The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-08
THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 8, 1917.
STATE ADVANCEMENT

Industry pays the BILL" is the title of an article
which appears in the latest bulletin issued by the
state of Montana Advancement Association. Be
fore mentioning briefly the argument contained in
this message intended for popular consumption it
might be well to anayze briefly the nature of ad-
vancement contemplated by this association.
The State of Montana Advancement Association
was formed for the purpose of defeating the COM
pensaon act initiated two years ago last fall and
succeeded in its purpose. Just now it is leading
an attack on progressive measures through the
dunn of classifying them as "untricd" and "radi-
cal"
The article points to Utah state which stands
out ahead in the matter of regulatory and industry
killing legislation. 1t accuses anyone suggesting
any regulation or tax of large industries being in
league to stifle industrial development and also that
any agitation along this line is for the purpose of
appealing for the votes of certain element"
Sounding its warning against any laws aimed to
regulate industry the bulletin gives Montana credit
with being more conservative than Utah. but init
mates that the warning should be taken to heart
and that in the future industry should be left to
regulate and control itself.
The same determined stand has been made in
those states which are now far ahead of Montana
in the matter of scientific distribution of the
needed for the support Of government Touch our
large industrial! corporations and the wheels of in
dustry will revolving is the threat distributed
freely any time taxation similar questions are
discussed The hearing before the joint house ans
senate tax committees developed this same spirit.
The express companies admitted they were not pay
ing any tax at all; that they We're capitalized at
millions of dollars and We're paying interest this
amount and also that their physical valuation was
about 100000. Railroad building in Montana was
attributed to the fact that the state had been
lenient with the companies and not to the fact that
railroads being forced more and more to the
construction of feeders that tributary territory may
he developed and more freight traffic originated.
BY virtue of it's organization the mining industry
of the state managed to escape and obviate any at
tempt at tax equalization, but in its stead planted
one pc" cent tax on the net profits of practically
every corporation worthy of the in the state
These for the most part paying much more
proportionatcy into the state county and city
treasury than the mining companies. In
through which the mining companies again man.
aged to evade graduated tax such as has been
imposed in almost every state where mining is OF
any importance in the Industrial life of the state
Have they ceased 10 mine metals in Arizona
Michigan, Wisconsin, or minnesota According tc
the last reports the companies were not planning
such step.
1t is more than a rumOr that either non partisan
league, equity or some similar organization is con
templating the introduction Of nine tax bin
Should they produce a fair and not a punitive
measure it is belief that lie bill will be enacte,
into law and despite the warnings Of the associa
ton so interested in the advancement of Montau
we cannot contemplate the spectacle Of mind
closed on account of graduated tax on their ne
incomes