The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-12-28

!, nected with the thousands OF state
county and municipal government.
mainly are responsible for the increas.
Ing sweep of public extravaganza,
. which Is surging across the country
Utterly oDhvlous to tie enect OF scat
terng the public moneys to the toui
1 winds, these governments, through
the acts OF the individuals in whom
their administration is placed, are
burning the candle at both ends by
. laying an oppressive burden OF taxes
upon industry and at the same time
and by that same act reducing the
ability Of industry to pay the increas-
ed levies because of the reduced pros
perity involved.
Course of Discrimination.
Were the costs of these extrava-
gances leveled against the entire in
dustrial framework of the nation by
these smaller branches of government
the results would not be of so injur-
ious an order as that to which they
now belong. 1t is certain that if all
phases of industrial activity felt these
with equal weight, the reaction would
long ago have grown to such a degree
as to call halt in the fragrant spend
ing of the public's money. With the
state, county and municipal authori-
ties bent upon raising the largest
amount of funds with the least com
plant, it is only natural that they
I should phnoga
influence they feel the least as the
butt of their activities.
Thus it happens that an agricultur-
al community in which mining is
found to some degree, will spend
money beyond a sensible and sound
limit, all because the portion of the
mining industry within it's borders
must stand for it," Were these same
rates and methods of taxation to be
levied upon the industries of greater
voting influence in these political sub !
divisions of the government, those |
seeking to plaster the additional tax |
levies would soon find their political |
heads lying on the platter of defeat
1t is interesting to note the trend of |
oNeNtN anu AONdA llSCdl dlldlIS.
edness of states, counties and munich
palities scared from 3S billion dollars |
in 1913 to go billion dollars in 1921,
according to the best statistics avail
able. State, county and municipal /,
revenue receipts. principally from the
taxes, increased from 19 billions in
1913 to approximately billions in !,
1921.
State and local taxes on mining cor |,
porations were boosted from SOC mil
lions in 1918 to $3.50 millions in 1920 h
corporations were tax
ed locally 312 millions in 1918 and 1879 l,
millions in 1920. Transportation COM
panies paid locally "a millions in 1918
and $50 millions in 1920 Financial
and banking corporations were taxed u
locally 1877 millions in 1918 and 227
millions in 1920. These figures do not \
take into account the taxes paid by |,
investors, stockholders and others in
terested in or dependent upon these ,
Where Burden Rests.
The mining and transportation in :
lustries, among others of lesser i'm Z
Dortance have borne the heaviest pro- .
oortionate increases in state and local p
axes during the period of depression
the war with manufacturing q
/ close third and banking or finance =
ourth The conclusion might logical Fl
y be reached that this situation has o
N important bearing upon the non n
peration of low grade mining proper n
les, which otherwise might be profit 6
BILE, the high prices necessary to sus-
ain manufacturing, the excessive II
reight rates imposed and permitted st
nder the transportation act and the o.
bnormal interest rates on borrowed n
apital. Il
The mining industry suffers not on n,
Y from high tax burdens but also
rom high freight charges which pre-
ent free movement of traffic, and the
Ugh rates on capital The extent to
hitch increasing state and local taxes y
fleet these factors in mining opera
ons is largely matter of conjecture
ut the figures given reflect eondi- 81
ons to a degree which can not be ig &c
ored DC
Mining corporations paid in income h'
nd profits taxes to the federal gov CO
-nment in 1918 1913 million dollars pl
nd in 1920 1745 million dollars, ac- We
1rding to statistics issued by the II
easury department. The aggregate ca
mount of taxes paid, including fed sc
al, state and local, was 241.9 millions &c
1918 and 261.1 millions in 1920. DC
Savings Are Minimized. IA
The reduction in federal taxes was 10
ore than offset by the increase in IN
ate and local taxes and the industry, ne
though passing through period Of II
spression. suffered a material in m
ease in it's total tax liability. Allow II
r changes which have been or may Oh
, made by the treasury department te
the adjustment Of returns for these De
.ars, and the statistics would show IN