Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-12-21


State Taxpayers association which
opened its second annual meeting in
Billings Thursday morning were not
productive of any definite program OF
relief for the taxpayers of the state
they were enlivened by a number of
interesting and spirited talks during
which the county unit system and the
state highway commission were
brought under fire.
In the attack upon the institution
no climax was reached and in both
. instances the stand of the association
was left to be determined at Fridays
meeting.
In the assault upon the county unit
system which was made by Former
State Senator w. ]. Hannah of Big
Timber in the reading Of paper on
the subject, 'The Farmer and the
County Unit" the speaker made num-
erous attacks upon Miss May Trum-
per, state superintendent of public in
struction, and upon the suggestion of
Arthus Fisher of MissouIa, the ques-
tion was left open for reply by Miss
Trumpor, who is expected TO appear
before the association Friday.
The state highway commission was
under fire for couple of hours dur
ing the afternoon, following an ad-
dress upon the subject of state high
ways by John N. Eddy, chief engineer
of the commission. Many Of the DEL
egates exhibited hostility to the COM
mission in their remarks and ques-
tions and the stand which the associa-
ton win take was left open to be COW
cred by the report Of the resolutions
committee.
Particularly bitter was the assault
upon the county school unit system
which was made by w. J. Hannah in
his address. He claimed the system
was autocratic and undemocratic and
that it does not and cannot equalize
taxation or educational benefits.
The speaker censured Miss Trumper
for her activities in support of the
county unit system and said that in
the 28 years he had observed the leg
islature and during which he had lob
bied for or against many a measure,
he had never seen as much "dirty
work as was done by the promoters
of this bill"
Mr.. Hannah quoted figures to show
the great disadvantage under which |
the rural pupil is laboring, holding
that the country scholar would have
to have per capita apportionment of |
$3.50 against $40 per capita of city
pupils in order to enjoy equal educx-
tional facilities.
When the paper came up for discus
sion delegate from Carbon county
asked for poT of the men from that
county upon the subject, this bringing
to their feet one man as approving Of
the county unit system and eight as
opposed to it.
s. r. Logan. superintendent of
schools at Hardin, took the floor in
support ofzshe county unit plan al
though he admitted that he agreed
with Hannah upon many of his con-
sentions. He defended Miss Trumper
and claimed she Was actuated by the
highest motives in endeavoring to
shange the school system.
Miss May Trumper, state superin-
endent of public instruction, was the
irst speaker Friday morning, and she
addressed the meeting principally on
he subject Of the county unit plan,
which had been under fire at the
lands Of other speakers on Thursday.
Her talk WAS devoted largely to the
'ad financial condition of most of the
'chooI districts Of the state, and said
hat already. many schools are closing
md hundreds have money sufficient ]