Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1873-05-30

Rather fhan Of ihs Pe0Esse Mo Contest oil
Vote Provided fof Lila Rusncus Resuite
Its Remote Construction Detrimental Ia
ths Welfare Of Montana.
---Se-e-
rERRITORY or MONTANA. @
ExEcuTIvE DEPARTMENT.
49, Virginia lily, I'll. 1879,
have the honor to return 81, Tie Cof1ncil
without my apprDFal ~. r. No. sG3. entitled
Z IN act enabling any County, 81 Counties
within the Territory OF Montana to AID il
Tire construction OF Il Railroad. aud tu sub
scribe ~ Tue capital stock OF the same a
ms Bill VAS received nc a late hour last
night. and have not lnd time 10 present my
objections to The same at such length as
would desire, but content myself by stating
such AFFECTIONS rs occur to me now. enter
tain tile same views that expressed to You
In my message at the opening Of the present
session as 10 the pIopriety OF tile legislation
contemplated by this bill. a careful consld-
Grafton 81 the power conferred BY Congress
on the ierriIorial Legislatures forces me to
sage OF this bill is SO doubtful, If not totally
unauthorized, as should have prevented its
passage, Dor do believe that the bill meets
the honest views entertained by majority OF
the Legislative Assembly. but that its mas
sage was secured against the better i,lflomant
OF large majority of its members. The
amount 20 pc assessed on the counties named
in the bill will be at least three times more
than has ever been granted to aid railroad
cooperation IN any country. by the same
number OF people,, with the same amount
OF wealth. And the friends of this bill are
not content IN demanding fifteen or twenty
per cent. OF the assessed value of the pronnrtv
noso, but demand tliat what the people ac-
cumNtate by the seyerest industry and econ
omy for the next three years. shall also nav
tribute 10 the corporation that accepts Tie
provisions - the bill. Ii the property and
wealth increase as the friends of the bill
predict, the amount OF bonds to be issued
under the bill will more than double the
amount OF bonds provided for in the San
dcrs bill and with fewer safeguards for the
protection OF the people. The bonds are
not 10 be issued Oh safe basis OF assess
ment, but upona fictitious or inflated one
All property situated on the line of q com
plcted railroad immediately following its
completion has fictitious or inflated value,
and 1t will be to The interest Of the railroad
TO initiate the assessment fhe wear
following tue completion OF tile road by ali
I he means whether corrupt or otherwise that
they can control
This opportunity for fraud and corraptien
should have been guardeu against by the Bill.
The Whole measure appears to have been
framed in the Interest Of the railroad COM
panf, rather than that OF the people. No
authority appears to bs given for the contest
Of elections ON aceount OF fraud, nor is the
ball OF box properly protected as the impor-
tnnce OF The election requires. j do not
believe 1t to be just that simply majority
should govern SECTIONS where peoples pro-
periy Is TO be voted away against ihe con-
sent Tor the purpose contemplated by this
bill.
The conduct of the .lobbys during the
session conyinces me thata fair free and
ihtfaH meled vote by the people will not be
obtained il IL can be prevented by them.
Inc experience OF those municipalities in
he States that have granted aid to railroad
corporations by subscribing stock or voting
,iits. should have prevented this Legislature
rom anaugufating policy that has pr.ved
o rul.ioas to every community where any
amount of aid las been voted
he people OF many counties of the Western
'tates that have aided to create railroad cor
'orations by voting aid to the same are now
ppsallng 70 Congress to relieve them from
he grasp Of the railroad monopolles thar
emand OF them sueii excessive freight rs
rsvents them from marketing their products
7 any price, and iii many of the counties
eople and capital are flying to other local.
les to avoid The ruinous taxes imposed Ia /
ID the railroads. Can we expect to avoid /
ne tate that has overtakei those people if /
ne bill goes into effect. cannot bnt think I
nat the Legislature has overlooked The
nancial condition OF tho counties named in
he bill. iiIc fagesr STATEMENTS submitted Dy +
lose counties show that none oil them have
AID current expenses during the past year,
Though no expenditures Tor public Improve
va n, Gsfa I'm,
Jefferson, and the present debt OF said /
Duntics will, in the aggregate, exceed the
I'm OF three hundred thousand dollars. Il
reasonable or just that to the present enor-
lous debt, three or four millions of dollars
lditionai should be added The live stock
vEed In the counties effected by this bill
Ill under recent act be driven into, assess
aud taxed in the counties that have no
1bt and where the taxes are mel ely namina,
aVing the enormous burden saddied on
,rtaln counties to be paid by the rarn,or.
~ Inc hardy sons Of toll who own but a
IN and a garden spot. Movable capital
i'll leave these counties and seek investment
here taxes are low and Investments equally
profitable. The ruinous rates OF interest
I'D by the debtor must and will be increased
the same ratio OF the rates of taxation.
us crushing the II duStries OF the counties
~ paialyzing the energies of the people,
The remote period named for the colnpie-
)n Of the proposed line OF railroad would
lthoriZc the prediction that the Northern
arifi. II. r.. will be completed into central
ontana in advance Of or certainly ly the
'iiod named for the completion OF the said
opposed line. The completion OF the N.
Il. X. will place Montana nearer the great
numerical and financial centres of the
'untrv than her people would be after
arcling SIX hundred miles in the direction
the proposed line OF the so-called North !
I'd South Road. Would an investment in !
ch an enterprise by our people be wise /.
cannot think SO. The passage OF this bin
III rctard immigration to the Territory.
rugal and industrious immigrants will not (
Ute In country where taxes are high, and {
ontaBa must offer inducements superior
those cficrredby Wisconsin, Minnesota.
wa and DakOtall, or immigrants will never. 4
ach us. Can any country offer higher in !
lcemehts TO Immigration than low taYes
IA the local Government economically al !
Mustered !? s34.si ~ ~
am convinced that the passage Of this q
4 will be detrimental to the best interest al | q
9 people Of The Territory. aud cannot t
ye my consent to il. Let those who differ !
u. me and support and pass the bill take :
9 credit and responsibility OF the same. !
int neither. Respectfully. I
s3 = b. b. POTTS, Governor, q
He NEW RIVER ROUTE INTO I
34.sa EASTERN MONTANA.