The Cordova daily times., 1921-06-15

the tax on mining profits be increas- ed 50 per cent, was not presented un- till after the revenue measure had passed the house of representatives He did not present the proposition in order to have the taxes on the fisher ies reduced, because he had already consented to the raise in the taxes on that industry. He consented to that raise and then after the measure had passed he house, asked that the tax es be increased on mine profits be- cause the fisheries taxes had been in creased. He did not even attempt to show that the extra money the mines would produce would be needed to meet the appropriations of the legis- lature. He simply tried to show that the fisheries had been taxed too heavily and, therefore, the mines should be taxed more.
 MT. Hickman knows that the in- crease in the taxes on fish traps was the result of a campaign that was be- ing made against them. It was urg- ed as a, regulative measure rather than as revenue producing measure. Lobbyists wanted higher taxes on the fish traps for the purpose of reduc- ing their number. Some of them wanted the number reduced so as to make more business for the seiners and some for the purpose of reducing the salmon catch and thus to protect the supply. Some of the members of the house of representatives were wholly in sympathy with this propa- ganda. Some of the lobbyists favor ed fish trap tax of $1,O0O-for the purpose, not of increasing the reven- ue, but for the purpose of reducing the number of traps. The revenue bill as it was introduced carried tax of $500 on fish traps, and it stood at that fig ure when Mir. Heckman arrived on he scene. This was the situation when MT. Heckman consented to an increase in the tax on fish traps from S10O to $2OO He also consented to the other increases in fisheries tax ation and the house passed the meas ure in the condition
 The Empire absolutely agrees with MT. Heckman that the taxes on the fisheries are too high. They should not have been increased. If any change were made it should have been downward change. If MT. Heckman had started campaign when he first arrived in Juneau to have the legis- lature cut out $10O,OOO or $2OO,OOO of the proposed appropriation and to cut the taxes on the fisheries it is not unlikely that there would have been no increase at all in tho taxes on the fisheries.
 No taxes should have been increas- ed at that last session of the legis- lature. If any taxation changes were to be made they should have been the reductions. These are not times to increase the burdens on industry. It may be admitted that reductions should come on the fisheries ahead of the mines. But after Mr. Heckman consented to a raise in the taxes on the fisheries that was no reason why more money should have been taxed out of the mines. If Mr. Heckman had shown the senators that the ter ritory needed more income from tax ation it might have been reason for the course he pursued. But he did not make any such showing to the senators. He simply tried to get them to raise the taxes on the mines be- cause he had consented to a raise in the taxes on the fisheries.
 When it came from the house of representatives, the revenue bilf con- tained provisions for raising enough money to meet the appropriations. The fisheries taxes had been agreed to by MT. Heckman representing the need for increasing taxes on mines The senate did the obvious thing to do. It passed the bill as it had been approved by the house without in- creasing the mines tax. The senators used their best judgement and their sense of right.-Juneau Empire
 VOICE OF THE ALACkA PRESS