Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-03-11
FOUR WITNESSES REFUSE
To SAY ARTHUR TOLD Of
ANY SWAP ON OIL TAX
Senate Inquiry Hangs
on Exact Words Used
at Billings Meeting.

| o>s ~AA~S wv
ler and Connolly on
Stand as Witnesses.
! Helena, March 10.-Whether
Tom Arthur, at the now famous
Billings oil conference, stated
| that had he arraigned a trade
of legislative votes upon the
tax commission and the oil tax
measures, or whether he mere
ly said that he had delivered
q certain number Of votes for
the one per cent oil tax, was
the main question around the
senate investigation of the
alleged trading of votes center
ed Thursday afternoon.
No one Of the four witnesses exam
ined by the investigation committee
during its session Of over two and 4
half hours would testify that the word
trade" was used and it remains for
that matter to be determined BY the
witnesses yet to be heard when the
at 2:3O.
Arthur, whose remarks caused an
this legislative disturbance was an in
terested spectator at the hearing Thurs
day and will testify whenever he is cali
ed BY the committee.
Chamber ts Crowded.
The initial hearing was conducted in
the senate chamber and in addition to
the major portion Of the senate great
number of the house members and many
outsiders thr0nged the chamber and the
galleries during the examination Of the
witnesses.
Senator F. B. Connolly of Yellow
stone county, whose report to the gov
ernor had been the occasion for the
reference to the matter in the recent
message Of the governor, was the first
witness examined. He related the in
cidents Of the meeting IN Billings, at
which he was present. and said the
statement of Arthur had been made
previous to his arrival at the meeting
place and he depended for his inforna-
ton upon what had been told him BY
Z. w. Fowler, secretary Of the Mon
Recollection Is Hazy.
The senator's recollection of the con-
versation at this meeting was very ha1y
and his answers to the many questions
we're usually far from definite. When
The quotation from the governors mes
sage was read to the witness and he
was asked if that was what he had told
The governor he replied he had told him
hat ''only in substance from what had
heard"
In reply to questions he said he had
old the governor about the matter on
Tuesday shortly before the governor
his message and that he did
aot know the governor intended to refer
o 1t in his message.
He said: Il did not tell the governor
knew of any vote trading or that
believed any votes had been traded"
Didn't Ask Names.
He admitted he had not challenged
he statement Of Arthur rs reflectine
lpon the senate nor did he demand to
e informed as to who had traded Their
otes.
''The only question asked him." said
he senator, was II my actions in the
enate had not been satisfactory to the
il interests"
c. w. Fowler was the next witness
allied and he told straight forward
terry of the Billings meeting and the
evelopments there.
He related that to his recollection the
,atement Of Mr.. Arthur was: IN
rder to protect ourselves from the
ner cent oil tax it was necessary to
oliver some votes in the senate and
,me in the house against the tax COM
ission. They asked us how many we
,uld deliver and we told them we could
alver five in the senate and nine in
le house."
Tie witness said he was of the i'm
-ession that the statement was taken
'riously by those who heard it.
"Windjammer," Says Collins.
+. V. Fl. Collins. an attorney Of Bill
gs who said he was in the employ OF
l oil company. testified to having
zen present at the conference. Ho
i'd he heard nothing in relation TO
e trading of votes but quoted Arthur
] having said:
'sWe were in position where our
terests were in danger of being cruel
I'd and when they came to me asking
w many votes / could deliver against
me measure II forget what measure
mentioned) said we could deliver
re-"
he said possibly Arthur
couple some house votes with the
e from the senate.
He said he thought the conversation
IS rather shallow and that Arthur
d made the statement merely to off
statements Of Fowler and Selvidge.
d that he was merely "windjam-
ng."
Followed IN Argument.
He said the statement had been made
.cr Fowler and Selyidge had claimed
, oil interests had injected them-
YES into other legislation and that
{Continded ON Page Two.3