The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-09-19

TO control the republican as they die
the democratic nominations, the repub
lican colors still float in Montana
undefiled by corporate control, and
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, / pointed
out to the Legislature that the people
who used the roads should pay for the
| building and maintainence of them.
adoption of the 2 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 Leglsla-
ture thought it best to 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 S250000 per year, will
go to the public school fund to help
lift the burden of taxation from homes
and farms and business property, the
other one-half into the general fund
of the state. This $2500O0 will offset
the present 40 per cent receipts from
the gasoline tax, so that all Of 1t can
go 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. I'm
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 be matched dollar for dollar In
order to be available.
State Within Income
In conclusion, permit me to say that
all these deliberately
unfair and untruthful newspaper state
ments and political advertisements,
signed by democratic candidates, but
paid for by the Anaconda, the state
treasury last year, for the first time
since 1918 closed the books with a
credit balance of $22,987 to the good
between income and expenditures.
The preliminary battle of the 1924
republican state campaign was won
asst week in the face perhaps of the
greatest expenditure of money and men
,ver made by The Anaconda for the
ontrol of both party organizations in
his state. The newspaper and poster
Idvertising campaign alone put on for
heir two picked candidates for Gov
rnor cost not less than 100000 1t is
.nown to all men that the employees
t The Anaconda Smelter and the
BUTTE mines were called in and given
heir political orders. Every local
manager of the great Power Company,
yhich today through court injunction
5 Withholding $4S9,OOO in just taxes
ne the state, was laid off for 80 days
rior to the recent primary with an
political cash account for
sc in the primary election. The local
managers of the Anaconda lumber
amps and affiliated mercantile inter-
SITS in western Montana called In their
Employees under similar orders.
early every newspaper, big and little,
the state carried big paid political
1vertisements of their picked guber-
atorial candidates, filled with DELHI
ate untruthfuI statements regarding
ate finances. These paid advertise
ents We're prepared by and paid for (
: the agents of The Anaconda and S
ontana Power Companies. h
While the grand assault thus deliv- /
ed by the cohorts of special privilege c
d succeed in capturing the ma jor DOS C
onS in the democratic primaries, the a
publican 'ino held firm and beat I
ck the "ssaulting columns in route e
ID disastrous retreat. Il
In conclusion, and speaking person |;
ly, think it is only fair to say that b
lely because I have tried to point out S
the people of Montana the present p
Just, inequitable and vicious dual e
stem of taxation that has been main
med all these years, through the
litical control of legislatures and u
Ute government, it has fallen to my al
to bear the daily assaults by these a.
i'd agents of special privilege. et
While these things have at times not tt
en- easy to bear, have not know tt
Fly turned aside from what l at bt
st believed to be the plain path of ne
bic duty. A full and abiding faith m
given me to believe that when the til
rms of passion shall have passed. ia
sober, final judgment of the people
Montana will sustain me In the
rise that I have pursued. If these ia
unds received in battle for a Just ia
Use shall leave final scars, / shall its
ry them into the closing scenes of file
vate life as the badges of honor won It's
a worthy contest for the people of hi
state, who temporarily entrusted to sci
the great honor of having been the lai
-ernor of Montana alb
rom now until November fourth, up
h such strength as Is given me,
md to wage battle for the cause int
know to be right. pu