Wednesday, January 2, iqo$ THh SUMPTER. MINhR 1 SMITH'S BILL TO HURT EDDY LAW Smith, of Baker, has iotroduaed bli big bill. The measure was sub mitted to the bouBe of representative at Salem Tuesday. It was referred to the committee on mines, of which Mr. Smith la chairman. The other members of the committee are Bing ham, of Lane: Capron, of Multno mah; Smith, of Josephine, and Jackson, of Jaokson. When "big bill" Is mentioned, it is meant that the measure relates to the Eddy cor poration tax law. While Mr. Smith has fathered the bill in the house, having introduced It uuder his own name, it is believed that he la not tbo author thereof. The gentleman from Baker held a conference at Portland Monday with the executive officers ot the Oregon Miners' RBsooiatiou, at the presidential head of which body is Alphabet Dodson, one-tltuo Sump ter newspaper mau. The Smith bill is undoubtedly tbo result of that aouforenco. A copy ot the moHSiiro baB nut beou received iu Sumpter, but it bus been learned that tbo bill provides that ull milling companies iu this state, not on a payiug basis, shall be exempt fiom the payment of an in corporation tax and an auuual lioeuse tax. aud repealing all laws or parts of laws iu conflict therewith. The most vital section of the pro posed law relates to the filing by miuiug corporations of an annual ro port, addressed to the secretary of state, detailing the amount of money expended by tbo anmpanies in their mining operations aud the exact sum realized from the sale of bullion, ore or concentrates. The secretary of state 1b to determine from this state ment the exaot fluancial status of the companies. If he duds a compauy making a profit, a tax is imposed thereon, although it la not stated on what basi6. If on the other baud, the company is found to be not yet on a paying basis, all taxes aud llceote fees are remitted. Should the secretary of state have reason to doubt the truth and correctness of a company's report, be Is empowered to call upon the district attorney to make an examination of the fluanoial affairs of the suspected corporation. If by this examination it is fouud that the corporation made a false report, a tax and license fee shall be assessed against it, with au addi tional peualty of 920 for examina tion. Under this bill, the secretary of state is made court, judge and jury in the matter of determining whether a mining corporation is subject to taxa ion or not. There appears to be a number of grave defects in the proposed measure, and it does not give en tire satisfaction to the mining fra ternity of this district. It ia not believed that the bill will pass. Smith's bill will, of course, be op posed by the big mining companies of Oregou, especially of eastern Ore gon, wbiob have hitherto violently objected to any plan having in view the compelling of suob corporation as the E. A E,, North Pole and Col umiba to disclose the value of their bullion production. Regarding this matter, the Salem correspondent of the Portland Tele gram writes: That them will be no ameudment of the Eddy corporation tax law, short of a heated battle, and that the ojeotluu raised to any ameudment thus far proposed will be supported with the argument that it Is unconsti tutional, appears more than likely at this time. Already there haa been introduced in the house a bill pro vlding for tbo exemption of uonpro ducing mlniug companies from the corporation tax, and it is understood that other bills will be introduced later In the session, the plan being to form from all these contributions a satisfactory measure in the com mittee room. In support of an amendment, the miners, or a class of them, Hay that it is uufalr Hud inequitable to tax miuiug corporations eugagod iu tbo exploitation of miuiug properties, for uu other purpose iu sight thau that of developing the prospect, but that an amendment should be made bo mh to tax all miuBB on tbo basis of tboir output, instead of on the basis of capitalization. Friends of tbo Eddy law declare that the meaBure is all right as it stands; that tbore should be no ex eptmlou of corporations; that if an association of persons can afford to form a compauy. they oau afford to pay a tax for the privilege, and that the existence of the law will go a long way toward puttiug a kibosh nu wildoat mlniug schemes, by en forcing bona fide capitalization of mlniug companies. Besides this, tbey say that to impose an Incor poration tax ou all corporations on the baslB of their capitalization, aud under the provisions of the samo act exempt a certain class of corpora tions, would be unconstitutional under that provisiou of the state oouatitutinu declaring agaiuBt the enaotmeut of discriminating aud uIbbb legislation. That auch a law as that pro(oied would be of the class-legislation order would appear ou the face of the fact that miuing corporations are the only class of corporations which it is proposed to exempt ou the basis that tbey are nonpro ductive. The same exempitiou does not apply to other corporations wbiob enter busiess on a nonpayiug basis. Thero is a measure pending by which it is proposed to taf mining corpor ations after their output teaches the anuual amouut of 11000, but thla is objeoted to on the ground that a plea would always be forthcoming that the annual receipts of the oompany were less than this amount. There appears every prospect that strong opposition will meet every effort to amend the law, aud many are predicting that au amendment will uot pass. Friends of the new law meet the unconstitutional argument on the ground that the corporation tax is in reality a license, in that it is so des ignated and required to be paid annually. The Oregon legislature needa