The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-09-10

uAibElliNFl W WI EpA OAiA4p anu
the overwhelming majority Of the rank
and file who are fighting under that
banner now calmly await the last des-
perate assault OF The Anaconda on
November 4th. militant and unafraid,
Two and -four years ago. I pointed
u TO the Legislature that the people
who used the roads should pay for the
building and maintainence Of them.
That this could only he done by the
adoption of the . cent gasoline tax.
Every dollar Of this gasoline revenue
should go to the road construction in
Montana. Unfortunately. under the
desperate financial situation confront
ing the states revenues. the Legisla-
ture thought il best 10 divert 40 per
cent of the money into the general
fund.
In all fairness to the automobile
owners, who are vitality interested in
good roads, this system is wrong.
When the metals mines tax becomes
a law in November. One-half of the
proceeds, about $4,000 per year. VIII
90 to the public school fund to help
lift the burden Of taxation from homes
and farms and business property, the
other 0ne-half into the general fund
Of the state. This S25000O will offset
the present 40 per cent receipts from
the gasoline tax, so that all Of it can
90 directly to the building OF roads and
permitting the state TO match the fed
eral road money that will otherwise be
lost to Montana's road program. Tn
less this is done at the coming legisla-
tive session, Montana will surely lose
in the future more than one million a
year Of the federal road money which
must he matched dollar for dollar in
-. order to be available.
State Within Income
In conclusion, permit me to say tina
y Notwithstanding all these deliberately
= unfair and untruthful newspaper state
r ments and political advertisements
y signed by democratic candidates, bu'
0 paid for by the Anaconda. the stat,
q treasury last for the first tim,
6 since 1918 closed the books with
credit balance of S22,9s7 to the gOOC
between income and expenditures.
i The preliminary battle of the 1872.
republican state campaign was wOI
a last week In the face perhaps Of tn
greatest expenditure Of money and me-
e EVER made by The Anaconda for tn
IS control Of both party organizations &
n this state. The newspaper and pOste
advertising campaign alone put on 70
Z. their two picked candidates for Gov
ernor cost not less than $30.OOO. 1t !
known to all men that the employee
Il at The Anaconda Smelter and tn
Butte mines were called in and give
their political orders. Every loo,
r. manager Of the great Power COmpan,
e which today through court %injuncti0
il is Withholding $4S9.OOO in Just take
due the state. was laid off for 30 day
prior to the recent primary with q
as unlimited political cash account f.
ct use In the primary election. The loo;
managers of the Anaconda lumhC
camps and affiliated mercantile int
ests in western Montana called in the
employees under similar order
Nearly every newspaper. big and littl
On in the state carried big paid polite
advertisements Of their picked guhe
n material candidates. filled with deli
at crate untruthful statements regardiI
in state finances. These paid advprtis
lr- ments were prepared by and paid f
lr- ~ the agents of The Anaconda nj
Montana Power COMPANIES.
of While the grand assault thus doli
ms cred ny the cohorts Of special privllc.
ew did succeed in capturing the ma ior 10
al itions in the democratic primaries. Il
Ies republican line held firm and be
he back the a%Ssaulting columns in rOu
and disastrous retreat.
In conclusion, and speaking perSo
ally. think it is only fair 10 say tn
solely because have tried to point O
10 20 the people Of Montana the preSe
unjust. ~inPquitahle and vicious dr
y, system Of taxation that has been ma.
tanned all these years, through I
political control of legislatures a
state government, it has fallen to /
lot to bear the daily assaults by the
~ paid agents Of special privilege.
While these things have at times 7
been easy to bear, I have not knO
ingly turned aside from what I
least believed TO he the plain path
public duty. A full and abiding IA
is given me TO believe that when
storms of passion shall have pass
the sober. final Judgment of the peor
Of Montana will sustain me in
course that I have pursued. II tn,
=, wounds received in battle for a j
cause shall leave final scars, I sh
carry them into the closing scenes
private life as the badges of honor "
in a worthy contest for the people
my state, who temporarily entrusted
,ent me the great honor of having been
per Governor Of Montana.
ure From now until November fOuI
with such strength as Is given me
d a intend to wage battle for the ca
that know to he right.
is "FOr right is right, since God is @
TO And right the day must win.