Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-28
FACTS ABOUT THE NINE TAX
AND HOW THE COMPANIES
PAY VOLUNTARILY.

PAY VOLUNTARILY.
The Las Cruces Citizen, after re-
citing the caption of House bill NO.
1872 has the following editorial:
"The above bill was introduced by
the Hon. Isidoro Armijo in the house.
The bill was never born-it 1ust grew.
II went to the cradle and il had the
toughest rocking ever, The fact ~
that this bill was born with teeth. 1t
was the most discussed piece of legis-
lation for years-the most comment
ed one introduced. II brought all the
mining men of the state TO Santa Zee
and after 80 days of 'caucuslng' the
mining interests came to the mourn
ers bench in trot and offered
compromise.
1.-THE original bill only attempted to
extract two innocent looking lines
from Sec, 4, Chap. SIS of the session
laws of 1916. The operation would
have resulted in legitimate revenue
to the state Golfers of one million ana
a half dollars. The mining corpora
tons believed it was too drastic and
unjust, that it would close the mines
and bring up untold misery, etc.
"Armiio knew better. 1t could not
be so. The state could not be made to
suffer any longer so he worked to
mass il. it being made the special or
der Of the day and on the calendar
a compromise was agreed on ana SUD-
stitute for II. b. No. 1872 was placed
upon it's passage, going through the
house with rap by unanimous vote
It passed the senate with shouts!
"Eyperts in the state have issued
will bring 100000 revenue to the
state. and as it was a compromise Of
fered by the great mining corpora
lions they admitted that in the law
repealed there existed n coon in the
woodpile.
1.-THE fight made by Armijo in this
matter has been commented on very
favorably by the state press and enti-
ties him to all the glory that there is to
1t. because he deserves it, and he snail
have it. Armijo worked day and
night from the day the session opened
until it was officially closed. He an
swered every roll call and IS recorded
as having voted on every bill for pas
sage in the house. 1t is some record
"a worthy record"
The Real Facts.
Isadoro Armijo is an enthusiastic
well-meaning public representative,
and his energy in pushing legislation
he conceived to be right is to ms
credit. But we do not think it fair,
however. for the Citizen to build up
for him a reputation at the expense
of the mining industries of the state
and of the public spirited men who
run them.
If the public and the newspapers
are ever to stop batting corporations
merely because they are corporations,
and give them credit where credit is
due, the batting should be stopped
now and credit should be given for
the action of the mining interests and
their attitude toward the great ques-
ton of taxation in New Mexico.
The law of New Mexico not only
provides for taxation by the county
authorities, of all physical properties
and improvements of mining enter
prise, including the surface value of
the land held for mining purposes,
according to the same rates and valu-
atoms as other property, but provi'
sion is also made for taxation of the
net mineral output. Not all of the
cost for overhead expenses, insurance.
panies.
A Big Jump In Valuation.
The law may not be as radical as
that of Arizona. where mining men
claim it goes to the point of confisca
ton, but it is long step ahead OF
our old laws on the subject Under
its provisions the taxable valuations
of mining properties in New Mexico
rose from approximately ten or fiji
teen millions in 1914 to approximately
fifty millions in 1918.
In some sections of the state. gen.
orally where there is no mining of
consequence, there has been agitation
for still further tax on such enter
prises. The last democratic state
platform called for the repeal of this
act entirely, without, however. pro-
posing any substitute therefor,
A repeal Of the laws would have
left the state without taxes from the
mines, or 1t would have revived the
old laws, which would have had about
the same result. What the democrats
purposed was not disclosed.
At the recent legislative session.
various measures-some calculated
merely. to amend some Of the provi-
sions, Of the present act and some to
entirely change the present laws and
adopt entirely new metl0g sOf mine
taxdti6n. evsn to the s2tahf ~ adopt
II 81 u ~ II s$4<s I'LL stf -