Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1905-06-27
BOOSTERS FOR MONTANA
HOLD A BIG MEETING

est in Montana awakened. AS an evil
dence that the railroads are more
amenable to public influence now than
ever before, he cited the fact of the
stir in railroad circles, produced by an
editorial published some months ago in
a paper published in a remote town of
the state. The editorial stated that
owing to the fact that the RAILROADS
would not grant favorable ates that
the fruit growers of the Bitter Root
| valley We're unable to reach the Butte
market with their produce, and that a
certain paper mill operated in the
state was restricted to trade territory
| of less than a hundred miles in area
for the same reason. The editorial in
the little paper found it's way into the
head offices of the RAILROADS and before
long the editor received a courteous
letter fom the head of the freight de-
partment in St. Paul, in which it was
courteously made to appear that the
editor was mistaken in his statement,
and closing with the declaration that
ii the writer was wrong he would be
glad to take the matter up with the
people interested and remedy if pos
sible.
AT 1890 the convention adjourned
until y. m.
Upon re-convening this afternoon
j. M. Kennedy proposed that the con-
Venton poceed to effect a state organ
ization.
Chairman Moss stated that it had
been the original plan to discuss the
matter of permanent organizations. w.
L. Clark was called upon to outline
| the Dlan of the Billings club
Senator KennedyS motion to appoint
a committee of five to arrange for
permanent organization was amended
, 80 as to have the constitution read
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first.
After the reading of the constitution
which is too lengthy to be given here.
Delegate Hilger called the meeting S
t attention to the fact that the commit
tee on permanent organization had not
4 named a date for holding the annual
S meeting.
2 John MacGinnis suggested that the
q | name of the organization be the Mon
: tana Improvement Association" Don
4 II associatedbS kbgk bgk fWyW yfWqp
. ovan said that this name was too close
t ~ associated with fake" building and
f loan associations. He wanted name
: that would explain the full scope of the
}. organization.
e A. w. Mills suggested the Montana
: Business Association" W B. George
}. | suggested the Business Mems Pro-
i sressive Association of Montana
e. Halsey Watson of Lewistown suS-
[. gested The Montana Business Mems
n League" This suggestion was adopt
q ed
s There was much discussion over fix
e ing a basis of organization and numer-
Gus amendments We're offered to the
d article as originally read.
IS The article as finally adopted pro-
: vides that delegates to the state meet
If ines shall be members of commercial
bodies. and each body with member
:. ship of 80 or less shall be entitled te
It one delegate, and one delegate fol
k each additional membership of 80 OF
major fraction thereof; further thai
If the question of membership fee be fix
= ed by the executive committee.
II While the committee on permanen
If officers We're out preparing it's repof
= several resolutions and speeches We're
=. heard. Paul Mccormick introduced
r. the following resolution: 1T is re
l. solved by this convention that WE
= most healthy favor that earnest coop
If Grafton between this organization anC
b. all transportation lines to the end tina
we build up the state by all pulling
,s together" The resolution was unanl
to mously adopted.
Former Attorney General Donovan
er then addressed the convention. II
f. took up the question of taxation, tina
ae was originally raised in Senator Car
f. ter's letter read during the forenoon
al session. He urged the members of tn
es members of the convention to earnest
ty ly refute the impression that had be
m come prevalent in other states to tn
in effect that this state was a poor on
l. in which to make investments II
denied that money had ever been use
n to prevent legislation tending towar
10 the reduction of public expense. H
de referred to the building of the stat
% canitol which, he said, was accomp
lished without extra taxation on tn
as people of the state. County official
or are not paid excessively" he sait
x The penitentiary and the asylum az
to the chief sources of expense to tn
er state and this is practically met b
lis the tax paid by the railroads of tt
de state. Stockmen have no complaint
excessive taxation. You have twice {
It'll many sheep when shearing time come
ng as when the assessor was there. "
me must not scandalize ourselves by NAL
Iing statements that we are eXcessivel
di- taxed I believe that Montana is
~ the best condition, financially, of al
m state in the Union. You are eollectiI
ng out of your public lands vast amour
the of money each year, which is indirec
ere ly building up the school system of Il
YER state, inasmuch as the proceeds
to these sales are used in taking up scho
at bonds at a lower rate of interest tina
the can be obtained elsewhere. Your ta
,ss es are light in comparison with VIII
ing yau would have to pay in other state
ent Do nothing but boost"