Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-03-10

IN dictation. noted it very carefully,
for l knew it was serious thinx. The
substance of it was this: That in or
der to defeat the proposed 3 per cent
rate on Oil, he, Arthur, said to these
gentlemen: I arranged 4 trade with
the opponents of the tax commission
Dill In the senate and traded five votes
against the tax commission bill in ex-
change for five votes for per cent
Il asked him who were present.
they were, Roy Covert, president Of
the Merchants National bank Of Bill
hngs; Colonel ". 81. Rowley, one OF
tne owners OF the Northern hotel: F.
vs H. Collins. an oil man. think with
one OF the subsidiaries OF the Midland:
Der ct the firm Of Aldrich & Buchan-
an; w. A. Selvidge, BILLINGS Hardvara
company; and G. ". Fowler.
Warned TO Bs Careful.
!, whether any others were present.
these were the ones remembered
mat some one Of these gentlemen. I
tnmk, as !! recall maybe two or three,
sald to Mr.. Arthur: You better be
Ia.e1ul Wnat you are reciting here
tEFldently BY way Of showing what
wonderful work he had accomplished
Tor the oil men, That this is a fei-
ony under the constitution and also
unaer s the codes defining bribery
10 nave statement Of that kind
MADE IN the presence Of a group Of
business men during a session al .he
Montana legislature thought was a
very serious thing. If it was made in
a jocular spirit, / thought It vas q vary
serious thing so far 40 the individual
members Of the state eeuate we're
concerned. If it was related by Mr..
arthur as positive evidence Of his
wonderful lobbying influence up here.
ana was stated az a matter Of fact, il
was very serious. Il occurred to me.
then. and / am still more strongly
fortified in the position that even
should it have been made in a spirit
OF braggadocio or even iocularly. &
was very serious thing 20 far as tho
members Of the state senate were
Refers Them to cosasjb.
DO we understand that Senator
Connolly did not hear any statement az
Arthur" asked Senator Slattery.
Il would rather you would aak San.
ator Connolly to detail the matter, 40
It is second handed with me-" replied
the governor.
Senator Stewart-"Was this charge.
as it may be so designated, in the
message based only on the statement
of Senator Connolly, which was hrxely
hearsay?"
Governor Dixon-T cannot call Il
1earsay. when = member sat n the
'oom and heard the aftermath"
Senator Stewart-"You mentioned
formidable oil lobby. Can You eive
Is the names Of the persons who rep-
'esented this 50 called Oh lobby
=. Governor nxon-'sNo, cannot.
There was q common rumor around the
'ap.tol that there was such q lobby.
n fact one gentleman told me there
we're more in this lobby than there we-e
members OF the legislature.
senator Stewart-''Is Il not 4 fact
nat the vote was taken ON the report
= the committee on the tax legisla-
Ion before the oil tax bm had even
zen submitted to the ssnatef'
dse whatever OF bills reported kou
know more Of them thsn I
Z these things are true It u certain-
= the duty Of the senate to mako
ull investigation. II they ars mot true
il equally the duty Of the senate
Q protect your good name from this
ind OF fast and loose talk
Haiey's Rssolstlsa.
Haley's resolution follows:
Whereas, ID the special message d.
vered to the joint assembly Of the
eventeenth legislative assembly In ex-
session his excellency, the
ha sfatA ~ Nfnn%aua natl.I ~. 49,.