Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-02-21
FACING THE MUSIC.

The Journal srenuously objects TO making lsh
Of one class of taxpayers and fowl of another the
railroads, express companies, land owners mousse
holders and merchants are compelled by law TO
leave the fixing of the assessment upon which they
must pay taxes to the judgment of the state IaX
Commission. Why then should the tax on the mines
be fixed arbitrarily by law upon their net outpu"
instead of leaving their owners take their chances
as everybody else does, with the discretionary ma
chnery fixed by the statutes?
To this question there be but one answer
1t is that these gentlemen are believed TO be So
powerful politically that party leaders think they
must be made and kept, the favortes OF the party
at the expense of all the rest of the people
We see none of this solicitude shown toward the
railroads who are not compacty organized poih-
cal factor The merchant, the farmer and the
householder constituting the great rank ana me-
d. because they unorganized Must the
V part of the mine owners taxes as
ying their own, simply because they have
o make themselves articulate?
lust the mine owner receive all OF TINS
81 consideration: why must his exact valuation be
determined to the last carat before he is taxed
while the rest of are left to pay upon an IN"
accurate approximate valuation fixed under the
hest information obtainable by the taxing authoF'
. itesq WHY should his valuation not be determined
by the best judgment of the State Tax COMMISSION
also exactly as that of the railroad or the small
home owner, is fixed? VIII some one please an
swer?
The rest of us are not permitted to support the
state government by our voluntary contrlouIoh9'
why then, should the mine owner be the only ones
asked how much they are willing to pay! Inc
whole situation would be absurd were it not SC
serious. go -,
Comes now the same old mine owners with the
same old proposal that the mines remain two years
more upon their present favored basis IN 'I'e
meantime it is proposed to see what amount u
tax an expert ad valorem valuation would put upon
nh policy oil post
ponement two years ago, which they advocate now
They are making a ife-and-death fight TO- be lei
alone. There is explanation for this except thal
thew know that they are paying less than they
should pay and less than they would pay II
they paid on the same basis as everyone else
can thew impose upon Governor Mechem's
credulity until he will propose any such piece OF
favoritism as this? We think not.
House Bill Number 100, prepared by The
Hagerman commission puts the responsibility
upon the State Tax Commission to fix inc
mine-owners valuations Just as u uouS ,Sc
y employment of experts to aid then 10 nus inus
extent the mine owncrs are favored. IL u 'S
not compel such employment, nor cohpel ihe
tax commission to follow the Judgment OF ulcS I
experts. 1t merely provides the FUNDS VII" lIn
which TO nay for such expert help as thcS uc-
sire. The responsibility for the assessment Is
put upon the State Tax Commission not upon
the experts. - 81 i, . ..;,.
why then all this camouilage about waiting
to see what revenues an ad Naiorell t taM W." VI
nay without change what they are now pa$nniS
nnder the net output tax. III the state iaX
Commission not procure expert ASSIST
ance in time for this years assessment lhGH
can at least fix an adj yalorem value Which VIII
produce revenue equivalent TO that now paul
under the net output law Such NaIu"ton
could not be considered as being 100 hisii lol
the mines have expressed a Willingness TO pay
that much, by urging continuance oi .hc
present tax law. So all this lax apouS wy
revenues of the state being ''ued up w !.
change TO an ad vaorem basis, is pure "Duhh.
II the wisdom of the State Tax Somlhission
placed the valuation higher, the mines snouu
be compelled accept its judgment cAaeuS
as the rest of us arc compelled TO no. OF cise
to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Governor Mechem undertook to redeem nj
own and his partys pledges, If he can be led OF
by so specious and insncere argument as TINS
the people will hold him responsible. This tais
logic is so transparently sophistry that no well
balanced man can want to stand the record o
having approved it,
Mr. Bursum doubtless, will be before the peopl
two wears from now for election to the L. S. senate
az the sa me time that Governor Mechem will seek
n yindication of his record, Mr.. Bursum is yer
powerfu factor at Santa Fe just
The two gentlemen will make or unmake them
selves in the next three weeks. They must decd
now whether to stand by the people and redeer
their party pledges go, body and soul to tn
mining interests They have the credit if the
act in the public interests. They must bear tn
ignominy il they weakly allow the people to b
betrayed. $50,
Holding down the taxes OF special interest