Show voters TT must defeat amendment aimed at the mining industry y of all the articles prepared for the purpose se of calling the attention of voters to the viciousness of the pr pro posed amendment pertaining to the taxation of mines and mining prop erty none Is more clear or to the point than that issued by attorney C S varlan varian he has given the matter more than passing attention and when he puts his opinion I 1 into n t 0 wr writ it ing it Is the work of a trained legal mind unbiased and with a desire to keep utah voters from taking a step which will result in great injury to the state states s most important industry in a recent article judge varian calls attention to some matters which up to this time have escaped the pub lies lie s attention he ile says the farmer harvests his crops in the tall fall and as these crops are sold before the ilist of the coming year he pays no tax upon them all he does pay Is a tax 1 on his land and buildings it Is the same with the he pas pays a tax on his sheep but the thousand 4 of dollars which come to him tor for his wool and his spring lambs escape taxation even the money which he may loan out on mortgages or which he has on deposit in banks it not taxed while the state expressly says that bank deposits shall be taxed this part of the tax law according to judge varian Is a dead letter 1 regarding mining taxation he says now how stands the case with the rich mine owners every dollar that has come into the hands of any mine owner or stockholder in a min ing company from he net proceeds of a mine in this state since state hood has paid a tax to the state ev ery dollar that in the future will be produced in excess of the cost of 11 and reduction will pay the tax all stockholders in mining cor po rations lons are not rich all mine owners are not wealthy the vast majority of mining enterprises do not pay more money has been ventured and lost in seeking and developing mines than has been realized in their operation the development and working of certain mines in utah has resulted in giving employment to thousands of workers and in adding to the material wealth of the state enormous values laying aside all considerations as to the legality of the proposed amendment the ques tion recurs in view of existing con editions in the state relating to the assessment of property why depart groin rom the un hersal rule everywhere of taxing property upon actual val ues aes and commit the assessment of mines to the unrestrained judgments judgment s of men appointed by the executive end and not answerable to the people Is it for the purpose of enabling the state officers through the board of equalization to impose a tax upon the mines each year sufficient to meet any deficiency in the revenues resulting from the failure to assess other classes of property upon lipon the basis of actual valued it if this Is not the purpose what isa |