The Carbon County chronicle. [volume], October 08, 1924, Image 8

About The Carbon County chronicle. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1924

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
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Montana Voters
Have Legislative
Matter to Decide
Sample copies of the constitutional
amendments and initiative and refer
«adom measures to be voted upon at
tijt> November election are being mail
ed out to county clerks by Secretary
of State Charles T. Stewart.
The proposed amendments contain
provisions which if passed, will permit
tie legislature to pass a bonus bill and
m law increasing the qualifications of I
mont y superintendents of schools and 1
providing for the acceptance by the j
slate of gifts and legacies for educa
trônai and other purposes.
The lone initiative measure would i
impose p license tax on mining prop- |
«ties, based on gross proceeds, and is !
intended to supplement the present law
by which this particular industry is i
taxed on its net proceeds.
Repeal of the presidential primary
law is provided for in the referendum
mvwsurc to be submitted.
The proposed tax initiative probably
eclipses in interest and important the
oth« issues to come before the state's
electorate. Suggested by Governor
Dixon in his opening speech, the pro
posal to compel the large mining in
terests of his state to bear thir just
share of the burdens of government
has been the subject of heated contro
versy covering more than three years,
during which it has been tw'ice before j
the state legislature, and twice defeat
sd through efforts of well-known priv
5le?od interessts.
While the constitution provides j
mines shall be taxed upon their net j
proceeds only, it specifically endows
the legislature and people of the state 1
to enact license taxes for revenue pur
poses; and it is under this clause that '
the present measure is being initiated.
Briefly staged the act i mposes a
tax on all n ,inin g tympanies in ;
ucense
the state, but provides:
"However, that nothing contained
in this act shall be construed r re
fairing laborers or employes hirèd or
employed by any person or mine or to
*n\rk in or about any mine cr mining j
business or property, to procure such
ficense or to pay such license taxes, j
nor shall any discovery work required i
So be done in prospecting for or locat
ag amy mining claims, or any annual
'assessment work, or work required in
the obtaining of title to mining prop- : j
«ty from the United States, or requir-1
<«rl by the laws of the United States,
or uf this state in order to hold pos- !
uesaory title to any mining claims, be
deemed the engaging in or carrying on |
*f the business of working or opérat
eur any such mine or mining proper-,
*y "
■' The license tax is $ 1 , plus, a small
.^pcr cent of the gross value of the ores'!
extracted.
If the gross value is less haa S100,- !
<100 the company pays nothing.
If more than $100.000 and under j
$250,000, the sum of one-fourth of one
per cent is assessed against the com- !
any.
Onc-half of one per cent is levied
against proceeds frum $250,000 to !
$400,000; three-fourths on $400,000 to
$500,000 and 1 per cent on all over
$500,000.
The law provides for penalties for
failure to make or falsify returns and
vests the state board of equalization
with the power to determine the
amount of the tax to be levied against |
«my company. It also makes provia- i
for the' re-hearing of persons .
daims, who feel they have been un- ]
justly treated by the board.
The referendum to repeal the presi
fciti a l primary law would do away
■nth the law initiated in 1912, by
which the voters of the state give di
net expressions of their choice for.
president and vice president and name
sheir delegates to national conventions
and nominate their presidential elec - 1
Amendment of the constitution in
order for the state to bond itself to
pay a bonus to veterans of the World
War was made necessary by supreme
emut action which held invalid the
compensation bill initiated by the vot
«îts of the state two years ago.
Power to incur a bonded indebted
of $4 500,000 is given the state hy
the amendment, which would allow
«ach veteran $10 a month for service
from April 6 , 1917, to November 11,
1918, with a maximum of> $200. It
•iso provides for a one-mill levy on
all taxable property 4,0 pay off the
bonded indebtedness.
The amendment relating to county
Kupcrjntendcnts of schools would em
power the legislature to raise the
^uahfieatioas for this offic.
Under present conditions any person
over 21 years of age and not other
wise barred from citizenship because
of insanity, crime or foreign birth,
aaay hold down the office of county
■aperintendent The constitution re
Waires no qulafications other than re
no qualifications other than re
•flmor and is silent on the question
to state that the office may be
hy a woman.
eaaan's dobs, teachers' organiza
A
dividuals interested in the state'»
school system have long been clamor
j in*, in an unorganized way, for a law
i which would raise the requirement
; standards of this office.
tions and other societies, as well as in
The constitutional amendment which
will be voted upon in November does
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No. I.
