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Show THE SAN JUAN itECOKD PAGE TWO Our Readers Write uanRccend t7&eSz OP PAPER COUNTY, UTAH THE OFFICIAL Published Every Thursday at Monticello, Utah Entered at the Pest Office at Monticello, Utah, as second class matter under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. In San r I, de-- r Juan County: velopment of southern Utah from 1925 until his death in 1949- His feats and fame made him a Six Months legend in his own time, and ever since. Mineral possibilites of the area first brought LOO Three Months Nevills to the San Canyon area in the Juan San commercial quanoutside in oil County: 1920s. In efforts to obtain In the State of Utah tities, it is said the Nevills spent some one million $3.50 One Year dollars. But the wells, after showing great promise, 2.00 Six Months went to water, and they were left without resources, L25 Three Months either mineral or financialNevills had come to appreciate that in addition to minerals, one other resources of the area was of value: its color and potential as a vacation and recreation area. At about this time, parts of Co-oUtah and Arizona were being surveyed for designaCompetition from tion as a possible national park- Norman Nevills was THE. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRAPresident the quick to join the 1933 Rainbow TION, in a report just submitted to "most problems seven prominent Valley Survey directed by Charles Del Norte Winand Congress, lists FshrinkHall, ning. Under the field direction of Ansel taxes, labor relations, of small businessmen and of big Nevills worked with the mapping crew, was ining profits, competition of imports and competivaluable as one of few men familiar with this business, management inadequacies remote section of the Southwest. There is written tion from tax exempt cooperatives. issued data to support the claim that Nevills personally Service Recently, the Internal Revenue 1951 discovered Poncho House Ruin, having some 80 a statement agreeing with the courts that the 1000 foot frontage. solve to part rooms within a law under which te Treasury sought necessities for members Peridoic boating in connection tax prcndem by making farmer of the earning, even though the with his mining, drilling, and mapping functions pay income tax on or nothing ultimately resulted in his being selected to lead corporations themselves paid little the first commerical river trip on the San Juan was unenforceable now. River- This was in March of 1936, for staff memp competition today affects practically bers of Stanford University. Later the same year, little or no inevery line of small business- Paying farm market and process products another similar voyage was made, down the San come tax, Juan, through lower Blen Canyon, landing at Lees and sell farm supplies; they manufacture or disFerry, Arizona. tribute hardware, farm machinery, building materials, 1938 was an historic year the first comand equipautomobile and tractor tires, batteries mercial cataract trip, by boat from Green River, toothment, household electric appliances, cosmetics, down the entire length of the Colorado to brushes, cigars and cigarettes and hundreds of Utah, Lake Mead. Through Cataract Canyon, Glen Canother items. and yon, Marble Canyon, and the Grand Canyon- Rerefineries drill oil wells, operate sell gasoline at filling stations. They are in banking, markably, Nevills, though he had never made this run previously, was able to design adequate boats insurance, mining, lumbering, publishing, paper and effect such organization and leadership that electric sysmaking and home building- They run the trip was a success on the front pages of newstems, telephone Ines and radio stations. They operate the world over. This Nevills Expedition, hospitals, summer camps and funeral parlors. They papers made for a research group from the University of are developing chains of stores and their slogan is Michigan, was significant even further in that it 'Co-op- s must get bigger! All without the necessity included the first known women to have survived of paying income tax! Cooperatives have grown big and plan to passage through the Grand Canyon by boat. Nevills became known as "Mr. River, and grow still bigger through the tax loophole that gives them a terrific advantage over the small businessNevills Expeditions became world famous through man. newspaper, and magazines, and by Laws dating back to 1916 give certain many 1942, motion pictures. Nevills received his full exemption frohn Federal income taxof and tributes in awards, honors, recognition s number other to accomplishments. Each year an increasing Treasury regulations permit exclude from taxable income patronage dividends, of people was drawn to the area for canyoneering, whether paid in cash, in stock, in scrip, or by exploring, photography, botanical and herpetological letters of advice. research, archeological study, mineral surveys, and That way, they can eat their cake and have sightseeing and vacationing in this newly found it too. By paying patronage dividends in script recreational frontier. or stock, or by merely telling a member that his In 1949 Norman Nevills, with his wife, Doris, share of the profits has been "allocated to him died at the pinnacle of his career in the Utahhis At the crash of Mexican at (but paying him no cash) the Hat, plane corporation can KEEP all the cash tax free for expansion or time of his death, he had achieved a record of for buying out taxpaying competitors. 