The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-04-24
POOLING VOTERS (cont. from Page i

IS nor in referendum repealed long any
bonds unpaid. So that answers those contentious
Then on the other hand, if the legislature met ana
repealed Sections and of referendum IS, IN order to
abolish the second tax, debenture bond could not Dc
sold to any one for no one would buy bond where funds
were not provided for its redemption EVERYBODY M
formed sufficiently to assume advise the people know
hisand thus the whole purpose of the legislation would
= tss Law amended TO provide for one gas
that tax would not provide sufficient funds to pay the
interest on the debentures retire them and MAINTAIN the
highways constructed by the gas tax and the mOney
rived IRON the debentues by 194l and the cent gas
tax thereafter would not provide sufficient funds 70
tain the alone, not to mention retiring tne DOhGs
aware OF all these facts and that is House Bill 400
provided tor and separate tax tor the spe
cific purpose of paying the interest ON aho Ie'ns ~
debenture bond by 1941.
The second tax was mistake, it was matter OF
design.
mission nor the board equalization which Is charged
with the collection of the tax in referendum 90 rather
state treasurer as In referendum 81: eo .sno
to collect this Immediately but the tax had 10 be pro-
vded for in sell the bonds Yet after the bonds
have all been and interest charges have mounted 10
Der annum and roads constructed and no
fund provided retiring OF the bonds bond holder
would and will the law passes to the supreme court
and get mandate ordering the board of equalization to
collect the and it must do Then great TACT "lh
confront the people They could pay such tax
Everybody would and will be for different arrange
ment. There is only way Out-the voting OF SIX
million dollar bond issue against the property of the
state for the retiring the debentue bonds; and the
people would vote Or such bond issue 10 get d OF the
10 cent tax for they would have to.
And the law at the time viii prevent the people
from initiating to take away part of the gas
tax from the state highway fund and divide it among
the counties for the purpose of building and maintaining
lateral roads, done in Minnesota ad other states,
and for which there is lot of sentiment IN Montana
for this not be done hong debenure bond
outstanding
The law is as it is wren Is just it intended
to be- 1t is part of conspiracy to put road bond on the
general property of the state The intention was to slip
the debenture law the people in hurry and with
out discussion and then to face them with an accomplish
ed fact, with the alternative of 1O-cent gas tax or
state bond issue.
The theory that the Board of Equalization will only
collect The Board of Equalization is
only charged with collection of the provided
for in the debenture BILL The State Treasurer collects
the present gas and will continue to collect it. So
when those supporting the debenure bill say that the
Board of Equalization will only collect tax they
tell the TRUTH but give the impression that the State
Treasurer viii collect the tax that he is charged with
collecting and foo 1.-The people. The State Treasurer
however, has not yet spoken promised that he will
collect the Scent tax he charged with the collection
Of So if the Board of Equalization collects tax and
the State Treasurer the other the law provides it will
the collection of two separate and distinct Scent
gas taxes.
The statement of the Highway Commission, and the
opinion of Gov. Erickson that the debenure bill does not
provide for another tax is of consequence and only
dsclOses that they what they honestly think, that
Governor Erickson has standing as lawyer and he
thinks what he is told to think by those who do his think
ing for him. The members of the Highway Commission
debenure they are for bond issue against
the property Of the state for road purposes They well
know the debenure provides for second scent gas tax
because they had the law drawn to prOvid for it and
would not allow to be amended by striking out the
provision for the second tax The Highway Commissions
tax made only for campaign purposes for the purpose
Of fOOing the voters and well known by them 30 be false
The opinion of the Board Equalization that the law
does not provide for second as much weight
as an opinion from the Board of ChOpOdy All of these
statements and opinions used campaign arguments
TO fool the voters.
And then the supporters of the debenture bin get
letter from Attorney General Foot which they try to
twist into saying that the debenture does not levy
cant to-
question whether the tax levied by Bill $50 i'm
poses tax of Scents per gallon gasoline in addition
course oily the definitely settle" In
spite of this statement he Montana Automobile AssOcia
ton for the purpose of fOOng the people tried to make
appear that Attorney General Foot said the debente
bill does not provide for a gas tax.
The of the debenture bill say that If passed
and SIX million dollars more provided match sew
en- million dollars of federal aid money that it win ma
terialy relieve unemployment in the state If this were
true it would justify absolutely the approval of the hin
1t too bad that is not true But road building nov
is done by heavy automatic machinery Verv few me,
are employed and those that brought in by tn
paid for road building goes for aborat least tb
OF four million dollars will net profits the for
sn contractors who are furnishing the funds to show
tana The prices these contractors receive the build
ing Of these roads exOrbitant and the contractor
want these contracts while the present Highway Com
missOners office and award contracts on the pres
ent basis People need work and grasp the hope Q
job the employment argument is the best argumeu
the sponsors have for fOOIng the voters and it win
thousands of them.
The debenture sponsors insist that If Montana dos
not match the money available IL viii oths
states This is not The money win revert to I'll
federal treasury and win 60 no other state The spo
urge that If the money offered is not use
that may be that federal money win not be avaiIab
IN the future. for Uncle Sam may not vote any ros
money next because of the treasury deficit. TIL
again is hokum for fOOng the people voting
the for the federal government win continue
appropriate money for federal roads year after year
on more generous terms than So the money n
on exfv
If the debenture bill is passed and six million dollars
noated for the next four years If means that after