Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-22

SO used, II is assessed In full for this
additional value. Through this pro-
vision the assessment rolls of the
mining sections have been very sub
stantially increased. For example, in
the city of Butte, a large part of the
lane within the city limits is upon
the surface of mining claims. and hav-
ing additional value for town purposes,
1t is assessed at prices running up to
more than $1,000 per front foot.
Again, all improvements, buildings,
mills, smelters, reduction works. hoists.
machinery, etc, used in connection
with mining operations, are assessable
at their full cash vai1s.
The governor calmly brushes this
provision aside with the statement that
it simply means that the mines are
taxed upon their tools and machinery
the same as a farmer is, But a casual
| visit to the mining operations of
Butte, Phillipsburg, Red Lodge, Round
up and other mining camps OF the state
is sufficient to show the absurdity of
this statement.
Huge Investment in Machinery
Several years ago, one of the large
mining companies began to expert
mant with the treatment of refractory
zinc ores, which had been Heretofore
considered worthless. Before a pound
of zinc was profitably produced, this
company spent 100000 in expert
mentations, development and plant
erection.
A few years ago the same ompany
changed it's method of hosting from
steam power to air, compressed by
electric power, and in the installation
of this change and of it's compressor
plants for this purpose. and in fur
! nishing compressed air for the mines,
a sum in excess of S4,000,000 was ex-
pended.
In fact, the large mining operation
or Montana today is not a mining op-
Grafton in the popular sense, but a
low grade. close margin, manufacturing
enterprise, and one in which a large
part of its investment must be de-
voted to the acquisition of suitable
machinery and appliances.
in addition to the above, a mine,
under the constitution and laws, must
pay a net proceeds tax, and in paving
upon its net proceeds, as determined
by our constitution and lawmakers, and
correctly so, the mine pays upon the
full value of its ores. In assessing
the net proceeds. however. as in the
case of the surface value Of the prop
erty, the plain intent of the makers
| of the constitution and the laws adopt
I ed to carry out the constitutional pro-
visions has been far exceeded. The
NET proceeds dollar has always been
assessed In full. This by practice, be-
| fore the adoption of the classification
law in 1919, and under the provisions
of that law since it's adoption.
Other Property Classified
Under the classification law, other
classes of property are given a value
for the purposes of tax ievies in
varying percentages of the 100 per
cent assessment, these percentages
running from seven to 40 per cent
but upon the whole averaging about
! 80 per cent, and before the adoption
of this law the assessing authorities
throughout the state never pretended
to assess other property upon a 100
per cent basis, upon all classes of
property averaging about 30 per cent
so we have had the net proceeds OF
| mines taxed not at fun 100 per cent
value. but at SO t-3 per cent OF full
value, as compared with other proper
ty.
The following table gives a compar-
| son of the assessment and taxes paid
on net proceeds of mines, with other
classes of property. This is based
on a levy of so mills, the Is mills
levied under the Mines License Law
being added to the net proceeds levy: