Fergus County Democrat., 1916-06-22
EXP PLAINS THE
CONTROVERSY
w. 3. SANDS OF CHINOOK, NOW
HERE, ON THE ATTITUDE
OF MR.. POFE.
PROHIBITION AND MINING TAX

the initiation of bill to compel the |
mines of the state to pay per cent
on their net profits i'll addition to
the present tax on the net proceeds |
are being circulated over the state
w. B. Sands, the author of the bill, |
is in Lewistown, and addressed the
Farmers picnic Thursday
Two years ago an effort was made |
to initiate a bill of similar import,
though much broader in its scope. 1t
failed because it was not signed by s |
per cent of the votes in IL counties
of the state. Fourteen counties re
sponded, but two were lacking
Mr.. Sands is an attorney of Chinook,
Blaine county, and his record in the
supreme court of the state warrants
us in concluding that Mr.. Sands would
not rush wildly into this matter un
less it is legally sound. He says the
supreme court, in unmistakable Ian
guage, has approved the license tax.
He cite the automobile license in proof
Of this
Mr. Sands says:
"The idea Of trying to initiate this
bill was conceived after reading a
pamphlet sent out by the Anaconda
Copper Mining company, in which that
company sought to show that it was
paying Its just share Of the taxes Of
the state. The pamphlet gives the
amount Of taxes paid by the company
| and its surface improvements, but it
does not give any basis upon which
to determine the value of the mines.
| I Jo Al, Il
ed that the company was escaping tax
alton on at least $15O,000000 this year
by virtue Of the constitutional proyi-
sion which virtually exempts mines
from taxation. The constitution Of
this state was made by the mine own
ers and they inserted in the constitu
tion provision that all property
should be taxed on it's full cash value
except mines; that mines should be
taxed ON the surface improvements,
the. price paid per acre to the gov
ernment and their net proceeds. |
also discovered that many profit-pro-
ducing mines in the state were not
paying any taxes except on their sur
face improvements and | concluded it
was time for some one to apprse the
and suggest remedy.
"The proposed bill of two years ago
was put out by volunteer organization
composed of men from all over the
state. They differed widely as to its
form and scope, so that when it was
finally put out it represented widely
divergent views and was loaded down
with so many things it was badly han
dicapped. | concluded to draw bill
covering the one idea-the tax favorit
ism of mines in the constitution.
consulted non one until the bill was
out. | then sent copies to several OF
the known friends of the measure and
asked for criticism. Two suggestions
were received, one by the state super
| intendent regarding the manner of ap
portioning the money, was accepted
) and the bill changed slightly; the 9th
er was rejected.
II then enlisted my own home
t grange. of which | was member. il
support of the measure, and later al
the farmers organizations in the state
Although l am strong believer II
/ statewide prohibition, | did not con
+ meet this measure in any way with til,
S liquor controversy in this state TIL,
S two are independent and have no re
|, lation and neither the vets or the dry
d as such are entitled to any of TIL
l. credit or odium of the bill. | particu
! larly emphasize the fact that no on
I interested in the so-called 'booZ
!. fund is in any way, either directly o
0 indirectly, interested in the inception
e Of the bill, or the paper published b.
!, me, the Montana Equal Tax Advocate
/ and both were printed and sent ou
without the knowledge Of any membe
OF the liquor organization. Any SUE
gestion to the contrary is false an
= wholly without foundation.
After the bill had been in circul;
: tion about two weeks, Joseph Pope
$ superintendent of the Anti-Saloo
: league, called on me and informed m
= that the ti-Saloon league had abou
:, concluded to bust the bill | CAV
= Mr.. Pope the full history of the incel
!, ton of the bill, further advising hir
!, that after the bill had been sent OF
= | received telegram from Mr. Te;
=. garden for 10 copies of the Equal Ia
# Advocate and copy of the bill, whic
d forwarded to Mr.. Teagarden.
p few days later | received a letter col
4. tanning nothing but list of about 3
p. farmers organizations, with nothin
to indicate the name of the sender, e,
\. cept the return card on the envelop
b. suggesting that it came from J.
f. Kennedy of Helena. The enyeloI
is was addressed in long hand and
e, was later advised that the address wa
e in the handwriting of Mr.. Teagardel
d This constitutes the only connectio
lie OF either Teagarden or Kennedy wit
1t the bill No petitions have been sci
IS to them and none have been returne
by them. except as above stated
"Mr. Pope repeatedly assured me
his full confidence in my statement
S, and extracted a promise from me
20 withhold activity on the measure #
o. as hours, until he could consult NJ
; Johnson, a detective from Ohio. I'll
u understanding was that nothing wou
:, be done by Mr.. Pope to bust Il
-. measure without a further conferent
. at least, and arrangement were mac
~ for such a meeting, if one should
c considered necessary, after consul
m ing with Mr.. Johnson.
nj 10