The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1927-05-20

ago, approved by our highest nation
al authority. This situation is an
outgrowth of the passage and inter
pretatIons of the infamous Esch- Cum
MINIS Bill. Mr.. Esch, one of the an
thOrs, met with defeat on the follow
ing election day, but was rewarded
oy Harding by appointment to a
membership on the Interstate Com
merce Commission. Mr. Cummins
also, met with defeat but did not live
long enough thereafter to be sent To
the Court of st. James. The Esch-
Oummlns Bill has since been rechrist-
ened, and the scent thereform now
hangs round" the TRANSFORMATION
Act" - 70 'i0A'
The Constitution of our State
means what it says. The equity and
Justlce IN the destruction of the rail
roads referred to should be passed IN
on by the Supreme Court of Montana
and by no other tribunal. II is there,
tore the sworn duty of every Mon
tana official to put forth everv pos
slbie effort, to the end that cOnsti-
tutlonaI guarantees may have a
meaning, and that the least possible
damage may be suffered bv this
State and her citizenry.
In the face of existing conditions
generally, and applicable laws. sDeci-
IicaIly y, 1t is the belief of the writer
that 1t is only necessary for the Mon
tana Board of Equalization to ind;-
cate, In some manner, its disapprov-
d al Oh the lnlquItOus program of the
NOrIhern Pacific. If such action
were not to cause complete abandon
ment OF the proposed plan of railway
destruction, it would force the n. p.
10 submit its cases to representatives
OF the people rather than to itself
and its cohorts.
In the way of taxation, the North
ern Pacific is very handsomely treat
ed In Montana. By reference TO vOur
records, you will observe that w. d.
Rankin, when member of the Board
OF Equalization, made a motion to
increase the assessment of the N. p.
10 the extent of more than 100000
OOO. This motion however, was de-
teated by the combined vote of the
dlscredlted Joe Dixon and the Hon.
Charles I. Stewart who was recently
required by the legislature, to follow
the insurance business without off
cial authority.
should be observed too, that in
stead Of raising the assessment of
the Northern Pacific, as contemplated
by MIR. Rankin. such assessment has
been regularly and steadily reduced
SINCE ms retirement from the Board.
Comparing 1925 with 1926 the North
ern Pacific report shows an increase
In ITS earnings of more than Sc. OOO.-
OOO, and a decrease in its taxes Of
more than 100000.
Comparing 1925 with 1926. the re-
port OF your Board, at page SO, shows
a reduction of nearly $1,000, 900 in
the assessment of the properties of
the Railroad, Power, Telephone and
Telegraph Companies of this State
These reductions having been made
IN the face of verified reports show
ing immense increases in earnings
and the acquisition of additional pro-
pertIes resultant from published ex-
penditures.
The destruction of the EIkhOrn
nraiicn VIII deprive the State of Mon
tana, of its present rail facilities. in
the transportation of coal and other
supplies, for the School for the Deaf
and Blind. The Importance of this
situation needs no comment excepting
to suggest that a personal interest
should be felt by a Board, the mem
bership of which, are appointees of
Governor who. as a member of the
Board of Examiners, must approve of
purchases of great quantities of sup
plies. at delivered prices, for the said
institution.
If your Board were to advise the
Northern Pacific that you contem-
plate, for the coming fiscal year. the
assessment of its properties on the
same basis as applied in Minnesota.
North Dakota, Idaho and Washington
and Wisconsin, there will be a ma
terial change in the attitude of the
lobbyists for the said Railway Com |
pany. In other words, your Board is
IN a position to supply our COnsti- /
tuition with new teeth to replace
those that were extracted by the en-