Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-12-18
TAX REDUCERS
RA|DED, THEIR
RALLY GRABBED
Former Mayor Edwards
Turns Helena Meeting
Into Bid to Run City.
Prof. Frankie Permit
ted to Present State
Taxation as Enormity.
Snecial To The Trihnnn

Special to The Tribune
Helena. Dec. 17.-Frank ]. Edwards,
former mayor of Helena and one time
gubernatorial candidate. took posses
sion of the meeting of taxpayers of
Lewis and Clark county Saturday night
in the auditorium. elected his own can
didate for temporary chairman, almost
completely wrecked the program pre-
pared by a Commercial club commit
tee and before the meeting had closed
had made proposition to take over
saving to it of at least $4,000 year
or forfeit that sum to the city.
Plans for the meeting had been pre-
pared by committee selected at a re-
cent meeting of the Commercial club
and u. c. Day was present on the
stage to call the meeting to order when
Mr.. Edwards, without permitting Mr..
Day an opportunity to be heard, stated
from the floor the purposes of the
meeting. nominated William Muth for
temporary chairman and put the ques-
tion..
Backers Swept Off Feet
t. A. NARROW jumped to his feet to
halt the proceedings, but the vote was
cast without his having an opportun-
ity to protest, whereupon Mr.. Day,
from the stage. threw oil upon the
troubled waters by calling for stand
ing vote. by which the election of Mr.
Muth was determined beyond any
doubt. Ray Church was selected as
temporary secretary without opposi-
ton.
Mr.. Edwards then moved that the
when Arthur Ward of the original
committee stated that John Edgerton
and Professor A. A. Frankie of Lewis
town. who had been invited to speak,
would not require an hour in which
to deliver their remarks, Mr.. Edwards
withdrew his motion.
Mr.. Edwards did not, however. re-
llnqulsh his very evident control of
the meeting, which numbered several
hundred persons. and before the meet
ing adjourned he took the floor. re-
that the address of Mr.. Franz
Ike was very good and he thought it
should be printed and distributed all
over the county and other parts of the
state as well.
Offers to Run Helena
He then launched into IN arraign-
ment of the financial interests. upon
which he placed the blame for the ex-
Of the administration in
the. affairs of the state, and deprecat-
ed any suggestion of obtaining relief
from taxation through the legislators.
He suggested a bond for county COM
missloners and state officials, by which
it would be sought to hold them within
their budgets or appropriations and, in
the event of their exceeding their al
lowances, that they be compelled to
pay the excess out of their own
pockets
For the relief of the city of Helena.
he proposed managerial form of gov
under which the commission
ers would receive not more than $500
per year each and manager be en-
ployed who would agree to reduce the
city expenses $4,000 year and nut
up n bond guaranteeing that he would
do it.
Would Take County Over, Too
and I'll take the job" said Mr..
Edwards. "1ll not stop at $4,000.
but I'll ask for a commission and I'll
save you $4,000 year. 1 have made
that much for you before and I can
do it again. will be willing to take
your city and save you $4,000 a year,
but that won't be much of a job. I
would be willing to take on the county
also"
Edwards then proceeded to attack
the county commissioners of Lewis and
Clark county, referring particularly to
Commissioner w M. Biggs, and then
assailed the proposal for the issuing
of road bonds to build the proposed
Missouri river canyon cutoff.
Before giving up the floor, he moved
that committee of five be appointed
by the chair to make inquiries and in
vestigations and report at meeting
to be held January 3. This motion
was adopted after it had been amended
to the effect that no county. state
of federal officers be permitted to
serve on this committee, in order. it
was stated. to keep the organization
out of politics.
Fighting Bankruptcy, He Says
Previous to this, a set of bylaws
which was presented by Arthur Ward
as copy of the bylaws Of taxpayers
leagues of Arizona and Texas, had
been referred to committee of seven,
Of which at least three members
should be from outside of Helena.
Both committees will be selected by
Chairman Muth later.
Outside of the talk by Mr.. Edwards
and e few remarks by the chairman.
The only address Of the evening was
that of Mr.. Frankie, who, in his OPEN
ing remarks. said that Montana was
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