The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1922-03-03


call these things to your attention in
the spirit of criticism or complaint.
We are as much to blame as you.
Every taxpayer in this state has sat
Idly by, content to criticise his neigh
Dor about the distribution Of the tax
burden, while those charged with the
functions of government have contin-
ued to load increased burdens upon the
people.
Taxes Compared With Net Returns
yet the taxes, heavy as they are.
paid by this company are but small
portion OF its contribution to the de-
velopment Of this great state. The
practical shutdown of the year Just
past made all of us appreciate the I'm
portance OF industries of this kind.
When this company Is operating Mt full
capacity 1t employs more than 10000
men. During the last 10 years the
actual expenditures Of the Anaconda
Conner Mining company in the state
OF Montana were rs follows:
Wages .*23O. 9ca. Ss7. ~
freight ............... 45732, 1y1 %
Fuel and power ....... 3O.313.2G2.4 A.
Lumber and timber go. 1862, 800. AZ
Supplies .............. 1905. S31 Sc
Taxes ................. 1921 .OS1 AZ
(Taxes does not in
clude taxes paid to the
FEDERAL gOvernment.)
Miscellaneous and in
suraHce ............. ~. l:D. 3lS.9tb
custom ores .......... 34,259,37O.97
Total ..............$464, 1872 2 434.61
making an average expenditure per
year of SAG, AZ, o43.46, per month of So
S1O.27O.20. or an average expenditure
per day. including Sundays and hol-
days of $129.OO9.O1. 1t is to he noted
from the above that practically 80 per
cent Of all the money disbursed is
represented by wages paid to men EN-
p'oyed directly by the company in this
state. The communities Of Butte and
OF Anaconda are practically dependent
upon the operation of these mines. and
1t may be said that practically every
dollar OF taxes paid in the city Of
Butte. the greatest portion Of taxes
paid in Anaconda and large portion
of the taxes paid in Great Falls and
IN other communities in western Mon.
tana is paid by the money that comes
out Of the Butte hill.
More Farm Products Needed
"The communities in which the Ana
conda company operates constitute
generous portion Of the states total
population. And they afford some of
our best markets for the products Of
the farm and ranch. When running Mt
capacity. the properties of the Ana
conda company employ approximately
2O,OOo persons, whose payroll amounts
to $36,OOOOOO a year. Assuming that
each employee has but two dependents,
family Of three. according to avail
able statistics will consume in meats,
cereals, vegetables. fruits, eggs, milk,
cheese. etc, nj least $50 worth each
month in the year. or 4 total Of S13.-
UO.OOO per year for the 10000 en-
ployes. Assuming that half of this
money was paid for supplies raised
outside the state, We have $4,000, 600
rs the minimum amount annually paid
TO Montana ranchnen, stockgrowers
and truck farmers by the employees Of
the Anaconda company. This amount
equals One-fOurth the gross value of
Montana's 1921 wheat crop. With its
vast expanse of rich farming lands.
certainly the state of Montana should
he able to provide not 80 per cent. hui
all of these supplies for its own peoplc,
Yet I find that Montana is importing
annually over million dozen eggs. ana
more than Il million pounds of butter.
Butte alone ships annually over the
Oregon Short Line railroad from Idaho
100000 pounds of potatoes. 400, 900
gallons Of cream. 100000 pounds Of
butter. $4,000 pounds Of poultry and
IS carloads Of eggs. There is shipped
into and sold in Montana annually
more than 4 million and a quarter dol.
lars worth Of condensed milk. These
figures should impress any one with
the importance Of the development of
the farming industry in Montana.
What reason can there be. with the
broad eNpanse Of grazing lands and
with our fertile valleys that produce
forage in quality and quantity not ex-
celled anywhere. for the Importation of
milk. cream. butter and condensed milk
in the state Of Montana? Why should
not Montana produce eggs and butter
for expectation? Why, with the high
freight rates from distant markets.
and with higher priced land, should not
Montana have condensed milk factor
les that would at least supply its local
needs? Why are the markets Of Mon.
tana supplied with cheese shipped from
Wisconsin and Minnesota? In every
agricultural show in this country In
the past 10 years the exhibits of the
Montana farms have demonstrated the
superiority Of our products. What
Montana needs IL more men of genius.
foresight and nerve, and more money
to develop Its resources. Is 1t not time
for the people Of the state OF Montans
- get together and make the drive foy
~ own developmeat3 Why should moi
| tAo beef cattle Of cur ranges he slsueh.