Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-09-17
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM
Adopted by State Convention at Helena

SlDlt U thC oIdtC w ~ $1,000 -
| income in times of peace.
We also most unreservedly con-
denim the state administration for
| displacing veterans of the world war
who were in the employ OF the state
with convicts.
Mix Politics and Schools
We charge that political influence
has undermined and injured the eff
ficiency of our state educational in
situations. Under the chancellor sys-
TEN, inaugurated and built up by the
previous state administration with
| out regard to politics, our institu-
lions had attained q position of prom
inence and a degree of excellence
most satisfactory and c~ommendable
After IS months of the present state
| administration, the university is
without a chancellor and a state of
uncertainty and insecurity exists.
highly detrimental to the institutions,
to the cause of education and to the
state.
Real Investigation of Prison
Recently a reputable and duly con-
| stituted state board of charities and
reforms made an investigation and
| disclosed the existence of brutalties
Of the most cruel and shocking char
acter at the state prison. This board
| found that one prisoner had been
rendered blind by acts Of depraved
cruelty inflicted upon him by the war
den and his staff. Other prisoners
suffered indignities, abuses and in
| juries such as would make n Russian
jailer, either czarist of bolshevik,
turn green with envy.
We pledge our nominees for the
legislature to investigate the condl-
| tions in the state institutions to the
! end that the defenselesS wards of
the state may at least have human
treatment and that those guilty of
these enormous crimes against the
state and society may be punished.
MutIiate Inheritance Tax Laws
We call the attention of the people
| of Montana to the fact that Jrior TO
the last session of the legislative as
sembly we had an inheritance tax law
| which exacted from inheritance / per
cent of property going to direct heirs
and 5 per cent on all property going
to collateral heirs, and that the re-
! publican legislature repealed this law
and substituted therefor ar inner
itance tax law which, exempted all
property except the sum of $4,000
going to direct heirs regardless Of the
amount of the estate. This bill was
signed by the governor, and accord
ing to his own statement the state
lost $149,SJ0 on a single estate on
account thereof. We condemn the
action of the republican administra-
| ton in thus mutilating the old inner
itance tax law, and pledge the people
Of the state of Montana to enact a
Just, fair and equitable inheritance
| tax law at the coming legislative ses-
sion.
Prohibition Enforcement
We denounce the cowardly and in
| sincere attitude of the republican ma
tional administration toward the
Eighteenth amendment. An admin
istration that has shown itself to be
"wiggly and wobbly' on prohibition
enforcement as on other things. has
| defeated the will of the people in
| the matter of prohibition and made
law enforcement q mockery. The
national administration has not only
violated the spirit of the Eighteenth
amendment by appointing known
VETS TO enforce it, but has other
wise outraged decency and shocked
morality by n course of conduct ut
terry out of harmony with the ex-
pressed will of the people, notably
by permitting the service of liquor
on ships operated by the United
States shipping board.
We pledge our efforts TO the en-
forcement of the provisions OF the
Eighteenth amendment and of the
Volstead act.
Consolidation Desirable
Believing that the cost Of county
and city administration can be ma
t~erially decreased and at the same
time made more efficient, we hearth
~ endorse the pending constitutional
amendment that permits the CONSOLE
dation of city and county govern
ments for Individual counties. II the
people of the county, at their option,
shall so select.
The candidates for the legislature
on the democratic ticket are requested
to investigate and give consideration
10 the feasibility of the establish
in lieu of the present maintenance of
poor farm, and assistance given to
the poor by the various counties.
Realizing that the fish and game
of this state IS one of the great
assets of the people Of our state. and
. that the same has in the past been
protected and propagated without ex-
pense to the people of our state, we
pledge ourselves to p policy for the
further protection and propagation
of the same.
Tax Commission
The democratic party pledges its
nominees to legislative positions TO
an equitable and just distribution of
the burdens of taxation so that every
class of property shall bear its full
share in accordance with ability to
pay.
In order that legislation to this
end may be equitable it is necessary
that all possible information may be
before the people of the state. An
am endment to the constitution of the
state providing for the creation of a
permanent tax commission is now
before the people of the state: and,
in the event of its adoption the demo
cratic party pledges its nominees for
legislative positions. If elected, TO
enact legislation which will mako
such amendment effective.