Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-02-15
ADMINISTRATION FORCES PUSH
BILL FOR TAX COMMISSION TO
Sd READING OVER OPPOSITION
Cooney Leads Fight Up
on Governors Pet
Measure, Loses 1854.
Declares Vote on SINH
lar Proposal Last Fall
Defeated by People.

0SA~&AS>NA ~
BY WARREN w. MOSES,
Staff Correspondent.
Helena, Feb. 14.-That the
Dixon forces hold control of the
house of representatives was
demonstrated Monday after
noon when, in the first test vote
of the session, a move to indef-
initely postpone the tax COM
mission measure, H. B. 5, was
defeated by a vote of "a to 54 in
committee of the whole and a
subsequent effort to head off a
favorable report on the pass
age of the bill was lost 80 to 60.
The opposition was led by E. IL
Cooney, of Cascade county. In NOV
ing indefinite postponment, after the
bill had been read in full and had been
amended in several particulars, Mr..
Cooney prefaeed his remarks by stat
ing he wanted it understood that this
bill is separate and apart from the tax
program now before the house. thlt
the bill seeks to give commission the
powers already gwen to the board Of
equalization and which cannot be
changed except by constitutional ad-
justment. 1t merely therefore, creates
an advisory board he said, and de-
clared that It is a matter to be handled
by men who have made q life study
of taxation.
Defeated Last Fall
He called attention to the fact that
about 50 days ago the people vino
voted this legislature into office. voted
down . similar measurasxhya An ever
whelming majority, that thousands of
Democrats voted with the Republicans
as protest against the ever increas-
ing administration expenses and if
their vote meant anything it meant an
injunction against the creation Of ad-
ditional bills.
He said he was not in favor of anv
Of the tax measures proposed by the
committee because he was opposed to
any increase IN taxation.
Supporting the measure, J. A. Shoe
maker Of Yellowstone county spoke of
Governor Dixon as the referee in
bankruptcy" saying the governor had
twice come before the legislature and
told the members that if they would
give him three men whom he might
select he could in two years liquidate
the states debts He said Dixon had
a plan but that no one else had put
forth one.
Cost Would be $1,000
Mrs. Hathaway, after calling atten-
ton to the fact that the Republicans
had already tsucceeded in reducing the
expenses Of the state by eliminating
janitors in the capitol. insisted that
this was a constitutional question, that
it would cost the state $1,000 and
goodness knows how much more,
that the state had already spent $685.
coo to investigate the tar system and
this bill was the result, bill, which,
she said, had been copied after the
Illinois statute. She suggested it
would be better, if tax expert was to
be hired, to send him into the state
law library where he would find plenty
of tax laws on the shelves.
Mr.. Cooney denied Bergeson's state
ment that this bill was the nerve CEN
ter Of the tax program, insisting that
If it is defeated the other laws will
stand on their own legs. As to the
financial condition of the state, he
said this was not SO much the fault
of the tax system as of the admin
istration.
Goes on Third Reading
The bill, after the defeat Of the
Cooney motion. was recommended for
passage and will now go to third read
ing.
s. G. Skulason of Sanders County
said he had voted for the measure
at the recent election and II given a
chance would also vote to refer it
to the people, but that this legislature
had been elected on a pledge of re-
trenchment and accordingly he would
not supportathe bill.
George r. Allen Of Madison County
said the people are the sovereign
power and last fall this power spoke
In unmistakable terms against a tax
commission and 1t would be an insult
to the sovereign power to say the
people did not know upon what they
were voting.
.'In this hall where days ago the
danger signal Of bankruptcy was
said he, more than two
thirds Of the session has expired and
we have not dispensed with single |
board or commission that ! know of
and now we are asked to create an
other most expensive commission. Is
not the preservation to the stste
Of her cherished institutions, our
duty?"
Shows Increases
Mr.. Allen then submitted to the
committee figures showing excessive !
in the salary figures Of |
various Of the state departments, u.s.
Ing for comparison the salaries paid |
In December, 1914, and in December |
1920, together with the percentages Of |
increase. They are: Department Of !
agriculture and publicity, increased |
from @483 to $1,O20 or 1O8 percent;
state auditors office. increased from
e025 to 1880, or Ia percent; board |
Df examiners, increased from 1886 to |
e1426 or 151 percent; capitol main |