The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-10-23
MEASURE NO. Is AND DIXON.

Of all the state candidates and measures on which the
electors of Montana are expected to vote November +
tborn is none more important than Proposed Petition For
Initiative No 287 which provides for q tax on the gross ore
production of mines operating IN the state. several NloIl
lama legislatures have failed on account OF NINE nCeIe9C
control to pass such law and 1t has peen Sdu ~ II 70
do17h+f1l If such a law ever can be put on the books through
an act of the misunderstanding always goes wrong,
IF Won wish to be Just to the OVer-taXed farmers, the
working man and small businessmen; II you IaV0r d SC9P
toward more equal taxation, you Will be careIui.to voC9
ayes" on No. %. Itwould be calamity to the agricultural
interests of northern and eastern Montana Tor this meas
IRE to fail. The big mine interests are fghtlng II tooVn aWo
4oorai1 and if # should be defeated now a time as favor
able as the present for putting it through is not nKeIy W
come again soon. The full text Of this measure has peen
furnished to every voter in the pamphlet sent OUT Oy CLe
secretary Of state. 1t proposes nothlhg uIJuSI u oEGcff
burdensome. The text of the initiative measure IS not Oil
fic1It to understand and should be read, before the date OF
election, by every voter.
statewide effort that is being made to insure the qeIeaI
of this mine tax measure and of Governor DIXON. DlAon
and mine taxation are almost synonymous issues has any
one heard any state candidate, outside OF Governor Dl3o Il
and his supporters, declaring In favor OF JllS measure! =
forrific Cooper barrage is being laid to keep Dixon from
reelection and to distract attention from the NEAL +! 1
At ISSUE Of the campaign which is the ore tax initiative
law being put up to the whole body OF voters.
AH three candidates for governor have spoken N t1ls
city. One ignored the measure entirely ana one, 70 put tme
most liberal construction on his remarks, appeared oup J
ious of it's merits. Governor Dixon alone endorsed any ~
urged the measure. If 0 favor it and nope TO see i
made law. how can you vote for any candldaCe TOT gov
nrnor hit Dixon? Whether or not you admire Joe Dixon
should not enter into the case. There is a deafening noise
over the amount Of tax money paid in and paid . out ou5
not a word. except from the Dixon people aoou Che taxes
HAT Hcs are being dodged. Economy we certainly want but
even more we want equalization. They shout that the
State does not need more revenue. Possibly not, but that
is not proving that the burden OF paying Wnat revenue We
need should not be distributed with something approach
ing justice. ho disn1o,,
advertisements now being run IN many papers OF Inc SCdCe
nv the mining interests to show what great sums they pay
in taxes to the state. Large sums are apt to impress the
average person and confuse their sense Of proportion; 1t
nIaved up or compared, figures do not change the fact
that the metal mines Of Montana pay taxes on their
profits not on their gross production, a condition that
must and will he changed now or later.
This same kind of mine tax fight ragged in Minnesota
for 30 years and the small interests finally won: The fight
can be won in Montana through the success of Governor
Dixon and Measure No. 20. It's up to the voters.