The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-01-30
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 80, 1907.
UNEQUAL TAXATION is UNJUST
TAXATION.

Among the measures before the
tenth legislative assembly 10 one in.
PRODUCED by Hon. T. M. Everett, state
senator from Chouteau county, which
contemplates the taxation of all prop
erty in Montana at q fair valuation.
1t is for q ''squsre deal" IN the natter
of taxation; everything that has value
should be put on the came footing,
and bear its share Of the tax burden.
Republican members should heartily
favor the removal of unjust discrim.
ination in our tax laws, for their state
platform of 1906 declares:
I'VE favor such amendments of our
tax laws as will with unerring GER
tainty insure and compel the die.
covery and subsection of all taxable
property to the payment of taxes on
terms of equality.****We pledge all
republican members of the Legislature
and all republican officials to the
faithful carrying out of the pledges of
this platform, to the end that faith be
kept with the people,"
In this connection it is pertinent 70
recall the opening paragraphs Of the
republican state platform, in which
feeling and appropriate tribute was
paid to the memory of the late Wilbur
F. Sanders. The republicans of Mon
tana, through their state platform,
paid honor to Col. Sanders in these
remarks:
"As citizens we earnestly commend
his patriotism, his courage and his
devotion to duty to the emulation of
present and coming generations, and
his name to the grateful remembrance
of our fellow citizens"
While recognizing the patriotism,
courage and devotion to duty exhibit
ed by the late Colonel Sanders, and
commencing those excellent traits of
character to emulation by others, re.
publican members of the legislature
have the opportunity to display some
of the Sanders spirit on behalf of the
people. Erecting a statue to perpetu.
ate the memory OF u distinguished
citizen Is one way of expressing ap.
probation of his services to the COM
monwealth, but it should be supple.
mented by a continuation of the good
work in which he took so prominent q
part.
The late Colonel Sanders believed
that unequal taxation is unjust tax
alton. He believed the exemption OF
Montana mining property from tax.
alton is a gross injustice to other tax.
payers, and expressed himself to that
effect on a most important public oc-
casion. At the dedication of the state
capitol, in which the tenth Legislative
assembly is now In session., Colonel
Sanders presented an address which
contained this reference to the unjust
tax laws of the state:
"Claiming for these founders of our
commonwealth all that is their due, 1t
were too much to affirm that they were
not subject to the intirmities of human
nature and made no mistakes. To the
end that they might be corrected they
would choose that the more important
of them be mentioned even on Il on
gratul atOry occasion like this. With
the courage which was a conspicuous
trait in their character to assist in a
hazardous, hopeful, infant industry,
they took upon themselves u portion
of its burdens by absolving it from its
share of taxation. When thus deliv-
cred the interest and amount involved
was small, but it has now grown tC
colossal proportions and Is one O
our chiefest and most remunerativt
%esOurces
"But the advantage thus given has
not been relinquished and what-in it
nature and purpose-was designed t
be temporary, by the forethought ant
adrOitness of greed has been taker
from the domain of legislation ant
become inwoven in constitutional
enactment as a permanent policy o
the state. 1t does not require a wild
knowledge of human nature to discern
that, when the ownership of private
property does not carry with it tn,
equal burden which that ownership
implies, q disregard OF the sanctitie
of titles is begotten, which may wreal
Astounding mischief. Absolute equal
atty of taxation of property is prima
essential justice unless it is desired t
cultivate q superior class to W tn
property and q proletariat or peasar
try I o become their serfs. The iron
of the situation is not belittled by tn
fact that the property SO absolve
from taxation in the nature Of thing
makes disproportiona ate and increa.
ing demands on the money and sole;
tude of the commonwealth. Matter
will not assume q normal cOnditio
until a constitutional provision is o,
dained that every piece of property