Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-13
Special to The Tribune.

Icpecldl 10 Inc If1Dune.
Butte, Oct. 12.-Declaring that the
mining industry Of Montana is facing a
crisis that has not been brought about
through any legitimate reason, Senator
G. s. Muffly of Winston, president of
the Montana Mining association, in an
address before mining men here Thurs
day morning, said the taxation pro-
gram proposed by Governor Dixon car
ried with it a threat to impose unreas-
enable and unjust burdens on N al
ready tax-ridden industry.
Under the plea of equalization of
taxation" Mr.. Muffly said, powerful
political agencies are now at work to
elect a legislature which will place up
on the mining industry additional tax
burdens. He said that the mines and
mining of all classes in the state were
not only paying a just share of the
taxes but proportionately higher as
sessments than any other class of prop
erty in the state. 1t is hard to believe,
he said, that the governors tax plans
are actuated by the honesty of purpose
as he leads his picnic audiences to be-
lieve.
Other Conditions Favorable
''The crisis that is facing the mining
industry in Montana is not brought
.about through the law Of supply and
demand, nor throug any other eco
nomic reason" asserted Mr.. Muffly.
after a long depression the mining in
dustry is on the upgrade, prices Of
metals are steadily advancing, metal
supplies are about absorbed and there
is a generally healthfuI condition. And
this applies not only to our own u
try, but in the world throughout. On
top of this there are no labor disturb
ances, wages have been advanced by
operators as prices of the metals per-
mitted and more and more investment
money has been looking around to find
a Judgement in mining enterprises.
Charges UIterior Motives
1T is of course no secret that power
full political agencies are now at work
to elect a legislature which will place
upon the mining industry additional tax
burdens. This is being done under the
specious plea of equalization of taxa
ton 1t is proposed to add more tax
burdens to the mining industry, and
the hope is held out to other industries
that their taxes will be proportionately
lightened. And this attempted play
upon the cupidity of those not engaged
in mining is a strong indication of the
character of those responsible for the
campaign against the mining industry.
And this leads to the thought that
those who are fathering this propa-
ganda against the mining industry are
not actuated by the best motives. In
fact, those who are informed know well
that there is no merit whatever in the
contention that mines and mining are
not carrying a full share of the COM
mon taxation burdens. The fullest in
quiry discloses that these statements
are not predicated upon the facts. The
facts are that both mines and mining
in all its phases are paying not only
a full share, but proportionately a high
er share than any other class of prop
erty in Montana. And this statement
is incontrovertible.
Raps Governors Talks
Montana is spending thousands of
dollars trying to secure new industries
and to bring into the state substantial
people to help develop our mines. irri-
gate and till Our lands, and restock our
ranges. Naturally upon the success of
these things depends the growth of u
state. Our people here are telling peo-
pie of other states that Montana is the
best place on earth in which to seek a
fortune or rear a family.
But this is more than offset by
Governor Dixon in his speech-making
at farm picnics and county fairs
throughout the state. These speeches
are given publicity in this and other
states. So, naturally, when he says
that he deplores our financial cOndi-
tion and advises that we are on the
verge of bankruptcy, and says that
more taxes must be Lard pom US, an
already tax-ridden people. in order that
our taxes may be ~lesscned, it is hard
fo: Il lot OF us to see the honesty 1T
purpose the governor would lave us
believe actuates his motives. Just how
he pose to lessen taxes by adding
new ones is beyond my poor philosophy
to grasp.
NO doubt, he proposes, through
equalization of taxation, which Icy the
way is a mouthful of words with rather
a catchy and suggestive atmosphere. 10
bring about the millennium in this
state. To do this he may carry out
his program under the guiSe of eqult-
able distribution of taxes, and as he
puts it, in particular, the ~lessening of
the tax burden or. farms, homes and
merchandise and pla ing the tap burden
on all forms of privileges and in
tangible wealth largely escaping tax
alton" just what Governor Dixon
means by intangible wealth escaping
taxation is not clear to us average
citizens"
Attacks Income Tax
1t is. however, possible that he can
be abiding to that class of property
designated as cash. money or solvent
credits valued for taxation purposes
at seven cents on the Golla,. If he
does mean that class of property. then
we are glad to inform him that the
cash, money or solvent credits" owned
by miners, if obtained as net proceeds
from mines during the previous year,
carries n value for taxation purposes
of not seven cents, but one hundred
cents on the dollar. In other words,
cash money or solvent credits" if
thus acquired from mines pays more
than fourteen times more in taxes
than does cash and solvent credits
pay in taxes if gotten from any other
source.
"A state income tax graduated ac-
cording to the size of the income, we
are advised by one of the governors
~lieutenants, is intended to begin at
$4,000 for single persons and at
$4,000 for married men and heads of
families and to be graduated upwards.
In other words. a single person whose !
income averages $3.50 or more a
month, or a married man whose in
come averages $125.O0 or more a
month is to be fleeced of a part of