That "One Dollar" Tax
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In preparing to vote upon the proposed new "Metal
nines Taji" on Nov. 4, the people of Montana are asking
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what are the FACTS?
O N November 4th., you, the Voters of Montana, will elect national, state and county officials. But that Is not
all. You will alro act as LA W MAKERS. Among others, you will be called upon to vote for or against Initiative
Measure No. 28, popularly ' nown as the "METAL MINES TAX LAW." If a majority votes "Yes 11 the measure
will become law, without ft her action by the executive or legislative branches of our state government. If a ma
jority votes "No," the law t ill fail of passage and this additional burden will not be imposed upon the industry
A o taw matters, you are enuaea to Know wnai is me nature oi taoniana metul mining operations; what are the
operator's problems of production and selling; what Montana taxes they have paid and are paying; whether or
not such taxes now constitute a fair share of the common burden ; and whether any additional taxation is necessary
desirable, both in your own internste and those of the industry Until you have the FACTS, you are quite right
in feeling that you are ill-prepared to act upon this measure. As the largest mining operator in the state and
the one most affected by this legislation if enacted, this Company welcomes th» opportunity to place before you in
formation which may be helpful in arriving at a just decision. In fairness to the interests of this State and this in
dustry, such a presentation must be made. To present these facts and figures, accurately and dispassionately
will be our effort between now and election day. r
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Taxes Paid by Montana Metal Mines
Under the Constitution and the statutes, this Company
pays four kinds of taxes in Montana, as follows:
1. It pays a PROPERTY TAX upon the surface of its
mining claims, assessed at the government price.
put under the olasalficatlon law, this property 1a
classed at 100%, while the average for all other
clisse» of property Is 30%. Thus the Property
Tax of the mining industry amounts to an assess
ment of 3/j times the g»vC rnment P r, oe, In com
parison with other property,
In addition, this company pays taxes npon its surface
and its underground IMPROVEMENTS.
All machinery, appliances, reduction works and
other property, which are essential to the
tlon of its mines, are taxed, although these have
t fu thing but a salvage value when the mines
exhausted.
2. The annual NET PROCEEDS of mines are taxed
and assessed at 100^.
In determining Net Proceeds, the deductions allow
' ed are limited, so that Net Proceeds do not
Net Profits, For Instance, in 1921, while this com
pany had a very large loss on Its Montana opera
tions, it paid Net Proceeds taxes In the sum of
$34,626.27,
3. It pays a CORPORATION LICENSE tax of 1% up
on its Net Profits in Montana.
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mean
In addition, the Mining Company's surface is assessed
for ITS VALUE FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Through this provision, what were once only min
ing claims have now become the most heavily as
sessed property In the state, Butte, for example,
be'ng built almost entirely on mining claims.
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4. It pays a METAL MINES LICENSE tax of one dol
lar plus iy s % of its Net Proceeds.
That Famous "One Dollar " Tax'
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Gov. Dixon
The Truth
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What is the truth! In 1921, 1922 and 1923, this
company paid taxes in Montana as follows :
1921.
in discussing Mine Taxation in a public speech at
Roundup, Mont,, Sept. 13, 1924, said this!
"The Anaconda Copper Mining Company
paid one dollar in that year (1921), In
1922 the Anaconda paid a dollar. They
said they made no money. I don't think
they do. The Clark mines paid a dollar
Unfortunately those checks
were cashed, or I would have them both
to show you ; 1921 and '22 the great Ana
conda paid $1.00, and you cannot get that
in most of the daily newspapers of the
state.''
;
$809,086.18
34,626.27
9,393.89
. 5,704.18
6,309.84
General Property Tax...
Net Proceeds of Mines.
1% Corporation License Tax.
Coal Mine License Tax (5c per ton)
Metal Mine Lidnse Tax.
$914,120.36
$330.170.50
18,703.20
None
6,049.86
. 6,824.24
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1922.
1922.
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General Property Tax.
