Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-12-18
TAX REDUCERS

CONTINUED from Page Onc1
standing face to face with the most
critical situation in her history.
"Our state is confronted with bank
ruptcy-staggering' under a burden OF
taxation and financial difficulties.
During the last six years our debts
and responsibilities have increased at
terrifying rate he said. Bond
issues were voted for improvements.
The sky is the limit We mortgaged
our future. Now times have changed.
Our most thriving industries are
closed, our agricultural interests are
almost paralyzed and our livestock in
dustry practically wiped out. So ire
mendous have the tax demands grown
that the burden is greater than we
can bear. The pay day has come, the
time for an accounting has arrived.
We must reduce expenses, effect econ
omy or ruin is inevitable.
How Taxes Have Jumped
The speaker then read figures
showing how the governmental ex-
penses in one county in Montana had
increased from $134,O0O to $4,000 in
four years, how another had increased
from $4,000 in 1914 to 100000 IN
1920 while still another had increased
from $2O7 900 in 1914 to $4,000 in
1920
Referring to Lewis and Clark
county. in which the expenses in 1914
were $266,O00 and $296OOO in 1870,
he said: -. .
Il al
standing at the top. You have done
better than in 80 per cent OF the
counties"
Prof. Frankie stated that the records
show the increases of expenses OF the
counties of Montana in that period to
range from 100 per cent to 800 per
cent. These increases are happening
in the face of declining values. Your
lands have decreased $40, 100000 in
valuation in the past year, but that IS
not all. as the value of lands is based
upon their producing power.
Politician Adds New Sources
'The politician has a remedy. his
remedy is to search out new sources
of revenue and as soon as he ns-
covers property not already taxed ana
gets it on the tax rolls, he has
dSHltfSu pubIit fIAIolt
"There is only one source OF rev
enue, and that is the people. The
people pay all the taxes. We are not
Interested in finding new sources Of
revenue or in shifting the. taxes. What
we want is economy.
"Who will reduce taxes? Our offlc-
ials have had the opportunity and
have failed. Our legislators have APP
propriated 81 for every dollar of pos
ssible revenue. The remedy lies only
with the people.
1.-THE Indifference of the taxpayer
is surprising. He pays his taxes and
grumbles little, but he never IN
auires to learn if his money has been
expended iudiciously. The most serious
thing to Montana is the disinterest-
necessary.
I'm 1912 there was collected for all
purposes in the state, 11.244. 100:
Eight years later, in 1920 this had
increased to $25,573,536 or an aver
age annual increase of 1915 per cent.
Yet during these years our population
increased only 80 per cent or an aver
age annual increase Of 4.25 per cent.
State Debt $500 per Family
according to these figures. an in
crease in immigration into our state
is a detriment. We have funded debt
of approximately $55,0OO,000, which
means that the head Of an average
family faces a debt Of $500. The bond
ed debt of the counties in Montana in
1912 was $16,661, 345, which had in
creased in 1921 to $50, 24O,095.
"Frenzied finance is being outdone.
One county in the state with a popu..
lation of 1900 has funded debt Of
81, 100000. There should be $5,S00,O00
in the sinking funds Of various coun-
ties, but the reports show only $780,
900 in these funds.
The counties have been using the
sinking funds to meet their current
expenses. Debts have been refunded
and passed on to posterity.
eve have placed mortgages upon
the people for several generations to
come. Up to the present time there
has been no cessation Of this mad
revelry in finance.
Schools and Taxes
Montana has sought to build
schools not to be exceeded anywhere.
Our schools require nearly SO cents
Of every dollar paid in taxes. In 1914
they cost $5,S00.0O0; in 1918, $10,-
100000; and in 1920, $13.S440 900. The
increase from 1913 to 1920 was 80
per cent, while the increase in the
number of children was but 1.3 per
cent. In 1920 Montana paid 81 for
education which in 1914 had cost
but 81.
There exists great disparities in
school leyies. In my county the special
levies vary from nothing in some
districts to rs mills in others
Taxes in our state today come
9erilously near to being confiscatory.
Power to Tax Can Destroy
''The power to tax is the power
to destroy. Today capital is fearful
Of Montana. Mr.. FRANKIE, in closing,
made few suggestions, the first be-
ing statutory limitation of the rate
Of increase of any levy over previously
one probably 3 to s per cent; strict
enforcement of the county budget law
legislation to prevent the issuance of
bonds for current expenses; legisla-
ton recurring all municipal bonds IN