The Bozeman courier., 1922-10-04
A TAX COMMISSION.

There appears to be great many voters IN the
county. and in fact throughout the whole state of
Montana, who do not understand the purpose of
the proposed constitutional amendment creating a
state board of equalization The people apparently
have not read the published notice of election,
carrying the measure as it will appear upon the
ballots this fall The published amendment ap
pearing on the legal page of the Courier and in
many other papers of the state give the purport
of the law and should be read carefully by every
voter before going to the polls.
= One noticeable situation relative to the amend
ment creating the state board of equalization,
commonly called the tax commission, is that
great many voters do not understand the meas
ure, consequently are opposed to it. 1t is also to
be noticed that those interests throughout the
state including the large corporations, who do
understand the measure also are opposed to it.
The conclusion to be drawn from this, is that the
farmer, merchant, banker, laborer, and other in
dividuals who through their lack of understand
ing of the benefit they will receive if the measure
is passed. by opposing it, are helping the cause
of the big interests to their own detriment. It
is time the average citizen, the voter who is now
CARRYING the unequal tax burden of the state, be-
comes alive to the situation, realize the necessity
of the passage of this constitutional amendment,
and make up his mind to vote for it.
There has been a great hue and cry over the
state, by those opposed to the enactment of legs-
lation to equalize the taxes mostly aimed at Gov
ernor Dixon, in which it is attempted to make
him out a great unprincpled political boss The
effort is being made to have it appear that he
will force his opinions and desires upon an unwil
ing people, without regard to the results for gooC
or bad it will have upon the state. Nothing car
be farther from the facts than such statements
The real truth of the matter is, Governor DixoI
has been telling the people what they have al
known and admitted to themselves for many years
The state of Montana has been in the grasp o
an organization working through both politica
parties for the benefit of that organization only
When the constitution for Montana was drafte
it provided a dual tax method should be use
throughout the state BY it the mineral wealt
produced in the state was given special consiC
GRAFTON not extended to the other properties {
the state. This Unequal tax method has bee
recognized as detriment to the state for man
years, but, until Governor Dixon took the pos
tion he now holds, no one appeared to have tI
courage to defy the interests who have been bel
Gifted by this unequal tax system. AS resul
Governor Dixon is. being held up as a stiff-necke
politician seeking to make himself the powerf
and unreasonable boss. Governor Dixon is tods
fighting the battle of the voters of Montan
standing for principle, not for power He
asking the people to support that principle tn
they may be released from the very serfdom
taxation which has brought the state to its prese
financial difficulty.
BY passing the constitutional amendment, I
sponsibility for the functioning of the tax COZ
mission is centered upon one man, and not divid
among five as under the present system. TIN
men are to be appointed as members of the t
commission. They viii each hold office for i