, 1923-01-16
The Severance Tax.

Editor Tribune: While our present
session Of legislature is deeply con.
siderlng placing a severance tax on
minerals for the raising of funds for
state needs. present and future, we
might consiGer the subject from the
taxpayers point OF view for a mo-
ment.
Some state that this tax is to com.
pei the owners of property contain.
Ing mincra. values, to place their
properties upon n producing bas s in
order that they VIII not be relieved
OF such properties through taxation.
In benalf o. the property owner, who
is not financially able in these finan-
cially stringent times. to get the
money to place his property on the
producing list. let US ask this ques.
ton; rs It the policy of the present
administration to pass laws such as
will relieve the poor devil of the
property he possesses just because he
cannot do what his Weather neigh
Dor CAM"
Is it in all fairness7 Does the
IA OoPNANOl AAoNS SiAhAA1S Will ShSA
a law TO buck? VIII this law en-
courage the opening up of u great
mineral resources? On what justifica.
ton will such a law be placed? VIII
the state employ men who are ca
pable of passing judgment on the
valuation OF mineral lands7 Are
there such men to be employed2 Or
are this type of man drawing a sal
- 1919 --.A Ah1l-
services prohlbitive to state uses?
While such a law may be oonstitu-
tional from a viewpoint Of law. is
there justice In it? Is 1t right. Just
because one state. and that one com
monty reckoned as a non-mineral
state, has such a law7 Should we of
the great west stooD to copy after
the laws of q state that. In passing
laws for her common good must
needs resort to measures that will
protect her white population from en-.
croaclSnent from persons Of other
color7
Much rather that we take a sane
view of tho matter anc see II we
have not a more fair means Of tax
tion at hand. What is the annual
valuation Of our production Of min
oral wealth today? Something like
$42, 500, 900. Suppose we have a law
placing a tax Of / per cent or this
annual production and our annual
income from this would add $4.2oo,-
900 TO our state funds and not be a
detriment toward the opening of any
additional production whatever
Neither would It tax out the man
who has a property OF value and
lacks the funds to place It on a pro
ducinE basis, that the property may
earn the tax before paying It.
Considering that this law should
be enacted and that the mineral val
ues dormant in h ground be taxed.
why not tax the future production OF
alfalfa ard grains that will later be
produced from the efforts OF the
and farmer, or the future
production OF the cattle and sheep
vet TO be born and raised.
TIL writer is wondering Of the type
of instruments to be used for the
measuring of the gas and oil that has
not vet como 20 the surface. Or Will
the appraiser merely make n guess
at the values and let II 60 at that?
How would you like to DO taxed un-
der such n ~ system7
Under one condition. and only one'
would such a law be at all justified'
That is. attach to II an amendment
providing that the great state OF
wyoming must aud h warrant
and guarantee that such taxed min
.raI wealth Is and does exist In and
within such premises. Then there
would bo little difficulty In getting
outside capital to invest, being a
ranted in SO Going by such law.
The man OF money will not hest.
tate in searching for valuations that
are there to be recovered n In case
puch are not found. Their the state
becomes liable. OF course a poruon
Of tho immense taxes received could
ba sot anart for that specific purpose
ana hen tho state would be a long
yyays ahead. The writer would like
to hear from others.
w. IT. KITS