Great Falls tribune., 1922-02-21
HUNTING NEW TAXES

HUN xlNU NEW AALO
MONTANA has been raising
1VA quite crop of tax leagues
during the winter of business dis
content.
About three-fourths Of them
seem to be crazy in the head.
They are as crazy in the head as
was the last legislature.
They start out with the adoption
of gushing and gee-whiz preambles
about economy Of administration
and the cutting down Of public ex-
penses and at the second meeting
begin to hunt for new taxes.
The cry goes up that we are pay
ing too much money in taxes and
then some alleged statesmen be-
gin to hunt through the statutes OF
all of the states for new methods OF
taxation. You will find the names
Of a lot Of these fellows in the
delinquent tax lists all over the
state. They are SO busy complain
ing about the taxes that other peo-
pie pay that they have no time to
earn enough to pay their own.
Economy! There is no such
thing in the conduct Of public at
fairs in this state so far as we
know. IF there are few IN
stances they are the exceptions that
prove the rule. If the business
concerns of Montana were to run
their affairs like the cities and the
counties and the state are conduct
ed eighty per cent of them would
60 broke inside Of five years. Pub
lie payrolls increase year by year
TO do the same or a less volume OF
work. Hundreds of men in office
do not render enough service TO
hold a job anywhere else at one
half the money. Isn't it the truth!
It sure is. And still we wonder
at the expense Of government. Tax
leagues forget their mission, listen
to demagogues and hunt for new
taxes.
All through the year 1921 there
was chapter after chapter OF the
same story-talk and oratory about
cutting expenses but little or no
economy anywhere. All the way
from the last legislature down to
the sorry obstacle presented by
state tax league No. 2 organized at
Billings the other day there has
been mighty little real effort to
get public expenses inside OF pub
lie income. The legislature never
found the word economy IN the die
tionary, and the most OF the tax
leagues are out cunning for new
taxes or are planning to denolish
the constitution if it happens to
stand in the way.
Early last year The Tribune
expressed the belief that drastic
cuts should be made in public ex-
penses, such as business houses
were making at the same time and
that such action, with a proper en-
forcement of the tax laws we now
have, would carry Montana through
in pretty good shape. We are 81
the same opinion still. That KIND
of gospel did not become at al
popular then. No particular heee
was given to it. Now comes the
squeeze. It is logical and deserved
The people who arc worthy OF
blame are the public officials who
would not listen. 1t surely will
not do much good to organize
leagues in an cndeavor to save
money that has already been ex'
pended. 1t certainly will not make
us thrifty in public business it WI
listen to non-taxpaying radicals
who would throw the constitution
in the river and go on devislns
taxes for other people to pay.
For what economic station is thu
Montana State Tax League No.
headed when it gives the floor te
the preachments Of Arthur Fisher
a man whose loyalty has been dis
credited by the American legior
and who is willing to draw dowr
a state salary which he does no
earn.