Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-10
CONSERVATION
HARDING PLEA
To MINING MEN
Wise Liberality and
Saving Is Hope of
President.

Cleveland, Oct. 9-(By The Asso-
ciated Press). s).-President Harding in
letter read to the delegates at the
Twenty fifth American Mining con-
gress, which formally opened a six
day session here Monday night, ex-
pressed regret at being unable to ac-
cept an invitation to attend the con-
gress and saying all the world now
adays is heard crying out for supplies
of raw materials for its commerce and
industry.
The presidents letter in part fol-
lows:
''The riches of our American soil
have been drawn upon in this connec-
ton with a liberality that verges upon
prodigality, and still the demand is
for more and yet more. Our problem
of wise liberaity, tempered by
proper purpose of conserving these
great resources, should be always in
our minds. 1t is not desirable that
we should be either extravagant on
one side or niggardly on the other.
Must Develop Resources
"Above all, it is vitality necessary
that if we are to make the most of our
rich endowment in this realm, We must
seek to develop it with a full regard
for the human interests involved. Our
natural resources will not in the end
have served us their greatest purpose
if we find that in their development
we have exploited the great army of
humanity which is dependent upon
these industries"
r. f. Grant, chairman of the gen
eraI Cleveland committee, presided at
the formal opening Monday night and
read the presidents letter.
The address of welcome was deliv-
cred by Newton d. Baker, president
of the Cleveland Chamber of Com
merce and former secretary of war.
An exhibit of mining machinery and
mining safety appliances also was for
mally opened Monday night.
A mine taxation conference to dis
cuss the subject of federal taxation
was held Monday afternoon, Paul Ar
mitage of New York presiding, and
Mckinley W. Kreigh of Washington
chief of the tax division of the Ameri-
can Mining congress, delivering the
principal address.
Says Tax Laws Faulty
Kreigh submitted evidence of faulty
construction of the federal tax laws,
declaring that the annual cost to the
taxpayers, exclusive of taxes paid, of
complying with the federal tax laws
approximates $150000,000, adding that
the tax laws as now on the statute
books are economically unsound. He
declared that it required 10 per cent
of the taxes collected to administer
the laws.
The bureau of internal revenue in
Washington holds approximately 3d.
900 conferences each year to adjust
lax returns" Mr.. Kheigh told the tax
alton conference delegates.
THE 1922 appropriation for the in
ternal revenue service was 500, al, =
100. The total annual cost to the gov
ernment of administering the internal
revenue laws, plus the cost to the tax
payers, is very close to 100000, 900,
or nearly 10 per cent of the taxes col
lected.
There should be some way of ad-
justing tax returns in the local collec-
ton district, in order to avoid this
enormous cost to taxpayers. who are
now forced to go to Washington to
have these adjustments made"
Kreigh pointed out that approx
mately $4,000 mining companies filed
income and capital stock tax returns
returns and the accompanying sched-
ules are not less than $2,000,OOO, he
said. The annual cost of adjustment,
including the preparation of evidence,
conferences, attorneys fees, etc, he
said, is close to $25,O00,000.
w. J. Loring of San Francisco, pres
ident of the congress, was unable to
attend, due to his appointment Mon
day with Governor Stephens of Cali
fornia on a special commission to in
vestigate the Jackson mine disaster.
Severance j. Harvis, of the Califor
MIA state finance commission, who was
the governors personal representa-
tive and observer at the mine disaster,
Monday said that a special committee
would make recommendations to the
governor to further protect the miners
and mining property by the installa-
ton of the most modern equipment.
lie said installation of this equipment
probably would mean the abandonment
of many poor mines, as their output
was not sufficient to stand the install
lation cost.