20,000 miles of fast water travel as leader of s Thats the way all without the upset of a Nevills Expeditions grow! In 1951, Congress passed s or to boat, say they helpany passenger. injury ed to write it) a law that was intended to tax At the time of his death, Nevills and recrep earnings either to the corporation or to its ation had become synonymous in the Colorado What it did acually was to per- River Country. Through Nevills insight, endurance, mit management to shift tax liability to farmer determination, and promotional activities, hundreds members, while the corporation itself paid of people sought access to one of the last frontiers-new sport canyoneering was born, and the renothing. But some farmers protested and took this sources of the San Juan Glen Canyon area as a inequity to court and the courts said that no farmer recreation possibility were disclosed and given great need pay income tax on allocations that had no impetus. cash value. It would be extremely fitting that the huge The Treasury still tried to collect from the recreational lake to be formed by Glen Canyon Dam farmers, but at last gave in and agreed with the be named for the man who was primarily responscourts that patrons need not pay. So, by ible, years ago, for forseeing the potential of the Treasury admission, the 1951 formula is dead- Now area, and beyond that, for promoting it as a playthe are trying to revive it. ground for sportsmen and vactioneers. A man who The still have huge profits on which loved the area, and incidentally, gave to many of the landmarks and places of interest the names they no current income tax need be paid by anyone. bear. now s be taxed? How, then, can the The name, "Lake Nevills would be a fine and Two ways are now before Congress: HR 501 would tax total earnings of cooperfitting tribute Gaylord L. Stareley atives just as the earnings of proprietary corporations are taxed. Slaughter That Hog HR 4265 would likewise tax the cor. . . That tax monster in Washington has a poration on ali earnings, but would then give to each farmer member a credit for his proporitonate far bigger appetite than the individual companies amount of the tax already paid and he could which are generally subjected to accusations of use that credit to reduce his own individual income taking more than their fair share- Whats more, tax- This is called "tax credit plan." that monster has little protection from assualt The would plan through the ballot box. Its simply a matter of markplease taxpaying small businessmen because it would stop from ing the ballot to remove he "big spenders the government. competitors from expanding on earnings. As long as corporate business must show a It would please the members of because part of their individual income taxes would profit of $2 in order to keep $1, it will have to be paid. Thus, they would in effect receive some cash hit its customers doubly hard pricewise in order from their to keep operatingAnd the Treasury would collect a substantial It's that "biggest hog that has to be brand-nerevenueamount of Wallace Idaho Miner slaughtered. One Year $3-0- "T fZrr- 5 Juan-Gle- n editorials ps - Bridge-Monume- nt - d co-o- p co-o- p co-o- p - Co-o- - co-o- Co-o- - ps - word-of-mout- co-op- s - co-op- self-mad- My dear San Juaners: 'Twas eighty miles of sand and rock and rims and river bars, before the time of telephones, before the time of cars. 'Twas eighty miles and spur and on of horseflesh-whiand on, when a doctor became imperative in the needs of old San Juan. It was eighty miles to Mancos by the dim McEImo trail, where a horseman took a week to bring a little bag of mail. The August sun was pouring down, I wanted to rebel when they told me I must saddle up, and mount, and ride like hell. "Weve got to have a doctor here, no matter wbat the cost, in horses spurred and whipped to death delay, and all is lost. At three, that scorching afternoon, I left on a spanking trot; the trail was aflame, 'twas a burning shame to move in a world so hot. The white foam hung from the buckskins bit before he had gone a mile, he was reeking with lather from head to tail in just a little hoofs while, but his steel-sho- d made the sparks fly in the dash of his gallant style. Our track was a gash on the drifted sand, a scar on the naked rocks, while the sweat ran down through the dusty coat of the buckskins flexing hocks. At five we crossed Montezuma Creek, at eight, when our tongues were dry, we paused for a drink at a water hole that was stinking with alkali. On into the night when the trail was dim, and Buck was getting slow, I hated to touch him with whip or spur, but we simply had to go. We made for a ranch at Battle Rock, with an drag; I felt Bucks strength like a wilting flower begin to droop and sag. Yet he answered my rowels in game response ore rocky hill and dale, and