The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-08-27
Consultation or Montana.
ilI;t0r of the Chronicle :

long az the Constitution of the United
States, that great and good institution
under which we have grown to be the
foremost natiCn Of modern times. IL
seems that those wise statesmen who
made it, tried to compile Il whole code OF
laws, and leave those who try to legislate
thereafter no chance to do ANYTHING to
bind Ills forever hand and foot. 1t seems
that the cooperate influence was the con-
trolling power. How much Credit Mo-
belire stock in the shape Of mining shares
was placed where it would do the most
good. Some Of those who
may tell but since actions speak louder
than words we can well judge there was
some. Farmers, merchants, stockmen,
are you ready to vote for constitution
that taxes all you have and rxempts the
mines of rich capitalists?
The Husbandman saws There is to-
day from fifty to one hundred million
dollars of mining property in Montana,
owned by foreign corporations, that don't
pay dollar tax.
Are we going to vote to perpetuate this
outrage?
Are You going to vote to exempt the
millions Of property of rich foreign aris-
tocrats, and pay the tax on onr home t"
keep them in luxury and lazyness?
Makeup, We voters of Montana, and
get ont to the polls and take your neigh
Dor along. have once in five years
stopped work long enough t" vote-"nly
| once, but now, if l live, will he on the
ground early and stay until the last vote
is in. working as never did before. +"
sec that Elk Grove does her duty.
| We will vote tire constitution down and
with it every candidate for any office
that favOrs it.
/! Let us lay aside politics and make this
the main issue. Let our primaries see
| that no man ba elected to the County
! Convention that is in favor Of this con-
| stitGtion and that no man get a nomlna-
ton who is in favor of it. Let Demo-
Gratis place men in the field who are
pledged against it, and if they fail to do
I this, and the Republicans nominate men
/ who are opposed to it, then let us vote
I their ticket-vice versa This is no time
to be Republican or Democrat. but let us
! unite to fight for our imperiled rights.
| The people of Gallahn County must
unite, for the great mining camps, under
dictation of rich capitalists, will vote
solid for the constitution. We had bet
| ter never be state than to ensl.ive our
selves and posterity forever.
They say that the law of Montana now
exempts mining property from taxes.
five are unable to repeal such a law
at present, what in the name of COM
mon sense can we do if it creeps into the
constitution.
They even say that this is better than
! Nevada and Colorado
Because monopolists have chained
| these states, should we stand still and
! let them hand.cufi us, too. 1t is only
/ another reason why we should fight the
! harder
! NV position is that all property should
bear an equal par: of the burden OF
, taxes. That every piece OF property
should BIZ taxed nd roio'em. That there
. should be no property exempt from tax
alton except that belonging to the
! County and State, which of course in
/ cludes our public school property, for this
] belongs to the State. That would tax
sectarian and private school property. 1t
would tax church property. And why
should it not: Is Gods property any
better than the devils, or any persons,
that it should escape taxation. This con-
/ stitution cxempts all church property.
1t also provides that the legislation may
continue this license law, which is the
most infamous outrage on the rights OF
citizens that any country every practiced
Now what right has the legislature, in
the name of justice, to say that the mer-
! chant. butcher, lawyer, doctor, ETC., shall
! pay license tax, and then make them
pay on their property also. say let
every man do any business he choose
and can, and pay tax Oh what he has ac-
cording to value. Oh, YOU would not tax
even the saloons? No, let every body
sell whiskey that desired to, and pay tax
as other men. If men want to drink
they will, and say let them 60 it. The
liquor dealer has rights, just the same as
other men. Let him pay his part of the
burden of taxes and no more. Give
every body fair chance. Don't legis-
late to favor the rich to get richer and
poor to get poorer. Down with all class
of legislation s,lcl, us the constitution up
holds.
There are many more objections to
this constitution which ! expect to no.
tice.
Twill next call attention to the pre-
amble, and compare it with the Constr
tuition Of the United States. 1--WE, the
people of the United States, in order tG
form more perfect union, establish JUS
tice, insure domestic tranquility. provide
for the common defense. promote the
general welfare, and secure the blessing'
of libert, to ourselves and our posterity
do ordain and establish this constitution
for the United States of America"
There are only several lines in the
above quotation.
In this Constitution of Montana. fo,ll
times as manv lines.
Reader turn to this constitution and
compare it with this. l will only copy a
part of it: We, therefore. the people OF
Montana. acknowledge with grateful
hearts the goodness Of the Great Legisla
ture of the universe. IN affOrding MS in
the course of His providence an oppor-
tunity, deliberately and peacefully, with
out fraud, violence or intimidation %
entering into an original, explicit and
solemn compact with each other, and o.
framing a constitution of civil govern
ment for ourselves and our pos:erity, ant
devoutly imploring His direction in 81
l. l..