Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-02-23

Aahc cafe ot our public Officers, DoArus
commissions ana bureaus. Inc tUta
state payroll tor the month OF Deceln
BIER. 1vIA, amounted TO $7T,371.l2. II
the month of December, 1870, this hat
~.smn lo-tle appalling sun 0I $l49,
1911, an Increase OF 81 per cent Il
LIe-taAHa4yefs organizations IN Mon
tana viii accomplish nothing Other
than 10 see that there Is not an udut
tional name placed ON the payrolis OF
this state until we have recovered from
our present unfortunate condition
their existence will have been justi-
fled.
Mine Taxation
Since | am here pursuant to an in
sitation extended TO the Anaconda
Copper Mining company. / assume
that the much discussed, and, IL 1 may
say, The much niisrepresented question
OF mine taxation is expected 10 receive
some consideration. / want 1t distinct
" understood from the outset that !
am not here to apologize ior the taxes
paid aud being paid By the mining
industry OF this state. They need no
apology. | come before you with the
AAHh NbAN AlAbnt NtitAtAtA AhAHtlAfAt
tension there may be in your minds
ihaLthe mining Industry Is paying aad
has been paying It's proportionnte share
OF the burdens of this commonwealth.
l hope IL may be FUZZY understood that
! am not here to attack any other In
dustry or any set OF men, whatever
their convictions may be upon this sub
jeet.
"The future OF this great
wealth depends upon the coordination
OF its industries and the cooperation
OF all Its citizens to the end that Its
matchless may be developed
and that IL may be made the home OF
n happy and contented people.
A. c. M. Taxes Misunderstood
unfortunately the amount of taxes
paid by the Anaconda Copper Mining
company has been so perslstently mis-
represented that there exists In the
minds OF Il large portion OF well-mean-
Ing citizens OF this state the impress
sion that mining companies pay taxes
only upon the profits OF the business.
Let us examine the facts. The ANA
conda Copper Mining company pays
four kinds OF taxes In Montana
.Elrst-It4payS property tas-GF-
on It's mines and mining claims IL Is
assessed NJ the government price. In
addition to That. II the surface has any
value for other than mining purposes
aud II so used. Il Is taxed nj such
value. Ii Is well known that the sur.
faee-ef practically all OF the mining
claims In Montana Is rough, mountain
Gus ground, and that n value OF 50 per
acre is more than the surface Is ac-
tualIy worth. But In addition 10 that
10 the surface has any value. whether
II be for farming. grazing or TOWNSHIP
purposes and Is SO used. II IS assessed
at such value. II Is a fact of common
knowledge that what IN now the most
heavily assessed property In the state
Of Monlann formerly constituted mere
ly the surface OF mining claims. for
practically The entire surfaceI The
city of lutte was patented as mining
property, aud city blocks that are now
assessed nt tt real estate value of hun.
dreds OF thousands of dollars originally
paid only the tax on the purchase price
from the government. So TINT as far
the surface of mining property Is
concerned. II Is In exactly the same
position as any other land In Montana
with this exception. the surface OF min
Chains IS assessed az 100 per cent,
whereas other lands are assessed on n
basis Of 30 per cent. Again. all I'm
provements, buildings, mills, smelters.
reduction works and property Of every
kind Is assessed ms other prop
"Second. The Anaconda Copper
Mining company pays n tax on Its net
proceeds on the basis OF 100 per cent.
which means that The net proceeds Of
mines arc nssessed on a basis of more
Than three times the average OF other
rlasses OF property.
Third. This company pays n cor
porafIon license tax Of / per cent of
he net profits OF It's business In Mon.
Fourth. This company pays a mine
license Tux % IN per cent on the net
proceeds, or n 15-mlll levy on Il 100
,eF cent ri fffe met proceeds OF It's MIN
ng operations.
saThe last two forms OF taxation go
Iirectly into the stnte treasury for the !
iole benefit Of tbe state. /,
Value Of A. c. M. Stock /,
what does the tax under subdIyL &
Ion %anountf I take II that q
most N sou have been told. and have I
cad IN the public press from time 70 =
that the Anaconda Copper Mining :
ompan pays taxes only when n :
makes money. In 1927, under the first
lpfhad Of taxation. the Anaconda Cop
or Mining company WAS assefsed on o e
aluatlon II physical property IN Mon Il
mn for the sum Of SJ9.193. 100. and d
non this Is paid tnxes NJ any other r
roperty owner. Huf someone may II
Look az the millions OF dollars OF s.
roperty owned by the Anaconda Cop s
or Mining company that escapes tax p
lion Think Of the millions OF dol y
....taI f.s a.. .4,I.x - a. ~