The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1879-07-01

ueslr6 tO proHOse A10ntana1 welfare, and not
by ssy afIscions eherlsbed. towards shss ,rsu-
road. An exsmptioh.sqb Bill similar ythat Of
last winter be would support III the extra
session but an exemption bill with 4 county,
subsidy rider he would vote against and work
against. This last declaration was crested
with loud applause. II III NJ sa
Al. John Az Lseggat, Of vipond, being
called for took the foor1in . brief address.
Mr., Leggat was In favor Of opening the door
70 newcomers Of the o~vercrow6ed EasI-of
going half way to welcome them to our
sparsely settled valleys, and as cont ributing
thereto favored exemption. But II Montana
grants exemption it should be with the pro-
viso that there be no discrimination In rates
TO points near or remote from the Missouri.
Described railroad corporations as soulless
and constituencies. II was because he consid-
cred y q measure calculated to increase our
growth and prosperity that be favored ex-
einption; not through any love for the rail-
road 1nagnates. The coming Of q railroad
would bring us enormous increase of rsve-
nues from the increased value of land along
It's line, and this together with countless 9th
er advantages it would be folly to risk losing
by the refusal Of such a trile as exemption
from taxation for a few years.
Mi. Marshall Orr believed In railroads as
the great c~ivilizer of the age, but opposed
exemption because it would be an unneces-
sary surrender BY the people Of revenues
rightfully theirs. II 1t could be shown that
the granting Of exemption would hasten by
one year the coming Of the Utah Northern.
then we ought to instruct our representatives
to pass the exemption bill. But this had not
been shown, and the speaker, in common
with many Others, opposed exemption be-
cause the road would come as quickly With
out as with such aid. aet
Mr.. Bryson spoke at length in the same
strain. The Utah Northern is $50 miles north
Of the point where the main line DIVORCES to-
wards Oregon. It Is coming as fast as ii can
be built, and is bound to come right along
into Montana, exemption or no exemption.
TY relieve D it of It's share Of the public bur
dens would be to discriminate against the
hard working citizen who must pay his taxes
to the last cent. Montana in the past has
possessed an important source Of revenue In
the large amount of capital invested in the
wagon transportation lines. The coming Of
the railroad will drive all those lines to some
other State or Territory, and unless taxes be
levied on the new line Of transportation, the
revenue formerly derived from the old will
be entirely lost. Railroads were described
as leading representatives of that monster,
Monopoly, preying on the people. The coun-
try is agitated through the length and breadth
of the land by the struggles of the people
endeavoring to escape the merciless grasp Of
monopolies. Of all the dangers menacing
our Republican institutions the most formid-
able are those proceeding from this end. 1t
Is our duty to profit by the experience Of 9TH
srs and guard carefully all our rights and
privileges without the surrender to MONOPOLY
Of a single one, for when once given away
they cannot be taken back again at will.
MIR. DeWolfe, a gentleman lately arriving
from Utah, in response to the Chairman's in
~vitation, was the last occupant of the floor.
Unfortunately his speech made the recording
scribe forget all about his duties as reporter,
so not a note have we now to refer to.
Taking up the cry Of monopoly" he said
the best and only safe guard was competition,
and that we may let a golden chance slip If
We fail to provide in the Utah Northern a
rival to compete with the Northern Pacific.
The Utah Nothern will surely come if we
only show a little liberality, a little friendli-
ness of feeling by extending assistance in the
form of exemption for a few years. The
speaker in closing drew a pleasant picture OF
Aontana's future in his eloquent description
OF the days when we shall have two sharply
competing railway lines with that great ar
terry of commerce, the Missouri river, stretched
between to "hold them both level"
AT the conclusion of the speaking the fol-
lowing resolution was submitted and voted
on. 1t was not carried unanimously. There
were a few "noes " to be heard but the
"ayes' were so overwhelmingly in the ma
jority that the sentiment of this community
stands on record as unquestionably in faver
of a reasonable" exemption to the Utah
Northern. Here is the resolution, verbatim !:
Resolred, That it is the sense OF this meet
ing that the granting of a reasonable exemp-
ton to the Utah Northern is for the best
interests Of the whole people of this Territory.
The vote being announced the meeting ad-
jOurned, sine die. r....
Police Court Items.