The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-02-28
SENATE RAISES TAX
ON THE CORPORATIONS
ss
Amends Bill in Committee TO
Read Levy Of One Per
Cent on Incomes.
o. X. HERD DISTRICTS
Amend m e mt Authorizing
Cities to Increase lndebt-
edness Killed.

VAllVOS tAlIlVOs
Helena, Feb. 2..-The Gould corpora
tion license tax bill, providing for a
levy OF three. quarters Of one per cent
on incomes OF corporations was rec
commended for passage by the senate
in committee of the whole this after
noon with the levy increased to one
per cent. In the morning the report
OF the standing committee on taxation,
providing for a levy of one and one
quarter per cent, had been adopted.
The senate recommended for con-
currence one constitutional amend
ing from debt evidence of taxation,
survived. The amendment authorizing
cities to incur Indebtedness to install
lighting. heating and power plants. and
the amendment changing the method
OF calling a constitutional convention,
were killed.
Farmer vs.. Corporation.
Debate on the Gould bill provoked
an interesting discussion Of the rela-
tive burdens of farmer and corpora
ton in which Healy, Muffly and Gall
wey defended the latter and Dwight.
Kane, O'Shea. Whiteside, Amin and
Brewer fought for the farmer. High
lights from the debate show its char
acter:
Healy-A high tax on incomes is I'M
fair to investors; farm land is not
fairly assessed.
Kane-Where mining companies pay
seven per cent on net incomes. farm
ers pay from 10 to IS per cent.
Muffly-Consider farm at Helena
appraised by owner at $1,000 for farm
loan purposes. valued by the state land
board at $496 and assessed at $40.
Annin-Farmer is highest taxed per-
son in Montana today: while miners
wages have increased .: Fer cent mine
incomes have grown 800 per cent.
Gallwey-Corporation Of Silver Bow
county alone will pay, at three quarter
rate, enough to meet governmental ex-
penses: companies pay federal tax at
New York offices.
A motion by Amin to increase the
tax to one and one quarter per cent
was lost by division vote of 10 to
%. A motion by Dwight to fix the
levy at one per cent, offered as a sub
stitute for the Healy motion for three
quarters of one per cent, was finally
adopted.
Whiteside offered motion striking
out all exemptions. 1t was defeated.
City indebtedness.
The history of the bill relating to the
Indebtedness of cities for purchase of
utilities was brief. Healy opposed
Muffly's motion to postpone the meas
ure indefinitely. but was defeated.
Hogan led the fight for the consti-
tutional- convention bill. He said it
was opposed by the mining interests.
Amin favored the bill. Oliver opposed
the section Of the bill substituting a
majority for a two-thirds vote Of the
assembly in sanction for convention
calls. The bill was killed, 10 to 16.
Herd Districts.
H. B. 1856. creating herd districts.
ments had been made.
Burla introduced bill appropriat ting
$4,000 for separation of the deaf,
dumb and blind school from the Boul-
der institution. The bill would leave
the feeble minded at Boulder and
place the other exceptional persons in
Helena, in a distinct school.
- Tax Compassion.
The White bill for a state tax and
license commission was recommended
for concurrence In committee of the
whole. Arnold sought to include in
the bill authority for the commission
to recommend constitutional changes
but was beaten. Healy opposed the
measure as another leak in the treas,
ury. Edwards and O'Shea countered
with the declaration that the commits
sion is needed to compile expert
knowledge of the tax situation nov
lacking. The commission will final,
be an economy, it was argued.
Pass House Bills.
The following bills were consdere,
in committee Of the whole. placed OIL
third reading and concurred in:
H. b. 144-Creating state licens'
commission: II. b. $50. relating tt
sales OF real estate by sheriffs: II. 3
III. relating to county fairs: H. B. 1870
inspection OF livestock moved from on
county to another: H. B. 1879. safet.
appliance act for electrical workers
II. B. a2o, defining term co-operator
II. d. 225, relating to text books: H.
$50, changing dates of school year
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