, 1923-02-01

Whether or not a gross prOdac-
ton tax q severance tax, or any
similar form Of assessment Of the
earnings of the coal and oil COM
panies operating in Wyoming is
constitutional is the question on
which may hinge the outcome of the
big fight facing the Seventeenth
legislature.
Chairman r. H. Alcorn of the
House Revenue committee said We'd
nesday that. that body having gone
into the coal and oil phases of
Dalton's Gross Production Tax bill
all that remained was to Investigate
the iron ore and the constitutional
phases.
The measure reached his commit
tee Monday morning. and the first
session regarding II was held that
evening. 1t will be reported out by
the end of the present week. First
however. here will be another hear
ing in an effort to get a better idea
Of the legality part Of the problem.
More than 100 men jammed into
the ball room at the Plains hotel
for the Monday evening meeting.
ID. p. b. Marshal Of Sheridan, Gee
OF Douglas, Sid Keown OF the Mu-
tual. II. E. Wertx Of the Producers
Z Refiners. Foley OF the Staley and
G. r. Hagens OF the Standard spoke
on behalf of the oil companies, and
II. v. Lacey OF Cheyenne. p. j.
Queaiy OF Kemmerer, II. b. Mar
chant OF the Superior-Wyoming and
II. 8. Brooks OF the Union Pacific
appeared for the coal companies. All
the committeemen-Chairman Alcorn
Mccullough. Barksdale. Rose. Price,
Wnhda and nalfnn- uArn pracart
ana most OF them asked questions.
The deliberations lasted for four
hours.
The representatives of the coal
outfits presented figures to show that
their taxes-had inereased $50 per
cent IL the past few years and that
tier production had been less. The
oil men had numerous charts and
fir e They said that II all the
government royalties exacted from
their concerns were to be paid into
the tax fund, instead Of partly into
the permanent fund. these concerns
would he paying 1875 per cent of the
stafe taxes. They showed where the
State had been given BIN per cent
Of the federal royalties In lieu of
taxes. or the total taxes collected
in 1877. 630.627-th The revenue
from oil. they asserted. was $6.002,-
23k.
No witnesses in favor of the bill
were called for testimony.
Cheyenne. wyo.. Fob. i.-wyom-
ing's attorney general may be elect
ed In tho future. instead Of appoint
Representative Preston r. McAvoy
~ No~caA1o e aNnntoA kw thn a~~t.
1ature.
Tho resolution would propose .
constitutional amendment to place
the attorney general In the same
category ~ the governor. the secre-
tary OF state, the state auditor, the
state treasurer and the state super.
intendent OF public Instruction and.
II 10 maintained. make him moro re-
sponsive to the wishes Of the peo-
pie. Under tho existing law ne II
appointed by the governor.
Some time this week the Agricui-
vural committee Of the two houses
Will Introduce . bill creating the
State Department OF Agriculture and
defining is duties.
The idea IL to merge . number
Of departments and activities. such
~ the dairy food and oil. the horti-
cultural. the immigration and api-
culture. but not to include anything
81 m experimental or educational
nature. such ~ the Extension de-
partment OF tho University. Every
lhinG would b. Standardized. and
the way would be paved. the hackers
Of the measure claim. for ef-
eeetive cooperation with the federal
department. and for . OF permit
ting Wyomiae 70 avail itself Of all
Further. II II asserted that the ad-
ditsonai cost wouid b. almost nil,
tnaamuch ~ there would b Q large
saving on tho overhead.
whether or not the stock inter-
ests, With their boards OF livestock
aad sheep commissioners and their
stats veterinarian arc TO b. taken
- viii be up 70 tho livestock COM
0lttoe n the two branches. 10 far
~ haven't had much 70 say.
ne hi 10 rive Wyoming IN ad-
1otoea1 LEGAL holiday Nv providing
ser The Observance Of November II
- Ar0ietseo ~ waa ~ before the
House anl w. ready for approval.
M. epoakee," said . member. II
Mevs that ~ strike out the words.
Nay SCI"
nay I ask the gentleman why
Ae wishes 70 - thisf" asked an
''Wsl1." was he reply. "ws have
!. ~ 0aay hel11ayy already. aad 10.
~ eeesfyee 49, 1sy s.yvsy:"