The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1924-08-01
CONTINUED from page u


declared nsuperabe This was the your
apologies and explanations which followed and on which the
For eight years prior the of your cand
dacy Tor Governor yOu through your method Of publicity
City plans and forms of government with the Anaconda Com
pany your gns uus your dissertation taxation created
men on the subject of taxation in Montana
rived You began by attacking State Constitution On page
20 OF first 1921 message you said to the Legislators
81 wish each of YOU would read the report of the
State Efficiency Commission as submitted in 1918 You
will then have fuller understanding of the limitations
our Constitution"
What your objections to Z Constitution? You are
have not been harrassed by & provision limiting indebted
ness This provision Of Constitution e dsegarded ard
with your consent and assistance the constu nay prescribed
limit OF Indebtedness is exceeded to the tent Of 1000
Our Constitution is substantial tie anne as it was in
1918 On the first page of your message Legislature
10 he cedt OF the general fund OF l3OOI9z4o Inns amount
was created under your terrifying and awenspng Constitution
credit of has been with your assistance transmitted
into depOabe illegal debt of 100000 against the States
Contrary to your views this State has excellent Con
tuon and should real be authortayey placed behind It,
Montana would forward and take her place among the
porous States of the Union Therefore, all puee criticism of
The Constitution Of this States does not encourage extra
and waste of public funds 1t contains nothing that
vents Qu assessment levy and collection of taxes and
vdes adequately for the eqbe distribution of burdens I'm
der Constitution without amendment all Of the moneymak
ng adodgng institutions can be made to contribute proper
honatey to the State treasury And all producing
SLTunken materially
can De assessed and taxed to conform with present conditions
That these have been abused fault of the basic laws
and MOntanan should know that is the and not the
Constitution that is bamabe for misgOveInment.
You stressed the Importance of sOcaed 'TaX Commits
son and conforming to wish the Constitution amend
ed Inc deSlghauo however is nsnomeI Inc amendment
provided only for remOdeed State Board of Equalization AS
any increased powers being provided for your attention is called
action of the od" Board of Equalization dating back
than twenty In 1902 the main line tracks of railways
assessed at $500 mile In August of that year the od
Board of EQUALIZATION increased the valuation for taxable pu
pOses from $500 mile to $4,000 per mile This done
in one day and without additional Constitutional statutory
auhory Your Board OF Equalization, or socaed Tax Com
mission in exercising like authority to not to tax
have confined its efforts to the Montana Power Company This
referred TO particularly because the law creating the new
Board of Equalization inadequate in that does not prevent
the continuation of fragrant displays of favoritism.
The Constitution directs the Governor gve the Leg
atve Assembly information of the State This you have
done You and the members of Legislative Assemblies have
known the condition of this State the of State
To comply with this requirements the method
pOyed by by stating the amount of outstanding
warrants specified date and by comparison with prior
served purpose by showing that your predecessor
art, the more vulnerable.
Your method of informing Legislators to affairs of State
prompted in communication to them February 49,
1928 to plan Of procedure and accordingly suggested
that:
"A summary of the reports of the State Auditor and
Board of Equalization would beneficial and neces-
saTy purpose and should be insisted upon Such summary
should show the total collected by the State and
for monies transferred to counties and monies disbursed
which properly chargeabe to capital account Such
summary would, with explanatory notes. furnish an in
teigibe idea to the cost of this States government
and would enable Legislators and State officials to
when questioned in relation thereto"
Too your method informing Legislators discloses eg
erdean of finance and therefor may be observed
that at the beginning your term January 1921 you included
am important item deficiency cams and on January 1925
pupOs evaded reference to this particular item To be
specific and show how you clearly deceived the Legislators
reference made to the following statement of
Jan T. i921-Registered Warrants ,682, 487O2
JAN l. l92l-Cash on Hand -------------- 539,84324
Net Defcit 81, 14259879
Add deficiency unpaid claims to JAM l. 1921 45949O46