The Bozeman courier., 1927-11-11
MISAPPROPRIATING CREDIT

If anything could make us more tired than we
are, it is the constant endeavor of some Demo-
cratic newspapers to make the people believe
that Governor ]. E. Erickson and his administra-
ton are responsible for the substantial decrease
this year in the Indebtedness of counties and
school districts in Montana. That is hogging of
credit in a superlative degree-in fact it amounts
to deliberate misapprOpriatiOn of credit, for in
this instance no credit is due either the governor
or his policies.
It is fact that for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1927, there was decrease in county indebted
ness of S1,511, ,1O2.04 and in school district
liabilities of $59O,743.38. Lest we be accused of
venting political spite, we hasten to quote from
the Butte Miner, Democratic organ with sense
of fair play that is cOmmendable:
'The credit for this excellent record belongs
wholly to the commissioners of the various coun-
ties who, with the aid of other county officials,
have kept expenditures down. Also, this is true
with regard to the decrease in school district ex-
penditures except that the common schools have
been aided by the increased state apportionment
due to the inheritance tax from the Clark estate
and that from the other sources of taxation voted
by the people, the gross metal mines tax and the
oil production tax.
There is no politics in the matter" the Miner
continues. "There are both Democratic and Re-
publican county and school officers and to them
belongs the credit for serious, economical arrange
ment of the affairs of the taxpayers The state
administration had nothing to do with it,
1t will be recalled that the measures which have
brought an increase of revenue to the state and
to the school districts in the last two years were
---I-- % 4 l. IL - 4
by a Republican governor, Joseph M. Dixon. That
is the extent of the politics in the matter if there
be any.
Perhaps the best part Of the Miners editorial
IS that in which it gives figures showing there was
an increase in registered state general fund war
rants outstanding from June 30, 1926. to June
30, 1927, Of $100,92710, while the increase of
cash in the general fund was only 55,333. .54
leaving the increase in the net state general fund
Indebtedness at $45,6O356. And this despite
the fact that during the fiscal year a 100000
payment of the Clark inheritance tax was re-
ceived and $443, ,O25.54 from the gross metal
mines tax, of which one-half of both sums was
credited to the general fund"
eve have a vague remembrance" concludes the
Miner, "Of some sort of promise to pull the state
of Montana out of debt. AS Montana intel
igence test, can anyone tell when and by whom
that promise was made and how much time re
mains to make it good?"
The Miner is not the only one who remember
that promise, but as far as vagueness is concerne
it applies to the promise rather than to the re
membrance. It was Candidate j. E. Erickson
who made that promise and it is Governor J. F
Erickson who has failed to keep it. He has ha
three years, and has one year more, in which t
make it good but he will never do it by draggin
the state $45,6O3.56 further into debt in twelv
months.
Il-advised, bombastic promises are easily mad
during political campaign, but are not so easil
kept after election. This one in particular We
vague and far-fetched, and hardly within tt
realm of probability AS a substitute Montar
intelligence test, we suggest that someone tell
why so many voters swallowed Erickson's fal
tastic bunkum?
An Indiana agitator has decided 176 acres of fai
land to President Coolidge until such time as adeuua
roll IOn 1-4s-