Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-07-17
LATEST PHAsE OF EXEMPTION.

I
full text Of the railroad exemption bill nov
engrossing the attention Of the Legislative
Assembly. 1t is much more reasonable II
Its provisions than the one sought to b
passed last winter, consequently it will no
probably meet with such formidable oppo
sition. and we shall not be greatly surpris
ed il in some modified or amended form
the bill shall pass and become law. In
deed. we were about to say that, in spiri
Of concession, We are almost ready to lie
the e1emptionists try an experiment tina
does not promise to be r,inously expen
sive or irreparably injurious to the finan
ciAl interests of the whole Territory. How
ever, it must be quite clear to- every on,
that this modification OF TIE proposition
from fifteen years. exemption to five year.
lis virtual acknowledgment that the U
P. Company intend to extend the Utah &
Northern into Montana, subsidy or no sub
sidy, exemption or no exemption.
1t is possible that excmpt;ng the road
and its appurtenances from taxation fol
five or six years may be some inducement
for it to swing around the proposed circui,
via Butte and Deer Lodge to the objective
point--IIelena-ia accordance with the
provisions OF the bill, yet it would hardly
seem sufficient in and of itself to bring a
road into the Territory that was not-des-
tined to come without such encourage
ment. At all events, it wouLLappcar like
n ShroxvI rpnvo ~ conc;1;o<o %ho ,,,>.,,I..,
from Deer Lodge and insure their support
Of the measure. Deer Lodge county needs
railroad.no less than Lewis and Clark,
and it the road shall be built as proposed,
both will be equally benefited thereby,
and that almost to the exclusion OF the re-
mainder of the Territory Such being the
case, it may not be out Of Place tor us to
suggest an additional provision, to the ef.
feet that no discrimination shall be made
in freight tariffs in favor of or against any
town in the Territory. II this bill becomes
a law. it will not be Deer Lodge and Lewis
and Clark. but the whole Territory, relin-
gushing its rights and privileges. and, in
our opinion, the very least the Legislature
should do wculd be to protect all, near
and remote, from unjust discrimination of
tariff rates.
Farther than this. Bozeman and Gallatin
county have little. if any, direct interest in
the proposed road. We fail to see how it
is going to lie OF any direct or indirect ben
fit to us, except, perhaps, ultimately, as
t may answer rs a sort Of check on the
rates of the Northern Pa
life when extended into the Territory.
I ct, if we are required to contribute indi-
ectly 10 the building OF the road, we GER
ainly have right to demand a fair and
square deal. or a uniform tariff rate to the
crminus on all goods destined to any
,oint in the Territory. We would call the
ttention OF our legislators especially to
his subject, because this matter of estab-
ishing tariff rates by railroad corporations
las become SO arbitrary. unreasonable and
MUST that it is crying evil. Already
here are several towns in the Territory
hat have just cause of complaint against
he Utah & Northern Railroad because of
IS discriminating transportation rates.
here is no good reason why Virginia
'ity, and Missoula, and Bozeman, should
e charged higher rates on merchandise
hipped to any given point on the railroad,
'an Butte, CT Deer Lodge, or Helena. Ii
,e road has to be exempt from taxation,
re people should be exempt from unjust
nd discriminating tariffs. ''It's a poor
rule that will not work both
avs"
We have no idea, however. that the
ouncil bill to which we have referred will
'fisfy extreme exemptionists or subsidy
en-. In their great souls they will feel
at they must do something greater, more
'ble and generous. Nothing less than a
'eral cash subsidy will ever meet their
larged and liberal views.