Net Proceeds of Mines.
V' 0 Corporation License Tax.
Coal Mir : License Tax .
Metal Mine License Tax.
$860,747.88
O The Public Tax Re- H H A QßQ
cords show we paid
Taxes in
Gov. Dixon
says we paid
1921-22
I.
1923.
I 812,734.21
. 195,280.06
31.194.80
11.439.81
61,967.12
General Property Tax. . .
Net Proceeds of Mines.
1 % Corporation License Tax .
Coal Mine License Tax.
Metal Mine License Tax....
The taxes paid by this company on its mining
property in Montana in 1021 were NOT $1,00, but
were nine hundred and fourteen thousand one
hundred and twenty TIMES $1.00; in 1922, eight
hundred and sixty thousand, seven hundred and
forty eight TIMES $1.00; and in 1923, one million,
one hundred and two thousand, six hundred and
six TIMES $1.00.
It
on
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be
$1,102,605.09
f
This company never issued, and no one can produce, a
All of the above tax payments are matters of pub- check for $1.09, issued by it in payment of any taxes
lie record in the office of the State Treasurer of
the State of Montana and of the County Treas
urers of the various counties where the proper
ties are located.
paid in the State of Montana. On the contrary, this
company has in its possession the cancelled checks show
ing the tax payments as above outlined.
You are not fully informed until you have read "The Copper Target
Sent free to any voter on request
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ANACONDA COPPER MINING COMPANY
C. F. Kelley, President
For (ht tait of brtvitg. ihit Company and üt »ubtidiarit* In Montana art nftrrtd to at "Anaconda Copptr Mining Company"
to dictate what these
qualifications may be, but merely em
powers the legislature from time t<>
time to designate them,
p«t assume
Three separate funds to receive gift
and legacies would he
third proposed consit
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led bv the
ame
ment to be known as: S
pe
nent revetme^^fc r. state permanent
school fund and permanent revenue
fund for the University of Montana,
T .„ , .. , ,
The juatices of the supreme court,
board to ad- j
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are made a
super.
'minister these funds,
of not less than $ 2 '. 1 will be received.
Contributions
. ftD health subjects
' **. n 0 ,r,| ools and other oreaD
Izations hy Montana*« vate department
0 f health. Amon« the .ubjerts of
slides nre conservation of vision, pood
teeth, care of the baby and school |
hygiene.
Hea'tb Slide* for Pupils
Lantern slides
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An Easy Task
Probably the easiest task a business
na0 j 8 evw palled upon to accomplish
„ , 0 induce an employee to accent na
ncreaae in .alary
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THE ROYAL GIFT, THE MOST
REFINED JEWELRY
♦ t
I A large selection of beautiful lustre, and at t
very reasonable prices
Up-to-date engraved wedding rings in
White, Green and Yellow gold.
HIGH GRADE WATCH AND
JEWELRY REPAIRING A SPECIALS
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RYDEBERG, THE JEWELER
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JEWELRY of QUALITY
O
HrrodtWVWT
JEWELRY is a gift that will last indefi
nite IF if you buy it at a reliable store,
where you may be assured of the very bst
quality for the money invested.
When you buy jewelry at The Beartooth
you are guaranteed that it will stand the
wear of many years. You may be sure of
courteous attention and prompt and cheer
ful readjustments.
AvnKAllt»
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THE BEARTOOTH JEWELRY
Fine Watch Repairing Our Specialty
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LISTEN WORLD!
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When the big collegiate crames are played |
this Fall several thousand spectators will J.
crowd the bleachers. Rut throughout the t
country—from New York to the Pacific *
coast—Many more thousand "fans" just as t
eager to know the results of the games will |
% be "listening in." |
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Radio has been the wish-fulfillment of t
% many thousands of people who eagerly fol- X
low the national events but are from neces- t
sity unable to attend in person. You need %
no longer miss the g-mes, political conven- X
tions, and other important events that J
make up our national life. Through radio |
you can have it all—and have it right in |
your own home.
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RED LODGE ELECTRIC CO.
r 'iade the trip around the horn Mon
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Mr. and Mrs. Chris Duerwaehter
tnd Mr. and Mrs. A. T. Richardson