The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-10-01
CONTROL OF TAX COMMISSION
THE REAL ISSUE, HE
DECLARES
Continued from Page One)

AltIt IllC lev GllUG NN4ilCS IAOLlls 4AOW
it is raised and the name and for
what purposes the tax money is ex-
pended, using figures taken from Of
ficial sources.
The states entire annual rev.
enue rs between 3H and ga mil
lions, a mere bagetelle as COM
pared with that raised by cOun-
ties, school districts and munich
palities in Montana" he declared.
"Of this amount only A. per cent
is levied by direct taxation, which
is limited at two mills for gen.
eral purposes and ~ mills for
the support Of the greater uni
versity."
he pointed out that, as the states
valuation has shrunk $4,000, 900
since the war, its tax revenues have
shrunk accordingly. And the state
cannot increase it's mill lew as can
tn counties and municipalities.
The License Taxes
The governor then named the vari-
OF. license taxes and the amounts
de- l}tj from each and stated that
o-.rt.'d Of the states entire reve-
nuc aoes to the support of the states
educational institutions. The IL
mil levy falls short by $20O,00O each
year and this deficit must be made
up from the general fund, he declared.
Reading a list of the various edu-
@cationai, penal and charitable insti-
tut r~ OF the state, he gave detailed
figures showing the cost of operating
each for the past year, and discussed
the needs and the functions of each.
The various executive offices then
we've discussed and figures given
showing the expenditures connected
with running the state government.
-Four years ago you elected
me governor of this state and |
went to Helena feeling that I
could be Of some service to Mon
tana,' he said. This feeling
was not inspired by egOtism but
from the fact that through my
long public service I had become
thoroughly familiar with the
state, its people and it's needs.
Il found the treasury empty and
about $4,500,0OO of the states S1O,-
100000 school fund loaned out on
dry land farm loans, interest pay
ments upon approximately 70 per
cent Of which were delinquent, which
reduced the share of each school dis
trict in the state about five dollars
per capita. We had to pay 500, OOC
out of the school fund last year in
taxes to protect these loans.
The Big Deficit
con November so, 1920, the state:
~Overdraft was $2,12O,OOO and with
the December taxes in the outstand
ing registered warrants were reduced
to about one and a quarter millions
Then we found that we had faller
heir to over $7OO,O 600 in unpaid bill.
of the various state institutions whicl
hadn't gone into the warrant stage
"Realizing the states bankrup
condition, the legislature in 1872
passed a bill authorizing the sale o
$3,000,000 in Z per cent short tern
notes to take up this indebtedness
and run the state until the taxes wer
due in the fall. Owing to an advers
ruling, it was possible to sell onl
$S5O,000 worth Of these notes."
Governor Dixon then discussed tn
vicious dual system of taxation j
operation in Montana, telling how
was evolved and its effects. and HI
efforts to relieve the farmers, mel
camille interests and bankers Of tn
inequitable tax burden imposed upo
them.
The Metal Mines Tax
"Hcu read in the big papers Of
the state that the proposed met
al mines fax will shut down the
mines. They know better than
that. OF the total e of
approximately $500, 900. the great
Anaconda Copper Mining COM
pany will pay about one-half.
Under the Utah law this mpan
would pay about $500, 900 but you
don't hear Of any mines being
shut down in Utah.
why, they are paying cut
NOR" money each year in debas-
In M'ntana pc tics and corrupt
ing Montana newspapers than
this tax will cost them. The
crime of this stat, is The control
OF its publicity by :icse great
selfish interests. There ar cit
les and entire counties where not