The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-02-01

Ely Commercial Club went on record
as favoring a reduction of the mine
taxes and left it to a committee COM
posed of Peter Schaefer, George T.
Ayres, Ben S. Richards, NJ w. Peter
son, JOS Veranth, John E. Porthan,
ThoS. E. Miller and Oscar Bodin to
meet with the legislative committee
and try and work out some solution of
the difficult problem which would
furnish relief to the mining companies
and yet would not act to the detri-
ment of city and school district
finances to any appreciate extent.
The committee was called together
Tuesday afternoon and occupied the
time from to o'clock discussing
the several phases of the subject. 1t
was the opinion of all that the mining
companies should have relief Discus
sion was general and all participated.
In addition to the above members there
were present Mayor Hanson and Luth-
er M Bang. Attorney A w. Nelson,
chairman of the legislative committee
of the Commercial Club presided and
Oscar Bodin was named secretary. The
matter was thrashed out from all
angles. Motions and resolutions were
made. reScinded and remade until
those present were thoroughly in &C
cord on their findings to be presented
to the special meeting of the COM
merical Club called for tonight at
promptly 500 o'clock. The legislative
committee is composed of A. w. Mel
son, W. e. Englund and L. M. Bang.
It was the opinion of the majority
that the range towns should do their
share in sacrificing little in order to
furnish the relief demanded by the
mining companies from the mountains
of taxes and tighten the burdens in
order that the industry could con-
tinue in the State of Minnesota and
by its presence and operation furnish
labor and taxes for the maintenance
of the range communities and the
state.
It was brought but that the excessive
high taxation, amounting in the last
five years to a little over a million
dollars more than the combined costs
of labor and supplies, had Sapped the
life out of the industry;
That out of 1876 mines in this county
in operation before these extra taxes
came into being, only SO are now in
operation;
That since that time no explorations
for ore bodies on any of the Mime
sofa ranges had been done for the very
simple reason that discovery of a
body of ore on property meant
practical confiScation for taxes, regular
and special;
That under the present system only
the large companies having steel mill
connections could exist and show a
E.xx F1f 10
nections;
That more mines In operation would
mean more labor and higher valuations
for the communities with the attend
ant larger payrolls, better business,
better civic and educational facilities
and better feeling In general;
That in order to keep the industry
in active condition and perhaps make
it more active, the city and school
district could cut down somewhat on
expenditures without seriously impair
ing these Institutions;
That in the opinion Of this body, the
following recommendation be sub
mitted to the members Of the legisla-
ture:
Repeal the Royalty Tax measure.
Cut the Occupation Tax from 6
per cent to per cent
Place the ad valorem Tax on min
ing property at 40 per cent Of true
value instead Of 50 per cent as at
present
These recommendations viii be
made to the special session of the
! Commercial Club tonight and upon
their acceptance or rejection VIII hinge
the importance of the work done BY
/ the legislative and special committee
on Tuesday afternoon These are not
i star chamber sessions and every citi-
zen of Ely should take an interest II
the matter The decisions were not
arrived at on snap judgement nol
on. manufactured sentiment but ar
the candid opinion Of q group Of hard
/ headed citizens who made q study Of