The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1930-10-10
The Great Farce Of
Republican Economy
Bv CHARLES E. TAYLOR

trolls and has charge OF the various offices of
Sheridan county will this year make great noise
about reducing the levies for county purposes
three or four mills
Let us get together and analyze the situation
and see how this so-caled saving was arrived
at -al<
I'll In the issue of The Producers News of August !
i 9Th there appeared detailed statement of the
budgets for the various offices and other general
expenses for which county funds will be spent
for the fiscal year from July | st, 1880 to June
~ Oth 1881. The statement also showed the re-
auctions which the county commissioners arbi-
otrarrily made after the high budget71Aad been
called to the attention of the people Of Sheridan
county by The Producers News in anoearGer is
sue. <.. -@-< 90
The most glaring reduction made by the COM
missioners was for the payment of bonds and the
payment of interest on bonds and warrants. This
item was reduced in the staggering sum of SAL
97000 sum which for taxation purposes in
this county is equal to mills
The next largest item in cutting out the budget
levy is the sum of $l8,00000, which is equal to
3rnls which has been levied to replace money
that was lost by the closing of banks in Sheridan
: county ~ ~~-~
The third largest reduction was the cutting out
of the levy previously made for the refunding of
interest on delinquent taxes to towns and school
district. This reduction in the of $lZ,-
10000 or approximately equal to mills.
These reductions, which were made solely for
campaign purposes in effect only postpones the
day of reckoning.
The Plentywood Herald in the issue of Aug
ust 18th is patting the county commissioners
the back for making these reductions 1t also in
Inmates that bond issue will be necessary to pay
the bonds which are coming due and for which
H. II
tons. 1t is also attempting to blame the admin
istrations of 1922, 1923, 1924 and 925 for the
dilemma the county commissioners find them
selves In and for the failure of the commissioners
to make the proper levies as demanded by law
The facts are, that in the years just referred to
sinking fund levies not made because the
sinking fund showed sufficient reserve provid-
ed the balance shown by the sinking fund, which
was approximately 5000. 10000 had been avail
able. At that time the county attempting to
collect what was due it from. closed banks: The
2 largest sum outstanding in closed banks was the
claim against the Sheridan County State Bank.
This account alone amounted to nearly Cat that
=. ti1ne) $780, 100000. The attorneys having
charge of the collection were assuring the county
that the larger share of these claims would be
collected If this had been done the balance in
the sinking fund, with what was afterwards
levied would have been ample to retire and pay
the bonds that are coming due during the ensu-
ing four years.
AS soon as it was definitely known that but
little of what the county had coming from closed
banks would be available levy was made both
for the sinking fund and also for Money Lost in
Closed Banks, in order to create reserve for
the bonds are now beginning to mature, and also
to eventually lquidate the closed banks account
The move by the commissioners in arbitrarily
evading the law which plainly states that they
MUST make levies for the payment of bond;
and interest coming due, may possibly get then
by in the coming election. However, these are
the facts:
|. he commissioners, contrary to the ex
plict direction of the law have made provi
sion for the payment of bonds coming due.
2 The commissioners can not bond the coun
i ty to rake care of the bonds coming due
Il 2. The commissioners can not bond the cour
i ty to take care of the bonds coming due, as tn
Il county's Indebtedness far exceeds the legal lin
II tation.
i 3. By failing to make an appropriation fc
Il Moneys Lost in Closed Banks" it is probab
i that the State Examiner will demand that tt
Il moneys lost in closed banks must Immediate
II be charged against the general fund of the cou
II ty, thus cripplng the county for years to com
and likely necessitating tremendous levy f
II general fund purposes next year.
III This serious situation is of course immateri
to the political highbinders that are now directil
the financial destinies of Sheridan county. VIII
matters it to them if the deluge comes during t
next few years, just they can pull the VIC
over the eyes of the voters now After sper
ing money like drunken sailors for the last viii
after overdrawing every fund over which tn
II have anv control to the limit tbex, Gill have :