The Anaconda standard., 1899-08-24
A UNIFORM ASSESSMENT
State Board Decides Upon Rates
for Cattle and Sheep.
WILL GO TO THE COURTS
Cattlemen Denounce the Action of the
Board as a Rank Injustice-An In
crease in Nearly All the
Counties.
Special Dispatch to the Standard.

Special Dispatch TO the Standard.
Helena. Aug. 23.-The state board of
equalization to-day gave out the fol-
lowing figures it had decided upon as
uniform assessment for sheep and
cattle. These will be sent to the coun-
ty clerks with the request that the tax
lists be made out accordingly. The ex-
pectation is that some county clerk will
resist the boards action in the courts,
and that is what the state board is
after, an opportunity to again have the
supreme court pass upon the questions
raised two years ago, when, as stated
in last nights dispatches, the court
held that the state board did not pos
sess authority to increase or lower the
assessment of any county without
making a corresponding increase or de-
crease on some other. The decision has
prevented the board from carrying out
the constitutional and statutory pro-
visions relative to uniform assessments
The figures agreed upon to-day will
make general increase in nearly all
of the counties. The sheep and cattle
men are sore over the boards action
and the last of the matter has not been
heard. Ex-senator Power. the presi-
dent of the state board of sheep COM
missioners, denounces the boards ac-
ton without mincing words.
1T is an injustice upon the class al
ready taxed to the limit" said he.
He intimates very broadly that the
board failed in its duty in not increas-
ing the railroads more than it did, and
claims that the roads are assessed only
on a small percentage of their valua-
ton, while other lines are valued right
up to the top notch. He was instru-
mental in carrying the matter into the
courts two years ago, resulting in the
much-talked of supreme court decision.
He does not say whether he will again
resist in the courts. but such action is
not among the impossibilities.
The valuations that the board de-
cided upon to-day and will seek to have
adopted were:
Cattle-Yearlings, SIG; 2-year-old and
stock cattle, s22.50; 3-year-olds, $50;
beef cattle, $40. Sheep-stock sheep,
2.15; lambs, when owned without
other sheep, s2.25 otherwise, s2.75;
rams, S.
AS stated, the figures will affect near
ly all of the counties. Only Dawson,
Silver Bow and jefferson of the equal
lied county assessments received will
not be affected. The new figures COM
pare with those returned by the county
boards of equalization by the following
percentages. all being increases, ex-
cept when in very few instances stated
otherwise:
averhead-Yearling cattle, 61a per
cent; years, 121R per cent: stock 10
(reduction); stock sheep, 10; lambs,
II per cent
Broadwater--Not available.
Carbon-Stock cattle, 10; stock. So;
stock sheep, 13.
Cascade-Beef. 33 per cent; stock,
121a: stock sheep, 91a.
Choteau-Stock cattle, 121a stock
sheep, 10.
Custer-Yearling cattle, s; 2-year-
olds, 3; 3year-olds, 21a; sheep, II (re-
duction.)
Dawson-No change.
Deer Lodge-Beef cattle, 1412; stock,
12ia; sheep 10; lambs. r.
Fergus-Yearling cattle. s.: stock 10
(reduction); sheep, 10; lambs 512.
Flathead-Yearlings, 6h; 2-year-olds,
121a; stock, IL; sheep. 10.
Gallatin-Beef cattle. one-half per
cent; stock, 161a: sheep, 12h
Jefferson-No change.
Lewis and Clarke-Not available.
hIadison-Beef cattle, Az; yearlngs,
5R; stock, one-half per cent; sheep, 10;
lambs, Il.
Meagher-Beef cattle, Is; yearlings,
91a: stock (reduction); sheep. 10.
Missoula-Beef cattle, 30; stock, "a;
SHtep, ~
Park-Beef cattle. 33 1-3; yearlings,
Z; 2-yearolds, 1914 stock, 12l3; sheep,
10.
Ravalli-Stock cattle, Is; yearlngs,
64; 2-year-olds, 1914; 3-year-olds, %;
sheep, 10; lambs, 1919.
Silver Bow-Unchanged.
Sweet Grass-Beef cattle. 10; year.
lings, 61A; 2-year-olds, 1914; stock, 1914;
sheep. 10; lambs IL.
Teton-Beef cattle, SO 1-S; yearlings.
6k 2-year-olds. 121e; stock, 2; sheep,
10; lambs, 12h.
Valley-Beef, 2s: yearlings, 6k; q
year-olds 12R; stock 10 (reduction):
sheep. those assessed at $50 raised 10
per cent: those assessed at $2.12, one
half per cent; lambs assessed at $3.50
reduced 10 per cent.
Yellowstone-Beef cattle. IL: year
lings, 6R 2-year-olds. 1919; 3-year-olds,
1Oia: stock. liz; sheep, TO- lambs,
12iA
The board did not make any uniform
rate for lands, although it found many
disparities in the assessments. Whether
this will also be done Is not known.