The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-01-01
MONDAY MORNING, JANUARY 1, 1917.
TO-DAY AT HELENA.

TODAY AT HELENA.
At today the Fifteenth legislative session will con-
AS measured by the party affiliations of its men,
bershp the is Republican, the house Democratic
with the veto power resting in the hands of Democratic
governor.
Theoretically this unfortunate but judging from the
past performances Of Montana legislatures to make
little difference what the political affiliations of its nd
vdua members may be- the matters for consideration by
presentday legislatures have little nothing to do
with national politics.
In Montana many other states, responsible political
party government by legislatures has disappeared
cept for the distribution Of small political pums in the shape
of 60-day clerkships to the friends of the individual
legislators
The question of the real control of many Montana
legislative sessions has rested not party but in the power
of Big Business in this state.
We have faint hope that the present of the Mon
tana legislature will differ in this respect from its immediate
predecessors The initial contest for control of eg
lature made in the for speaker the house and
the naming Of the committee committees in the senate
When these two things have been settled the control
OF legislation is easy matter as the makeup OF the varl
Gus committees which rest with the speaker ana the SEN
ate committee very largely controls the future action of the
two houses.
While there will be display of political party align
in both houses both in the organization of those
bodies and from time time during the coming session.
less all previous experience goes for nough it will
be found that when the organizations have been effected
the final control of all things material will safely in the
hands OF the leaders of the third house. whose member
ship gathers at Helena each biennial session to watch
with jealous that adverse legislation be enacted al
fecting the Amalgamated the Montana Power company
the railroads other big interests that closely allied
with invisible government" in Montana.
These observations will no doubt be resented by the
age member who comes up from his county, honestly inn
bued with the spirit of wanting to do that which he believes
to be for the best interests OF the people OF his state
When the present session shall have adourned he will
probably be in closer agreement with these remarks than
he was when the session began.
The present legislature will be confronted with the duty
OF providing additional revenue for the carrying on OF the
state government when the license fees from the sale OF
liquors shall no longer be available.
Under the prohibition law adopedat the last election
fees from liquor licenses will terminate just before the
venng Of the next legislature Some way will have to be
provided for meeting this situation Under the present
constitutional Imitation than and half
mills be levied for the support OF the state government
The Muscular has, from time to time pointed out the
fact that the great mining interests OF Montana owned al
most exclusively by non-resdents pay but small relative
proportion of the taxes levied against other forms OF
property.
Three years ago. this newspaper urged the initiation Of
license fee law modelled after those in force in Cafo
nia Wisconsin and other progressive states that would
have levied equitable license fee upon the water power
the copper mining express telegraph and telephone COM
panies doing business in Montana.
AS the matter stands this type Of investment bears
but fraction of the burden of taxation that is borne by the
banks farms, business property and homes in this state
The physical property Of these great interests which is
taxed constitutes but small portion OF their rea
wealth The big mining companies, under present sys
tem pay only their net profits plus five dollars pei
acre for the surface ana of the patented mines.
This year the Anaconda Mining company alone shows
sos 100000 of profits from the years operations
times than the entire profits of all the farm
and all other Montana owned property put together
If the system of taxation applied to the farm
ers of Montana they would only be assessed the
profits of their FARMS instead of the land stock and i'm
provements. ..
Il issafe to saythat the mining companies, power com