New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-10-15
THE DEMOCRATS .
AND TAXATION

war some OF the QeulOCfatiC ueaS
of taxation were being inforced
Soup houses sprang up through
out the United States. Bread lines
were forming in large cities. The
abnormal conditions of war brought
a return of prosperity. Now that
the war has been over for consid
erable period the impractical work
ability OF the taxation schemes is
again made imDr essive.
In New Mexico the democratic
candidates are attacking our taxa
ton laws and making general and
irresponsible statements. They
seek to destroy What do they Of
ter as a substituted
But that is as far as they go. they
do not give facts or figures. except
to mislead Why don't they dis
cuss the questions ia rly with the
voters OF the state! Ii they know
so much about taxation it should be
easy for Judge Hanna-he is a
lawyer-to tell everybody just what
kind OF tax laws they propose 10
put on the statute books. Tell US
all just how he proposes to tax and
what the tax will will be. The
Democratic candidates with the
support of the gentleman from Ok
lshoma, and the gentleman from
New York, are saying lot about the
assessment and taxation OF coal
lands. From their public utter
ances it is plain that they include
in the term Coal lands" al the land
=. A. a.. 4, II .aA
by the government as such. They
don't say coal mines-they say coal
lands" In their public talks they
seem to fix $3.50 to $500 per acre
as a minimum assessment for non
Productive coal lands"
In the counties OF san Juan. Nc
Kinley and Colfax thousands OF
acres have been classified as coal
land by the government. But this
land is not being worked for coal.
and the greater part OF it never will
be. The coal, il any, is thousands
OF feet below the surface OF the
earth, and thousands OF acres are SO
class fled are many miles in every
direction from railway transports.
uon. The land has absolutely no
value except for grazing purposes.
and III some cases, Tor agricultural
purposes where water is available
Tor irrigation Land in both San
Juan and Colfax counties hereto
fore classified as coal land" has
been finally reclaimed as agricul.
tural land and properly SO. But
what OF the land that can be used
only for graz ng purposes. What
would happen to the homesteaders
m San Juan county who are trying
to hold on until irrigation ditches
are built Their lands have been
classified as coal lands. Thous-
ands OF acres OF those lands were
filed on before the government is
sued its patents with coal reservs-
tions.
The democrats insist that non-pro.
ductiye coal-lands' be assessed
higher.
Gve us the figures, gentlemen
Tell the taxpayers just what kind OF
legislation you are going to enact
if elected? Jumping on one or
two corporations don't alter the
fact that hundreds OF citizens Of
this state are vitality concerned
What are you going to do to them
In San Juan county some OF this
coal land" has been assessed at
high rate The taxes thereon have
remained unpaid for several years
A lot of the land has been sold for
taxes No man can afford to keep
it, waiting for bitches to be con-
structed. 1t not valuable for
coal. 1t IS grazing land only anS
located in section having but hall
the annual rainfall that comes to
scme Of the eastern counties.
The plain fact is that the demo.
Gratis have no idea OF the results o.
some Of their taxation schemes pro
posed in general terms Take the
case OF Contiguous lands" to the
working coal min-, it includes all
unproductive coal lands owned by
the working m ne classified as
coal land There are probabl,
thousands of acres Of the so called
cont guoug lands which are only
valuable for grazing at this time
Assess ard tax the coal mine that
produces the coal you burn on
coal land" basis say the democrats
How much shall the assessment be-
Il is important for the reason that
every dollar of expense including
taxes, and the taxes the democrats
would add to the unproductive land
Tust be charged TO and paid from
the earnings of the working mine
ere you paying enough for coal Mr
1aXpayerY If the productive coal
mine made 10 stand the increased
isx proposed for all alleged classi-
ed coal lanT' contiguous to and
owned BY it the consumer OF coal
r. m that mine viii have to pay az
increased price for the coal he
burns n other words the demo-
Cra-s propose measures TO soak the
consumer
They have not made any distinc-
i7- between MEAL mines and coal
mines They are simply mines
OWE Z by corporal. MS. Soak thu
r---0r-t tiou=' las been the favorit,
ras+ me ~ III deu7ro-ues They
play unon the credriity OF the peo-
-'e i- those counties where trev
have no mining niustr Is. II IS
fie rdrthircz -f tHese seize same
rrr-ci hers ~ Dcii5ic~i r'zhteorsress
fizt is e.ard'nc he development Of
.his state IF what they say was
i-'f t-1e. men with money would be
o-iv too r'ad to invest IN New Mex
g. Development Whv worlin't thev
when The corporations and men
~7re3 bv TIE nrdslrrcr- nv no
a~es and rrn everything Tommy
-oit When the damaeogres quit
wing about decent folks ard there is
assurance that man can come in
, ~ orr state ard enr7pr II h7z ness
without being constantly vilified by