The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-17
ALL FOR REDUCTION
The Councilmen Indulge in Warm
Debates on Tax Levy.
SOME SAY 1T is TOO LATE
Alderman Shoviin. In HE Usual
Convincing Manner. States the
Facts as He Sees Them
Minor Matters.

tax levy made its way into the coun-
ell chamber last evening. where 1t was
presented ito the aldermen for consider
alton. The PRAYER was headed by NJ
j. Fitzpatrick. Edwin A Waterbury
for the Waterbury estate. and was
signed by about $50 men. The wording
of the heading was as follows:
I'VE, the undersigned taxpayers OF
the city of Anaconda. do respectfully
petition your honorable body that the
mills levied on all property in the
city for fire and water purposes be re
mitted and that the same be by you
ordered to be taken from the assess
ment roll for the said city, believing
that the same is not a legal levy, and
that the same was levied by mistake
and before the council had time TO In
vestigate the provisions of the new
codes on the subject. We also call the
attention of the council to the fact
chat the state board OF equalization
raised the assessment of the property
In the CITY and county Is per cent over
and above that of the county board,
and this increase ought to make up Tor
any loss that the city might suffer by
remjtting the 5-mill levy above men,
toned. The school levy this year Is
unusually high and taken with the
present county and city levy we feel
that the taxes are much greater than
the people can easily bear"
Alderman Lesser moved that the Pc
triton be granted. that the cfty
treasurer be ordered to correct the
assessments on he books and to notify
the taxpayers. refunding to those who
had paid the sums which they had
paid in excess of the IL mills, and so
on, making a sweeping motion In favor
of the petition.
Then the doctor sat down and there
was a long and painful silence. No
one spoke. no one moved to second the
petition and DIR. Lesser sat all alone
in his corner.
Then Alderman Cox arose from his
seat and said ut seems to me, Mr..
President. that this Is a late hour in
the day for these people to be making
a protest Alderman Lesser, who
brings NJ before US. is a member OF the
ways and means committee. which
furnished the figures for the appropria-
tons on which 1t is based. Alderman
Williams who. / understand, Is In
way in favor of this petition. or who
has supported 1T after "a fashion. had
NJ before him in another committee,
though he was absent when the levy
was passed. yet ne knew 1T was con-
remplated: knew that II was passed,
within a day after that action was
taken. yet neither Of these gentlemen
had a word to say against the levy.
Neither of them objected to 1T as high,
or as Illegal or on any other grounds
before tonight. That action was taken
Aug. l2; It is now Nov 16. two months
later and within a few days OF the
closing of the period allowed for the
collection of taxes. This looks to me
like campaign thunder and sprung In
the winter season. at that"
Alderman Lesser responded Ii was
- lA1 49, DmV0
ways and means committee, but he
said ne took the estimated expenses
as they were given to him. He believed
that the levy would bring in more
money than the city actually needed,
and therefore he was opposed to 1t.
Alderman Shovlin. the warhorse OF
the council. then got on his feet and
made a few caustic and pointed re-
marks.
This is indeed a late hour for a pro-
test, but did II come from other sources
Il might at first glance be considered
as having weight We knew where this
started. however: we know why "
started, and we know that as a matter
of fact there are no reasonable grounds
for a protest. We know that the az
fairs of the city are being handled az
carefully and as economically as posi-
BILE. There are no contracts that arr
not awarded to the lowest bidders
there are no fat salaries; no man in the
employ OF the city has a sinecure. We
know absolutely that no funds OF this
city will be squandered.
more than this, Mr.. President, We
know that this council never has and
never can suit or satisfy certain people
in this town. Nothing that a demo
cratic council can do would pleas
them. Look at that meeting: everybody
knows who was there, and that the
only democrat in the crowd of a dozer
men was a lawyer, who was In theii
employ.
Now those fellows would have tn,
public believe that they are the onl,
ones in this town paying taxes, ans
there are plenty of others whose taxes
will be just as high as theirs. Nearl,
every one of those men came to thi.
city poor and have made the none,
they possess either by shrewd invest
ment or by the favor of fortune whicl
has favored them. That they have any
thing to pay taxes on Is due to tn
prosperity OF this city, and they ough
TO be glad that they have property Z,
be taxed and the wherewithal to pa,
the levy.
He then paid his respects to tn
alderman OF the Fourth ward. whom
ne said would have the people to un
derstand that because he was absent
there was no sense left among the 9th
er members OF the council on the nigh
the levy was made. MIR. Williams ha
no protest to make. no word TO say un
til Colonel O'Leary found the erro
which was made in the levy of a roa
tax on Anaconda property by the coun
~ commissioners. Then he comes ou
with his complaint. He says he is no
seeking newspaper notoriety. The
why, II he be so modest. did he sign hl
communication TO the Standard and IN
public. C. III. Williams. Populist mem
Der of the Board OF County Commits
sionersT
Should this reduction be made,
means that 500 OF revenue to the cit
Is away. Money needed to pay actus
running expenses. These people seer
20 think that IL is possible 10 keep pac
with the progress OF the city and "
hold expenses down 10 the same SUI
that was required when Anaconda wa
a village.
The demand for new electric light,
for new hydrants. for additional polio
Il before US az every session and mus
be recognized. and all Of these needle