, 1922-02-02
WESTERN COUNTIES
HOLD Meetings
COMMISSIONERS, ASSESSORS YND SURVEY
0RS OF CARBON, SWEETWATEF. U|NTA AND
LINCOLN COUNTIES HOLD INTERESTING
Meeting AT GREEN RIVER RECENTLY

mentioned tn" differences, in tA>,,iun
OF me Union Pacific railroad pr
elnlIe east and west uf Wyoming. r'l-
ing statements thar show ,iny ARC
paying upwards of $I2@.uu 90 uar
mile in Nebraska, II upwards nf
$"4 10000 per mile in titan. waiiu
they ar" paying IN the ncignborhJpd
OK $50. UVU.0 90 in Wyoming.
Mr.. G.. Il. l'rydc. rlprrsnutIng Ih.
mon lacitic coal Company. spoke
on the valuation of coal lands, stating
'hAt coal operators ar" very much thu
same as everyone else and believe
that their taxes are oppressive. He
thought that with the re-establiSh-
mcnt of prices taxes should also
come down to a sane level, or it
would certainly injure one of the
greatest sources of revenue in this
county, tn" coal industry.
Mr.. &. Elias, lock Springs Nation
al Bank. also registered a plea for
the relief of the taxpayers in general.
part1clarly the stOckmen.
MIR. Rosenberg of Kemmerer stat
ed that land valuations are certainly
too high and that it is absolutely
necessary that some relief be found
in the near future. 1t is Imperative
gentlemen. to place valuations where
they belong. and county commission
ers should stand behind their assess
ors in doing their duty. The source
of trouble is not with the county
officials, but with the state: thei:
method of taxation is not Just and
equitable. The state of affairs is
deplorable and is brought about
mostly by the demands of the state
legislature. When we have to elect
men to ill an office and then cleo,
or appoint other men to see that they
are doing their d,fty, something is
radically wrong. Mr.. Rosenberg be-
lieved that considerable relief from
taxation could be accomplished by
studying and practicing economy in
the state departments.
Mr.. F. Brown of Evanston said the
tax problems is a very hard thing to
handle, and, as county clerk. it was
certainly beyond his grasp. but he DO
lieved that the delegates from each
county had learned many things. as
l he had, from this gathering. and he
l was Of the same opinion as Mr.. Ros-
eNberg. that several state depart
, ments could be done away with. to
I the relief of the tax payer.
MI. Kendall of Rock Springs called
! attention to the very small portion Of
| the year when grazing land is actual
ly used by the stockmen and he
thought it should be taken into con-
sideration when valuations are made.
Mr.. Wall of Green River said he
had been connected with range land
for 25 years and he believed that
from two and IA half to four months
is about all range land could be used
during the average year. 1t is I'M
incl fnT fhI Stnfa. n.l f -l
ization to ask for a raise of one hun
dred percent on these lands, and the
stockmen are unable to pay it. X
is Il very small percentage of stock
men in this county today who are
operating on a paying basis. Take
cattle for $500 per head three years
ago, and placed $4,000 per head on
those cattle for winteriDg, making a
total of sl02.00. At this time thes,
cattle are worth about $22.a0 per
head on the market. Mr.. Wall said
he agreed with Mr., Pryde of Rock
Springs, that If W. persist In increas-
ing taxation We would Ultimately
drive coal operators out of the
county. Gentlemen, We must insis:
on placing Il own valuations and
also insist on the state living within
our valuations placed on our own
lands. This kim Of state rule is he
worst monarchy that ever existed. W..
can elect a commission between thes.
counties to go to Cheyenne and in
SiSf ON these things at the lcgiSla-
ture.
Mr.. Agnew, of the North Side
stat" Bank. Rock Springs spoke on
the economy question and called at
tention to the unreasonable expend-
! ~ va ~ th.. -. ,..
ment
Mr.. T. W. Boyer of Salt Lake CITY.
believed that this method of the COM
missioners of various counties get
ting together is an excellent one and
would result in much good. He said
the commissioners heretofore had
carried on their own business and be-
lieved they were still qualified to do
so. 1t is apparent that the counties
are being mOnopoliZed by the State
Departments and he believed that we
should insist on strict on
the part of the state, and stand on
our rights to protect IL own cit
liens. would advise you. gentle
men. to resist anything that is un-
reasonable to the fullest extent
Mr.. Mckay, Rawlins. said he was
unable to understand that kind Of Il
Board of Equalization we have in
Cheyenne, because there is certainly
no equalization.
Mr.. Martin. Evanston. said he re-
membered the time when he was
made to believe that he and he rest
Of the commissioners would have to
spend the remainder of their days in
Jail for even talking about reducing
taxes. We realize that we have to
raise funds for the upkeep and build
ing Of good roads. but gentlemen. we
Continued on Page Thirteen)