sharing witt the farmer and general property own CT and merchant in saving taxes.
 New Life For Small Enterprise
 One thing the proposed amendment will do if adopted will have far reach ing result. That is in enabling smal capital to undertake the development of new areas. Under the present com pensatiOn law and employers liability law the leaser and those of limited means who desire to develop minini properties are confronted with the faci that if they have an accident of ever comparatively minor character they may be put out of business and besid, lose every dollar they have. This i the first thing they have put up tt them when they try to interest need ed capital It is a point that has pre- vented a number of important enter prises being undertaken in the stat in the last several years that other wise might today be turning payrolls and taxes to general channels in tn. state. The small operator has no ou except that he purchase insurance from regular companies at from fOu times to eight times what the insur ance will cost him under the propose, amendment The latter in addition Ia an fr.g