Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-01-11
The Governors Message.

The message of Gov. Smith Is a
very lengthy state paper and withal
a credit to his excellency. He covers
every question OF Importance to the
people, reviews the conduct OF the
various departments of the state for
the past two years, and offers many
suggestions to the legislators for
what he deems the future welfare OF
the commonwealth, some of which
will meet with general approval,
while Others will prove problems Of
difficult solution. While the state
has got along fairly well financially
during the past two years, the COVER
nor sees the need of greater revenue
In the future and makes some recon-
mendations to that end. He thinks
the law relating to interpretations
should he amended so that each time
the capital stock Of the company IL
%increaaed, such increased capital stock
nihoii bt ldASi "a tHt rdiIt idtt us tIt
original capital stock in said corpo-
ration. As the law now il, and as it
has been construed by our supreme
court, corporations are originally or
gained for IA very small capital and
the required fee Is paid. Immediately
thereafter the capital stock of the
company in increased to any desired
amount by IN additional cost of only
s.. This defect should be remedied
by legislation; and ] would further
provide that each active incorpora-
ton, foreign and domestic, except in
surance companies, alive and doing
business i'm the state, should pay an
annual license fee Of 500 to the state
as a tax"
The governor finds fault, and Justly
so, no doubt, with the present sys-
ten Of assessing bank stock, notes
and solvent credits and cash on hand.
He thinks the law should be made
30 explicit that the assessors in
leyying and assessing bank stocks,
notes and solvent credits and cash ON
hand could not avoid the response
bility imposed upon them. II be-
lieve severe penalties should be the
consequence OF their failure to require
OF each person a personal, sworn
statement as to their cash, notes and
solvent credits. The state and pri-
vate banking corporations and o
partnerships return little or no stocks
or securities OF any kind"
The governor suggested also that
valuable franchises exercised by for
eign or domestic corporations in this
state, individuals or persons, should
be assessed ut something like their
adequate value.
The governor also recommends a
tax on real estate mortgages held
abroad, though the wisdom OF this
il questionable, as it often operates
as double taxation and would havea
tendency to prevent money from seek
ing investment In the state.
The governor suggests several
schemes to reduce the expenses Of the
state government, among which is
the cutting off OF mileage fees Of sher-
lifts, jurors and witnesses in the trans
action Of public business, and gives
some examples Of the abuses OF the
mileage system in transporting pris-
oners To the state penitentiary. He
recommends, also, that one-half Of
the salaries of the district judges he
paid by the county or counties com
prising the district, relieving thestate
OF a portion of the burden.
The governor fayors n reduction OF
the bounty on coyotes to 81 and in
creasing the bounty on gray wolves
to o., In accordance with the views
OF the bOprd OF stock commissioners,
making a strong argument for the
change, believing that it would re-