The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1922-03-03
KELLY. DISCUSSES
TAXATION PROBLEM
NINE ATTORNEY DiScLosEs IN
TEaEsTINo FACTS At STATE
MEETING OF TAXPAYERS
fAv0Rs TAXPAYERS CLUBS
0eeIares Future Of Treasure state De.
pendent on Co. Ordination Of In.
dustr'es and Cooperation Of
lts Citizens

uv8 Cottxene
Billlngs.-The future Of Montana de
ponds upon the coordination Of its In
dustries and the cooperation of all
its citizens to the end that its match
less resources may he developed and
that 1t may be made the home Of q
happy and contented people, was the
theme Of the address made by D. NJ.
Kelly. representing the Anaconda Cop
per Mining company before the tax
payers OF the state in convention In
Billings Wednesday.
Mr.. Kelly characterized the present
movement of forming taxpayers
leagues as one Of the most important
steps that has been taken by the peo-
pie OF the state, stating that hereto
fore the people have been interested
only In raising money for public use,
and have never shown any interest In
what their money was spent for. He
urged the taxpayers gathered to do
everything In their power to see that
not another name was added to the
pay roll Of the state until the state
government has recovered from its un.
fortunate condition. During his talk
Mr.. Kelly discussed the much-discussetl
question Of the taxes paid by the Ana
conda Copper Mining company.
He said: ~
=.
"Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen {:
II wish to express my appreciation
to those in charge Of the program of
these meetings for the opportunity Of
forded me, as a representative of the
Anaconda Copper Mining company, to
he here. and to take part in the dis
cussions Of orr common problems.
Importance Of Taxpayers Leagues
II feel that no more important move
ment has been initiated in quarter
of century in Montana than the
movement that is now on foot through
out the length and breadth Of this
state in the organization Of taxpay-
ers' Leagues to study the question of
taxation, and the expenditures Of our
government. Too long have the tax
payers of this state spent all of their
time and energy in connection with tax
questions in seeking ways and means
Of raising public revenues, giving little,
II any. thought to the question of pub
lie expenditures. The government,
like individuals, when things are pros
porous and money easy to get. be-
comes profligate in its expenditures.
and while the farmer. the merchant,
the manufacturer. the miner and the
lumber man were all prospecting no
thought was given to any limitation Of
public expenditures.
Only Farm Products Yield Revenue
'During the year just closed the
mining industry Of this state was prac-
tically closed down, the lumber mills
western Montana were at
n standstill. the merchant was strug-
Cling to absorb the deflation of values.
The winter If 1919 and 1920. following
the dry year Of 1919. placed the live
stock business in a deplorable situa-
ton. condition from which it will
take several years to recover. Prac-
tically the only resource that yielded
any real revenue in Montana in 1927
was the products of the farm. namely,
wheat, oats. barley, rye and flax; and
yet the entire gross income of the grain
crops Of Montana in 1921 would not
be sufficient to meet the actual Tux
levles of the state and its subdivisions.
When the cost Of government reaches
this point under these conditions 1t IL
time that the taxpayers lay aside poll.
tics and give some attention to public
business.
I'm 1915 when admittedly we had
reached the peak OF the high cost Of
all labor and supplies. when the farm
er paid s. per day and hoard for a
Farmland, when miners and mechan.
les were earning from IS to SIS per
day, and when every commodity on
the market was commanding prices
hitherto unknown, the. taxes levied on
property In this state for all purposes
amounted to 81, 5O7. 900! In 1921,
when, in my Judgment. We did not
need any more government than we
needed In 1918, and when no doubt
Montana had more: people than It had
in 1921. the property taxes Of this
state, levied. for all purposes. amounted
to nearly $o7, 500. 900. and yet this
amount OF taxes was not sufficient to
meet the cost Of government, as is evi.
denced by the millions Of dollars of
registered warrants and bonds issued
throughout this state. not only for pub
lie improvement but to meet the rum
ming expenses Of government. But this
10 not all. In 1912 the total taxes COL
lected In Montana was $11,24A710.
Compare this with 1927, when the total
taxes levied were &27, $4,000, and ask
yourself whether or not the 1927 gov.
eminent q the state Of Montana and
it, Subdivisions was worth two and
one-half times as much as that Of
1912.
A.