The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-08-05
TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 1902.
HINT TO II BOARD.

caSlOn TO auufeSS lCSell W luc AAOAA
bers of the state board of equaliza-
ton in regard to the matter of the
assessment of the railroads, and does
so in plain and unmistakable words.
In doing this the Independent dis
charges a special and general duty,
general in that it undertakes to speak
for the people, and special because it
contributed to the election of the men
to whom it speaks and for that rea-
son enjoys a distinctive privilege, II
not right, as it feels in a measure re-
sponsible for their actions as officials.
The Independent recalls the fact
that both the %populist and democratic
state conventions, which met at Hell
ena in 1900, adopted planks in their
respective platforms directed against
corporate interference in public af-
fairs and invited the voters of all
parties to unite with them in their
efforts to preserve the liberties of the
people. To use the Independents
words, they held up the Spectre of
corporation domination in political
affairs" After quoting those planks
the Independent goes on and shows
how the people, evidently taking the
two parties at their word turned in
and elected the men who constitute
the body to which it addresses itself.
and it now calls upon them to do their
duty.
Not only have the railroad corpora
lions of this state persistently and
most extensively interfered in bust
ness and political affairs" continues
the Independent, "but they openly de-
fed u constitution and statutes and
now, having terrorized a part of the
business community to such a degree
that men fear to speak what they
think of railway taxation they de-
mand that the state board of equali-
cation assess franchises, roadways,
roadheds. rails and rolling stock at
the value of the rails laid down and
no more
Continuing, the Independent re-
minds two members of the board. the
attorney general and auditor, that they
were members cf the populist party
which adopted the plank it quotes
earlier and says that in spite of the
solemn declaration of the convention
that nominated them they are accus-
~ ~, roD,o ,,oo,, NF tho cfof0 RI Of fhoyy
will vote to keep down the railroad
assessments and thus impose an un-
just burden on the people of Montana.
Next it pays attention to the govern
or, secretary of state and treasurer,
all of whom were elected as demo-
Gratis, and reminds them of the fact
that they accepted their nominations
on the platform containing the plank
quoted and that the cornerstone of
democracy is equal rights for all,
special privileges for none" 'Yet,,"
it continues, "there are some men in
this state, and in this city, who fear
that these democrats will forget the
cardinal principle of democracy, for
get their party's pledge. and vote to
grant the railroad corporations the
special privilege of a rate of taxation
no more than one-fifth of what the cit,
liens of the state must bear
After declaring that it does not be-
lieve that these five men will betray
the people, the Independent says if
there r any of them who feel a
limpness in their backbones and a
wobbling in their knees they should
direct their attention to S. R. Van
SAINT, the republican governor of Min.
nesota. who. Notwithstanding he lives
in a state supposedly dominated large
ly by the corporations that formed
the railroad merger in defiance of the
laws of that and other states, had the
courage to stand up and say that ever
the multimillionaire corporations mus
respect the laws of Minnesota so Ions
as he was governor. Despite the
threats of those corporations tina;
they would ruin him politically ant
would not permit him to be renomi
mated he continued his fight and thu
republicans in statef convention as
sembled renominated him by accla
nation.
All this was seemingly said by wa,
OF introduction, for in the succeed
ing paragraphs Of the article the In
dependent gets down to the meat O
the thing. It says that it is possible
that the members Of the board o
equalization, or at least some of then
desire further favors from the PEG