The daily Alaskan., 1921-05-21
Two Mines Made Over Sixty Million Dollars During Past Five Years Pay Less Than Losing Business.
FIRST DIVISION ONLY
 ONE LEFT OUT IN COLD
Second and Fourth Division
 Get Ten Times What They Pay in Taxes
Second
By FORMER SENATOR J. R.
 HICKMAN.

HICKMAN.
 l have been asked what should | have been done in the legislature at the session which just came to a close.
 My answer is that they should have used plain business sense, in hard times, to have curtailed ex- penses. This. however, was not only not done, but special appropriations were made for the Second, Third and Fourth divisions. All of them might have merit and might be con sidered under ordinary circum- stances, but not at this time when the Territory is in bad financial condition.
 These special appropriations were: ! $4I.OO0 for the agricultural college ! and school of mines at Fairbanks; ! S25,O for a bridge across the Niz- ina river in the Third division, 1 the same amount as appropriated 1 four years ago, after which the
 bridge went out as soon as it was completed; $25,0O0 for subsidy for steamship to operate from | Seward to the Westward, also in | the third division: and S3O,000 to buy railroad at Nome, Some of these I know to be worthy measures while others un- ] doubtedly have some merit, but not at this time, especially when it was i felt by the legislators that the big mines could not pay their share of the taxes.
 In addition to the above men i toned appropriations, one was made Of 13,OOG for territorial mine in- spector This is a position We have no call for. We have federal in- spectors and that is all that is needed. The only possible excuse for the territorial mine inspector Is the creation of another political job
 The results uf these eXtravagauces will be that the next legislature i when it convenes, will find itself without funds to carry on the neces- sary operations of the territorial government.
 It was amusing during the last session to hear a member of the legislature cry at the top of his voice, Far be it from me to tax the poor man, widow or orphan l (gallery stuff) and then vote for S5 poll tax, a $25.OO tax on messen- ger boys and many other similar taxes. and when it came to taxing the only prosperous industry in Alaska, he voted to tax them not more than 1 per cent. on all net profits in excess of $5,000. As an illustration of the unfair ness of the taxation. I have pre- pared the following statement ,giy- ing authentic figures which speak for themselves.
 Total license taxes collected dur ing 1918 were $S24,S91.5O. The fisheries paid $216,222.22. Total license taxes collected dur ing 1919 were $371,24S.O1. The fish cries paid $279,535.7O Thus show ing but S91, ,712.31 paid by all other industries.
 Have not been able to get the 1920 taxes as collected or will be collected.
 The license taxes as proposed for 1921 and 1922 are estimated at $55S,520.OO per year, out of which the fisheries are to pay $357,SOO.- co.
 With the exception of one or two fishing companies, the fisheries lost more in 1920 then they made during 1918 and 1919. The estimated loss to the fisheries in Alaska for 1920 is S1O, O,O0O,0OO.OO and in the face of this the revenue bill just passed in creases the taxes on fisheries $141, 9OO.O0
 As the bill now stands the fish cries are to pay $357, ,SO0.OO, also federal tax of four cents per case; and all the mines in Alaska are to pay but $4O,OOO.OO,-no increase over previous years. The Kenne- colt and the Chicagoff are making millions; either one of them I con- slider is worth as much as all the fisheries in Alaska, and all the taxes they pay under our license system is one per cent. of the net profits over $5,000.00.