The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-02-10
Senate Tax Investigating
Committee Comes in With
Full Report.
MEANS RECOMMENDED
TO RECTIFY MATTERS
Mine, Express, Pullman and
Hydro Electric Compa-
nies Fall Short.

Helena, Feb 9.--(Staff Correspond
cnce.)--An estimate of the expenses of
the state government for the next two
years made by the senate tax inves-
tigating committee and included in a
report submitted today shows that
without additional expenditure or i'm
provement of the state institutions the
deficit will be approximately $1,OOO,-
900 unless provision is made for add
ing to the revenue of the state. The
committee suggests that in seeking the
necessary addition that the existing
inequalities and injustices in the as
scssment and taxation should Be cor
rccttd so far as it is possible under
the existing constitutional law.
state Auditor kcating, in his re-
port to Governor Stewart, estimated
the deficit at only trifle over $s9,-
900. To these figures he added that,
with economy in certain departments
this amount could be appreciably re-
duccd.
The following report in full of the
committee was referred without COM
ment to the standing senate commit
tee on taxation.
The Report.
Mr., President:
We, your special committee on in
vestigation of taxation and assessment,
beg leave to report as follows:
Pursuant to the authority vested in
us by this body we employed the nee
essary assistance and undertook to de-
termine as nearly as possible, in view
OF the limited time at our disposal the
relative assessments of mining indus
tries, railroads, express companies,
telegraph companies, telephone COM
panics, banks, hydro electric COM
panes, Pullman car companies and
private car companies, and also cause
to be made careful estimate of the
amount of money required to conduct
the business of the state for the next
two years.
The attached statement marked ex-
hlbit a. gives complete and care
ful estimate of the expenses for the
next two years of all the departments
of the state government. This esti-
mate shows that without any addi-
tlonal expenditures or adding in any
way to the scope and usefulness of
our state institutions unless some
provision is made for adding to the
revenue of the state through scme sys-
tenn of taxation, our deficiency at the
end of the next period will be approx
imatcly one million dollars.
The attention of your committee has
been called to the pressing needs of
some of the state institutions, for in
stance, the tuberculosis sanitarium, the
industrial school, the orphans home,
and also to the fact that the estimate
of the chancellor for the state educa-
= tional institutions which estimate he
asserts was made on a basis of the
strictest economy compatible with eff
ficiency, was reduced by the state
board of education about 100000.
State Institutions.
The condition of the tuberculosis
sanitarium is such that every impulse
Of humanity and a proper regard for
the self-respect of a prosperous peo-
pie demands radical change at the
present time. BY reason Of insuffi-
cient financial support applicants for
admission are required to accept num-
bcrs and many such applicants have
died of the dread disease while await
ing their time for admission to the in
stitution.
In our judgment this legislature
should make some provision to rem
edy this condition.
Equally imperative is the need, in.
connection With our industrial school,
of a separate home for delinquent
girls. At the present time this state
has no institution for theil. care. At
Il time when an appeal for aid for the
orphans of other lands is so persist
entity presented to us it should not be
necessary to do more than call atten-
tion to the fact that the states facil-
tiles for caring for the parentless chill
drcn Of this state is wholly Inadequate
If Reasonable provision is made fol-
these pressing needs of the state, and
some thought is given to the natural
growth and development which the
next two years is likely to witness ii
will probably require about $500, ,00C
i'll excess of our present revenue.
Our investigation of taxation and as
sessment while directed particularly to
the industries named in the resolution
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