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Show TAXATION AND INDUSTRY INDUS-TRY The country does not like the present taxation system. Tho excess profits tax is in bad favor everywhere. every-where. Opinion la divided howovcr as to a substitute. In the east and central west sentiment runs strongly strong-ly for a sales tax, but elsewhere opinion opin-ion as to a substitute is divided. Back of all taxation schemes stands Industry which muBt pay the bulk of tho bill. Any system which hampers Industry curtails government govern-ment finance and the burden Is thrown on the people. Illustrating industries share of taxeg, take specific figures from Montana. Mon-tana. : 1 Peslident Kelly of Anaconda Cop per Mining company told Montana Bankers ascociation at Butte that for state purposes alone one dollar of taxes out of every five collected by Montana In three years ended Decern ber 31 last, was paid by his corporation, corpor-ation, "Of total state and 1 per cent of the corporation license tax collected during the same years, Anaconda, Montana Power Co. and tho five railroad corporations of this state paid $2,560,160 or 43.29 per cent. Payment by seven corporations ol nearly half the entire amounts shows what share of the tax burden industry indus-try bears in Montana. "The total lovy tor 1919 of all taxes In Montana waa $22,711,525. Of this amount Anaconda, Montana Power company and the five railroads rail-roads of the stale paid $6,605,000 or 24.23 per cent of every dollar levied lev-ied In Montana on every species of property within its borders. In 1919 the prosperity of these corporations was assessed at $130,834,080 against assessed valuation on approximately 43,000,000 acres, constituting all taxed land In the state, of $196,-470,$35." Taxation of industry Is Indeed a serious problem for prosperity In this nation Is maintained by Industry Indus-try and luxation might kill the goose that lays the golden egg. |