feared as he staggered and reeled along he would drop dead in the trail. We came to a ranch on McEImo Creek in a small and darksome hour; with whip and spur I had forced from Buck every ounce of his splendid power. So I hammered the door of the ranchmans house and made him come awake, and to get me a horse, most any horse, and to hurry for pitys sake. I wanted the best that he had at once, no matter how much expense, and the best that he had was p e - co-o- p co-op- (co-op- co-o- co-o- p patron-member- co-o- p co-o- p co-o- p - co-op- REV. ROBERT H. HARPER s- s co-o- CO-OP- co-o-p - - tax-cred- CHANGELESS MAY AS the writer looks back, he rc- alizes he has given much What has time to it profited him to hear and read many things that claimed a pass- ing interest? Poor old voice of eighty, crying after voices that have fled, may not be literally true of your experience and mine, as we look back, but the nostalgia of the poet may color our own thoughts as we look at the platures that hang on memorys wall. The deep whistle of the great locomotive as it rushes through the night no more, but the tooting of the diesel does not seem to charm us like the mogul of our childhood. But diesel or mogul, who can fancy the railroads disappearing from the American scene? As we think of all the changes that have come, and that we fear will come, we may ask, after all the stormy changes shall we find a changeless May? The month of May has come again, with all its wealth of balm and flowers. The water that has gone over the mill has mingled with the sea and the air, and the old mill is silent and alone. It has served Its use. Let us now enjoy the latest May and labor to make It the best May we have known. it co-o- p tax-fre- e co-o- co-o- - w - a nag with a gait Eke an old bull fence. I spurred to the end of the eighty miles, as I never had done before and stopped when the sun was not yet up, in front of the doctors door. "I've killed two horses to get to you, I panted, and now, By Gum! You are not to delay for anything, but jump out of bed and come. We hired a team from a livery barn ,and a buckboard, light and trim, and Doc--, being willing to take the lines, I left that job to him. He touched that team with the whip, at once a bay and a soggy brown, and just as the sun came into sight, we were spinning out of tow-n-. We bounced and bumped, and I clung on, and tried to stay awake, and hoped to goodness that rig would hold, and none of its parts would break. Twas eighty miles of heat and dust and rims and rocks and ruts; to keep up that pace with steady grace, required both grit and guts. At the bitter end of forty miles the bay and the brown were spent, so we hired a mule and an old gray mare and on again we went. With forty more miles still ahead I feared we would be too late on the mule and the mare and the rickey rig, hung a mighty good mans fate. When we rushed down the hill over the cobble stones at Montezuma Creek, and the felly crumpled on one hind wheel, the sight of it made me sick. But I straddled the mule and said, "Come on, and Doc got astride the mare; no difference the fifteen miles ahead, my job was to get him there. As for me, that mule had a razor back, no saddle to stop its edge, I thought he would split me clear in two, like the bumping of a wedge. But D be., with the satchel he had to take, had ridden no horses before, and he vowed if he lived through that fifteen miles, he would straddle a horse no more. I cut a willow to whip the mule and give the mare a whack, for the doctor was gripping the old nags mane as his anchor upon her back. 'Twas eighty miles of agony before these new ways came, but we survivors proudly say, " We got there, all the same. long-legge- d - - . . . By Albert R. Lyman It is hereby proposed that the name, "Lake Nevills in honor of the late Norman D. Nevills, be given recreational reservoir on the Colorado River to be formed by the Glen Canyon Dam. Norman Nevills was instrumental in the RATES SUBSCRIPTION The Old Settler Letters to the Editor JUAN SAN FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 1953 spokesmen warn, however, against "spending spree. They take the position that basic economic conditions are sound and that a busiflo Comment Iff ness upturn should start in the near future. In the meantime, they conDouthat W. James by tend, we should not "rock the boat WASHINGTON Controversy, by unsound moves. Here is the viewpoint of Mauin Washington is a normal conrice H. Stans, director of the Buddition. But there seems to be an Bureau, who necessarily works extraordinary amount at the pres- get with President Eisenhower. closely ent time and indications are that He says: it will increase even more before "Weve got to guard against the Congress gets around to adjourntendency to think that the way to ing. the economy upward is for There are a number of reasons start the government to go on a spendfor this situation, including: ing spree- 1. The November elections, "Tlie President has pointed out each political party is going all-othat the Administration will do in an effort to capture control it can constructiveof Congress. And success next everything that a resurgence about do