The Montana nonpartisan. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1918-192?, 1918-12-07

HOLDING SACK
LACK OF ARRANGEMENTS FOR
FINANCING ABSOLUTELY MEG
ESSARY SAFEGUARD, MEAN
LOSS TO THOUSANDS OF
FAR ERS. CONSTITUTION
AGAINST ASSISTING REAL IN
DUSTRY BUT CAN BE PUT
ASIDE EASILY ENOUGH WHEN
COPPER CROWD WANT 1T.
Helena, Nov. 23.-It was learn.
ed today that less than so per
cent of the farmers claims for
hail insurance under the state
hail insurance law can be paid
by the hail insurance board ow-
ing to the fact that there is a
deficit in the funds. Already
1926, 900, constituting 40 per cent
Of the total amount of all claims,
has been paid to claimants pro
rata, and probably $4,000 or
seven per cent more will be paid
on the same basis.
This will exhaust all funds and
leave a deficit Of over so per cent.
The reason for this is the wide-
spread hail damage done in the
state, and the failure to put the =
premium on insurance high
enough this year.
Last. year the premium, 40
cents an acre, paid all claims, ad-
ministration expenses and left
a sulplus. This year 60 cents an
acre met only the percentage Of
claims above stated.
The law seems to be defective
in failing to provide q reserve
fund and machinery to meet the
years Of maximum loss.
The above dispatch from the capi-
tai city is very significant just now
to farmers and those who are en-
gagged in the business of raising grain.
1t shows clearly that the State Hail
Insurance Law has broken down and
that it cannot begin to take care of
the job set it. There is no doubt that
those who worked for the passage of
the act did the best they could under
the circumstances but any progress
sive legislation involving the expendi-
ture of money for the producers has
ALWAYS been met with the old famil-
lar cry of mot Constitutional"
THE CONSTITUTION BETWEEN
FRIENDS.
Of course the constitution cry does
not apply to the copper crowd or any
of their activities, for instance it is
clearly unconstitutional to deport
men from any place also there Is
nothing constitutional about wanting
to hang man and woman for their
political opinions, the rustling card
is clearly unconstitutional as is the
institution of the blacklist. We don't
know if ~mis-grading and short weigh
ting comes under the ban of the con-
stitution but we should imagine it did
not Judging by the frequency with
which it is practised. Cooperative
activities are also understood to be
unconstitutional as are all things of
any use to the producers.
The Hail Insurance Law met with
mot constitutional" of courset 1t
could not possibly hold up for the
good and sufficient reason that means
of financing it were demonstrations
al" the State Auditor was, it seems to
have been understood, to have provid-
such sums as were necessary to COW
er situation as.the present, by loan.
But he too is tied and the dear ola
constitution stands in the way. The
bill had to be devised in such man.
ner that it involved individuals for
the reader will see that it is just the
opposite of the Alberta Act which
seeks to form large groups acting
in a communal manner. It is strict
ly an individual affair. The Consti-
tuition holds Of course, that money
cannot be appropriated for any pri
vate enterprize-and there you are.
Because it seeks to render the indi-
vidual isolated and therefore unable
to protect himself it is pefnicious and
stupid One of the great troubles
with farming life, is that it is so iso-
lated that people find it hard to act
together and in common. The State
Law as we now have it not only ac-
centuates that point, but is so like
the old line Company that the solici-
tor therefore, has no great case to
argue when talking against it.
NOTHING TO 1T WHEN YOU OWN
THE CONSTITUTION.
Now the constitution may be used
as a weapon whenever it is necessary
to suppress the aspirations of the pro-
ducers and maybe very soon set aside
when Big Biz demands it for instance
section 20 of the State Constitution
read as follows:
Sec. 20. No incorporation. Stock
Company. person or association Of
persons in the State of Montana shall
directly combine, or form what is
known as a trust, or make any con-
tract with any persons, corporation. or
stock company, foreign. or domestic
through their stockholders, trustees,