The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-01-02
SOMETHING ABOUT
MINING TAXES

John A. Monger, writer and
student of conditions IN the several
states in which he has occasion to
ba in his work of feature writer for
the Duluth Herald, gives his views
on Minnesota taxation laws and es-
pecially those relating to mining in
the following:
why not start 1925 as a year
for constructive work, tax adjust
ment and repeating of the occupa-
tional tax law?
"This law is simply an effort to
tax the best asset of Minnesota out
of business, the great natural in
heritance, iron deposits and mines
of the Mesaba, Vermilion and Guy
una iron ranges. The iron ore de-
posits and mines were paying their
full share of taxes beforei the pass
ing of the occupational tax law.
This law is menace to growth
and prosperity of the whole state
industrially. 1t was conceived through
avarice, to pilage and penalizei the
greatest revenue producer, mining
and shipping of iron ore, the steel
industries of Duluth, st. Paul, Min
neapolis and other sections of the
state. 1t is not only pilfering
tax, but one tn destroys the hope
of Minnesota ever taking her right
full place in the manufacture of
iron and steel. This occupational
tax should be repealed in this win
ter's session of the legislature. 1t
would mean millions of dollars in
new industrial taxes, the employ
ment of thousands of new wage
earners in the steel mills, making
Duluth real basing unit covering
non and steel, saving millions of
dollars to the consumers.
''The passing of the occupational
tax was a political nakeshift to APP
pease the Bolshevik agitation in
lieu of a tonnage tax. 1t was a
slide on a toboggan of avarice and
graf for reaping few radical
votes. The passa of the occupa-
tional tax proved the political death
knell for Governor Preus for u. S.
senator and almost delivered Min
nesota's electoral vote to Bob La
Toilette. If it is not repealed day
will come when it will be applied
to every vocation. Then the taxa
| ton shoe will be the other foot
| Many in the central and southern
parts of Minnesota visioned that an
accupational tax would reduce their
taxes SO per cent. 1t has increased
| the ratio of taxation o all classes
of taxable property, especially farm
lands, as it opened a new orgy OF
methods for anticipating and squan,
dering the taxpayers money.
''The tax income from the min
ing and shipping of iron ore in
1925 from the Mesaba, Vermilion
| and Guyana ranges will decrease
one-third on account of the occupa.
tional tax. Not a ton of ore will
be mined from these ranges in ex.
| cess of absolute necessity The
mining corporations are opening uI
their properties on the Gogebic
Menominee and Marquette ranges
instead. This means the loss OF
tax money, royalties and the throw.
ing out of employment of thou.
sands of mine workers and the
slowing up in establishing new steel
plants and expansion of those al
ready in operation.
Minnesota taxation schemes te
plumber and rob corporations have
done more to retard our growth in.
dustrialIy than all other isms com.
bined. The only ray of light il
| Governor Christianson and the leg.
islaturt. Will they forget polite:
and legislate for the economic wei
fare of the whole people by repeal
] ing the occunational tax2o