The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-05-08
FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1881.
1O1CENT GAS TAX PASSED

cent gas tax Tuesday by large vote, just now !
large is not yet known. The latest reports show
something 10000 votes for and $4,000 votes
against, indicating a majority of over 10 for
the proposition. However revised reports will re-
duce this majority to about 2 to l when the rural
precincts are in where the vote is running heavily
against the additional five cent tax. Less than
third of the registered voters of the state voted
1t was almost fOregone conclusion that the 10
cent tax and the six million dollar bond issue
would carry. Only three or four papers in the
state opposed the measure. All Of the big dailies
supported it. besides all of the country papers with
the above exceptions. The opponents of the meas
ure had no funds with which to place the facts
before the people while the big contractors, the
paper shavers, the hotel owners, the civil engi-
neers and the "prune peddlers," had a slush fund
of over 100000, contributed by those who stand
to profit by the spoils, which fund was used to
great advantage in these hard times.
The 'hipp-O-ray" boys resOrted to every political
trick known to deceive and befuddle the voters,
and based their arguments upon pure and unadul-
terated conjecture and speculation, and their slo
gan upon bald falsehoods These arguments were
repeated daily and weekly in practically every pa
per in the state. The slogans were posted in ev-
cry business and bank window and nailed near
ly every telephone pole in Montana. The con-
inches of newspaper space, and used the radio
every day to put this "crime of May 5th'' over.
The opposition voice was so weak that it could
scarcely be heard.
Slogans proclaimed that the success of the bond
issue would save the state S7,5O0,OO0 when IT
will do nothing of the sort. They said it will cost
nothing when it will cost the people $5,5OO,OOO at
the least calculation for the bond issue had not
baap DaSsad and the UaS tax had nroduced much
money as the highway commission believes that
1T will, we would have had just the amount
of road in 1941 as we will have by finishing the
project in 1885 and s55OO,OOO worth more for
the $2,5OO,0OO which must be paid in interest to
borrow the money TO finish the roads In 1885 or
six years sooner than 1941 could have been used to
match 100000 more of federal road money
which we can't match. If we had taken until 1871
10 finish the roads. we could have built them much
cheaper, for there would have been more competi-
tion among the contractors and maybe we could
have saved a lot of the 500 profits that are now
made by those machinery owners who now can di-
can divide the loot among themselves on friendly
basis.
The slogans about tourists and tourists paying
the tax was 1000 flspdoodle. The slogan on en-
ployment was more flapdoOdle
This road work is done by heavy machiuery-the
contractors bring their own crews with them, and
the subcontractors who do most Of the work, hire
workers for 81 per day and board; and with the
passing of the bond issue there will not be over
5000 men employed on the regular work plus the
extra work made possible by the bond issue.
On the road work done in Sheridan county last
year Stevens Brothers of St. Paul. the contractors
who took the contract for q cents cubic yard
and sublet it for IA cents, thereby made 10 cents
DER yard without the bother of coming into the
state The subcontract was relet for IL cents thu
yard and the who did the work paid nj
men $50 month and board-and went in the hOl
at that
If the Sheridan county contract amounted t
S650OO then Stevens Brothers made about $4,000
spot cash for signing their name to the c0ntrac
and furnishing the bOnd-they did not come to tn
state. The first subcOntractor made nice It'd
sum also without doing tap. This is the wa
our money is being spent by the highway commits
sion No wonder these contractors dug up $500
900 for slush fund; little wonder they want
complete the progra mby 1885. They don't wal
to wait for their graft for 10 years when they ca
get it in five.
Ard by 1885 our highway commissioners can n
tire and go to California to spend the rest of the
days-the corruption of the highway outfit stinl
to high heaven.
The supporters fthe big bond issue maintain
ed the Overwhelming sentiment is in favor Of i
idea thruOut the campaign by suppressing all new
of opposition and reporting only news in its f
Vor, which resulted in dscOuraging the opposito
convincing them of the futility of voting, for t
big bond issue and the 1O-cent tax were going
carry anyway by huge majority. This caus
the opposition voters to stay at home and theI
by insured the approval OF the bond issue and t
passing Of the second scent gas tax by default
1t is obvious now that if those opposed to t
10 cent tax and the debenture bonds had vote
referendum 80 would have been voted down by
large majority.
Now in Sheridan county for instance: 1874 vot
out of a registration list of 1921 were cast. G
votes were cast for the big bond issue and the
cent tax and 1887 against it-iust few me-
than half of the registered votes cast.
PlentywoOd city, out of a registration of 51S vot
PA votes were cast or less than half. Of thu
votes so were against the measure and pa w
foI It Every voter IN favor of the measure vot