The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1924-08-01
State Indebtedness. "

State indebtedness
days your final and last Legislative session more than
two your observation from the Governors Office and al
than one hundred and twenty days Legislative sessions
The proclamation however, not based on TACT However the
little u came to to the Senators and Representatives
appreciate their real mportancetoO late to them to
anew State House Financial Correction be conduct
ed under their exclusive supervision and direction and mdpend
ent OF executive interference
play Of ability in matters apperaning to taxation Your deVo-
ton the people sgnazed by desire to make them I'M
derstand the Inequalities taxation this State and for eight
your State House pointed vehement
to your gns fauu the greatest Of adOdgng offenders
But when you called Governor apply the remedy
you sad with marked midy Is of first or 1921
message: u4
81 do believe that under our present system of
taxing the net proceeds metaiferOus mining indus
try bears its rghtful burden of government in Montana.
How to adjust it, frankly confess is difficult problem
With two years additional time in the Governors Office
and with conceivable source OF information at your com
mand and with the assistance of imported taeper Mr. N
evidenced page of your 1928 message which you said
81 would recommend the enactment of license tax
This your final mines tax recommendation met with no
response totally ignored by every member of the House
Advertng to the time of the preparation of your first or
1921 the Legislature your attention is called to your
clandesne meeting with authorized representative of the
Anaconda Company This meeting having resulted in agree
ment and accordingly Of
by accepted This incident referred particularly, that
be compared with your attitude years later which may
Justify conclusion that sincerely and ntegenty
Following the mines tax agreement referred to- you de
to this subject under the subhead eaerous Mines Taxa
on pages II to 16 inclusive Pages H. r. 13 and IA contain
pIaseogy and figures that bear strong resemblance the sub
stance of the arguments publicly advanced by Mr. Dan NJ
~ Attorney for the Anaconda Company support of his
ton that his Company fully taxed oveI-taxed
And with the mines tax verdict in your pocket you
exceedingly consdeTate wheyou tmOOusy said at page 49,
81 do not wish to give the impression that it easy
to determine whether the present system Of mine taxa
den, to doubt that the mining interests sincere
in their belief that they are paying prOportOnatey
much as owners of other classes Of property"
Tbs patrOnlzng attitude should have aroused suspicion
and caused inquiry to the possibility of secret compact be
tween you and the Anaconda Company And addition
evidence OF such compact fourteen later when YOU
read from your Billings speech February 15 1922 the follow
Il suggested to the Q92D Legislature an addi-
tlonal license tax OF 10 mills az cent? to be paid
direct into the State treasury To the credit of this
dusy be said that did seriously oppose this new
license tax and the measure became law at the last
not until the Legislative 1928 that the facts
relative to your secret compact made known Mr. L.
Evans Attorney the Anaconda Company admitted that he
the mddleman He stated at public meeting held at the
Placer Hotel during the 1928 that he had you by
appointment 1920 and behalf of the Anaconda Company
consented to additional tax of ~ per net proceeds
What you consented conceded may yet develop
is true that the Anaconda the Montana Power and the
Milwaukee Railroad regarded pecunariy sympathetic
Companies In this connection may be observed that you
no l92l recommendation OF Montana Power Company tax But
1928 two years later and two after the agree
ent concluded that the Montana Power Company
deXed and thereupon and Tor the first time recommended
to the 1929 Legislative Assembly license tax for the Mon
tana Power Company Of this trio the Milwaukee Railroad is
still beneficiary perhaps may constitutional protec
on in that the Constitution prohibits the taxing property
unless all other railroad properties should be taxed likewise and
Had Legislators been properly properly
encouraged they have shown higher regard for
taxed cen and not being fearful Of the veto power they
have shifted the proportion of tax burdens by pro-
Gg Conaf1We your discriminatory attitude has operated to
the advantage of foreigners who the best producing
underlined properties in Montana.
You have stressed the necessity for government
that would centTaze power and responsibility
For forms Of government let fools contest;
Had it been possible on the first day of your term for you