a boss and the need la an urgent one, too. NON-NEGOTIABLE TIME CHECKS IN LIEU OF $ On the lfith lust, tho Cold Bug Gold Miuiug compauy cussed opera tions at their Hold Bug group on Rabbit creek, about 12 miles from Grauite. At tho time work was stopped, pay for 45 shifts work was due the men at the miue, of which there were five. These meu were psld off with time checks, which they have beeu unable to cash, and are naturally much worked up over the matter. They feel that "the laborer ia worthy his hiie, " and that be should get his pay when it Is due. This kind of work haa been perpe rtated ou the miners Iu Granite dis trict before, and iu many instances the men have uover received more than time checks nut worth the paper they were written ou. The sooner operators in this district learn to uover start work ou their properties uutil tho oaah is in the bank to pay for the work, the better it will be for all parties con cerned. Stop miuiug on air, whethor hot or cold. The Gold Bug oompany whh or ganized about two years ago, the promoters of the cumpauj being Van Vleet fc Wright, of Sumpter. Mr. Van Vloct has beeu most active lu the iHauagomout ot tho Gold Bug, while Mr. Wright has devoted his time to the Blue Bird aud other Wheeler properties lu eastern Oregou. To the Gem, Mr. Vau Vleet stated lie was going east aud there was no question but that work at tho miue would be resumed within tho uexl .10 days. Wo hupo this will provo true. This statu of affairs in the Gold Bug company l to be regretted, as thoir claims have much merit, and are worthy of tho expenditure of uousldorable develop ing, and we greatly hope to see this douo. Wo wore requested to niako no mention of the closing of the Gold Bug, aud would not have dono so had tho circumstauoos attending same boen what we were led to believe at first Granite Gom. Bore Through a Mounta'n. Some of tho enterprising business meu of John Day are organizing a company for the purpose of driving a tuuuol through Canyon mountain, around the base of which many years ago, vast doposits of placer gold wero fouud, aud incideutly there sprung up In that region one of tho largest cities iu the state at that tlmo. En gineers have Leon consulted regarding the new project aud it is believed that a tuuuel drilled through t!e mountain will out somo riah quartz ledges. Since tho placer mines play ed out a long time since, no thorough prospecting has beeu given the dis trict, where many meu made fortunes from the soil. Colonel E. S. Topping, who left Sumpter last fall for Victoria, British Columbia, has written to friends here that he is looking well aud feel ing fit iu the land of kings, fie says that it haa not beeu definitely decid ed whether Port Simpsou is to be the western termiulus of the Grand Truua Pacific railway, but that he has every reason to believe that the port will in time be the aboseu site. lie is ready, he says, to jump into the town aud make a little stake. MANY BILLS INTRODUCED Blugham, of Lane, has Introduced' a bill, the etfeot of which is to oxompt certatu miuiug companies from pay ing the annual license fee required uuder tho Eddy law. Bingham's bill exempts mines whose ontprit la less; than f 1000 a year from the annual, tax, but does not exempt the Initial tax. This bill la Identical with that introdaued in tho senate by Coo. It would seem that Senator Brow uell Is found ot introducing bills which have failed to become laws, says the Telegram. It was an osteo pathia bill by request that tho Clackamas county souator Introduced yesterday morning, whilo In the afternoon ho came forward with a re quest bill, which brings to mind tho bill to establish a bureau of mines at the last sosslou. After a hard fight It passed both houses, but was vetoed by tho governor. Mining men op posed the bill ou the ground that it would give the mining com iiiissioner the opportuity to examine their property, aud if ho cared to do so, make private use of his in formation. Thlh bill providim for a commis sioner of miuoH, together with depu ties, head otllces to be lu Portland. The mining commissioner, who is to be appointed by the governor, must take an oath that be will not use hla position to further the Interests of any person, and he must bo a mau who is not interested lu mining prop erties. Hy this way it is hoped to get around the objections made to tho previous measure. Tho mining com missioner is to have two deputios, one in osatorn Oregon, and one from tho southern part of the state, at a salary fo lint) a month each, wnllo tho commissioner ia to receive a salary of 12000. The commissioner and his deputies are to examine mines aud make reports to the legislature of matters that will he or Interest. Gifts can be mado to the bureau and acoeptod for the state, but It la asked that f 0000 be appropriated to cover the expenses of the bureau yearly. Tho commissioner Is also to tin allow ed an assistant olork iu Portland at a salary of $7fi per month. IMPtRIAL SHAFT IN MAGNIFICENT ORE A. L. MoEwon, general manager of the Imperial mine, came down from Cable Cove Saturday night, lu the pieseuce of Preddout Alexatider Hamilton Sibley, of Detroit, who Is visiting at the miue. Manager Mo Ewen, his assistant, Kenneth O. Mo Ewen, and Superintendent Johu Arthur, sampled the bottom of tho main shaft, which is io solid ore of the highest grade yet encountered iu the mine. President Hlbley will re main at the property for a week. It has finally beeu determined that the oauuou fired at tho Czar iu St. reiorsnurg a row uaya since was loaded wim grape stint, Judging from the fact that no serious damages was douo, it h quite probable that tbo oftlcer who fired the shot was loaded with grape juice.