The Carbon County chronicle. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1924, 1924-10-22
GOVERNOR DIXON USING
METAL MINES TAX AS
"SAND BAG. EDWARDS

iigated 'sand bag"
You have complained very fearful
" of the reactionary disposition of
Montana legislators, and yet you have
not explained how you are going to
prevent the next Legislature from re-
pealing the initiated mines tax meas
ure, should 1t be favorably voted up
on in November. Should the next
legislature take to the copper collar
as you have in the past, there will be
no effect from the initiated mines tax
measore even though the people vote
favorably upon it.
Speaking for myself, should the peo-
pie vote for the mines tax and should
! be elected governor And should the
next legislature attempt to repeal the
initiated mines tax measure, ! will
veto such repeal, and to the extent of
my influence, will endeavor to carry
out the will Of the people.
This statement you have withheld.
II is now perhaps. too late for such
declaration on your part. And such
declaration. at this late hour, would
require you, for the first time, to ex-
press your confidence in the initiated
mines tax measure, from legal and
meritorious view points.
| Such declaration on your part would
operate to your disadvantage should
you be reelected and should the peo-
pie favor the mines tax measure and
should you become desirous of defeat
ing such measure at the next legisla-
tive session as part Of your obscurei
program.
The term 4sandbag" as herein used
may sound little harsh or severe
but let us see.
1 Your annual average deficit has not
l,been much less thaa2 million year.
The mines tax contemplates addition
al revenue of only one-half million
What provision have you advocated
and which would take care Of the re-
manning deficit.
The greatest tax dodger in Ion-
ltana-the one that owns the most
property, makes the most money and
pays proportionately far less taxes in
this state, is the Northern Pacific rail.
way company. Had you provided fol
another one-half million taxes from
the Northern Pacific, you would ther
have been in position to claim credit
for trying to create sources Of revenue
that would enable the state to operat.
within its income under vcar manage
ment.
Then, your great symathy for tn,
taxpayers generally throughout tn,
state would have prompted you to low
er their taxes by shifting their bur
den to others Of our tax-evading mon
ey-making institutions.
With such plan in mind there woult
have come under your observation, th,
railroads other than the Northern Pa
, cific. The Montana Power company
the telegraph and telephone, express
: pullman, etc.
The summation of your activitie
: disclose a questionable effort on you
, part to make provision for onl
| one-haIf of your annual deficit b.
levying special tax on a producing
: ing industry while the remaining
, annual deficit and a reduction of tax
3 es generally might have been provide
/ for by way of applying special take
to those which are essentially millSin
: institutions, and which produce moth
!. ing, save and except dividends fo
r their foreign owners.
: In announcing your candidacy fo
e governor four years ago you declare
o that Montana would remain hopeless
q unless constitutional conventio
! were called to supply the very neces
! sary remedies. Following your elec
ton this great and only panacea 70
I Montana's political and economic III
( was forgotten by you. This oversigt
I may have been part Of your secrC
! deal with the Anaconda company whe
f you agreed to the present one and ons
9 half per cent mines tax on met PR
n ceeds."
! And the same declaratory stat,
r ment contained a specific referenC
8 Ito the Montana Power company as
! tax evader. This also escaped you
! memory between the time Of the 1872
e campaign and the closing Of the 19l
. legislature session. This may ais
d have been part Of your agreement
? connection with your one and one-ha
n per cent metals mines tax.