to bring November would be expected to ly and production. of employment aid the winning party in the I960 "At the same time he stressed Presidential and Congressional the fact that the course of our elections. complex economy depends' 2- The fact that one party con- huge, what individual citizens do, and on trols the Presidency and another the millions of economic decisions controls Congress (albeit by a which they freely make every day. narrow margin) stimulates conStimulate Production troversy. There is a tendency for 'The proper relation of governdiseach party to try to reflect the growth and vigor of to ment credit upon the other party for such an economy must necessarily whatever happens or fails to hap-peut n. j be to stimulate private production and employment, not to substitute public spending for private spend-inor to extend public domination over private activity. "So lets not overemphasize the role of the government in bringing about economic recovery. And lets remember that if we overdo the expenditure of money by the government we may find ourselves back fighting inflation again as we were a short time ago. Another significant statement was made by Secretary of the Treasury Robert B. Anderson. that "our enemies would like nothing better than to see us adopt hastily conceived measures which would eventually weaken our productive power Secretary 3. The current recession gives the Democrats an opportunity to blame the Republicans for present economic conditions, since the Republicans are in control of the Presidency. The Republicans, of course, emphatically disagree with this thinking. 4. Controversy is heightened by developments in the; conquest of outer space, with particular reference progress made by Russia as compared with the United States. Intertwined in this dispute are the problems of national defense and foreign aid. There are many problems pending to provide battlegrounds for the weeks ahead. One of major immediate concern which was Anderson added: in the forefront as members of 'The surest way to maintain our returned from their Congress nations strength in these critical Easter recess is is to provide our economy times what course to follow to bring to exabout an upturn in economic con- with the necessary capital new areas of science, to buy plore ditions. the plant and to move quickly in Demos Favor Spending response to A majority of Democrats seem This attitude of the Secretary of to favor a speed-uin a broaden- the Treasury is in line with the ed program of government spend- contention of industry leaders that tax reform is essential in order to ing. Eisenhower Administration provide the essential capital. n, , "pulse-takin- g changing-condition- s. p )OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODOOOOOOO AN OPEN TELEPHONE LETTER TO MIDLAND COMPANY SUBSCRIBERS Many months ago, Midland carefully analyzed the situation in Southeastern Utah, and described in the interest of better and more complete service to its customers in San Juan County, to order new equipment which would take care of the certain expansion of services in Monticello and Blanding. Some of this equipment has been installed, and the balance will be arriving within a few weeks. Over a fifteen month period Midand will spend more than $250,000, for equipment and installation in San Juan County alone. Meantime, Midlands rates are the lowest for comparable services in the State of Utah at the present time. In over 40 years of operating the company, it has asked for and received only one rate increase, back in 950. The result is that increasing costs have caught up and for 1957 us in revenue passed by, amounted to less than 5 per cent of invested capital, which is well below the legal maximum allowed a public utility such as the telephone company. 1 During the past fw years, most of Midlands profit has been derived from long distance calls, while the local exchanges scarcely break even. This is an unhealthy situation, which, if allowed to continue must result in a shaky financial structure. Such a situation would cause Midland to lose financial backing for future improvements, and the subscribers woud be the eventual losers. In order to give you, our subscribers, the type of efficient service you desire and deserve, Midland must have the rate increase to keep up with the mounting expenses incurred in the modem complex telephone systems. However, since we are a public utility, we must have the consent of The Public Service Commission in order to increase the rates, We at Midland Telephone Company believe that in telling you the facts of our problem, you will readily understand why the rate increase is necessary at this time, and that you will with the basic agree philosophy of keeping your telephone company financially sound. GEMS OF THOUGHT Experts estimate that currently we need more than 100,000 new teachers every year for our public and private elementary schools. The number of qualified elemen- -. tary school teachers graduating each year ;s only slightly more than one of this number. ii By J. W. Corbin, Vice President The Midland Telephone Company OOOOOOIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOC |