The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-04-24
DEBATE REF. IS
Confined from front page)

Confined from front page)
vertised at the Farmer Labor
Temple on the date agreed upon.
Such a debate would bring out /
magnificent audience.
Hans Rasmussen, secretary of the
Progressive Farmers of Montana,
in an interview with representa-
tive of the Producers News, said:
''There could be no better place
! for the sponsors of Referendum
No. 35 to meet Sen. Kane than in
northeastern Montana for the vot-
ers here are three or four to one
against the debenture. and at no
place could they do the bill more
| good, if it can be done. than in this
section. l hope either Erickson or
Worden, or both, take advantage
of the opportunity to meet Sen.
Kane, who IS worthy of the steel
Of the best debaters in Montana "
Sentiment Growing Against
Debenture -
Jess Stevens of Shelby, who has
been leading the fight against the
debenture bonds and who has been
over a considerable part of the
state reports that sentiment is
crystalizing fast against the de-
benture bond issue and the 10 cent
gas tax.
Many of the big dailies are now
editorially silent on the PROPOSE
ton, especially the Copper Press.
The Great Falls Tribune, the pa
per of Chairman Worden of the
State Highway Commission, is
waging war for the measure as is
also Tom Stout's paper, the Lew
istown Democrat, which seems TO
be under the influence Of the big
road contractors and the state tax
eaters, but the country press has
slowed down materially the last
two weeks because of the hostile
sentiment manifesting itself IN the
counties, and in many papers in
clined at first to gag and smother
opposition to the measure letters
against it are now appearing. As
. the sentiment against the measure
grows, those In the employ Of the
big alien road contractors are
/ pressing the campaign for the
measure more vigorously and are
growing bitter as the resistance
: intensifies. Over at Lewistown
Tom Stout's town, the Chamber Of
Commerce, after hearing Stouf
speak in favor of the measure ad
journed when Rep. Replogle o.
Fergus County attempted to speal
against It.
Farmers Union Against Measure
The Farmers Union of Montani
which has over 1000 members L
the state, and the Farm Bureau
Federation with a large member
shin too. are fighting the measur
with every means at hand. Rel
Mccormick of Kalispel, forme
Iieut. Governor of the state, Is OF
posed TO the debenture bonds an
is doing what he can to defeat tn
measure. However, the newspaper
of the state do not mention tn
fact that these organizations an
these men are opposing Referendum
measure No. 35. In letter to Al
tornev Stevens. E. R Kinder, Sc
retary of the Farmers Unio
writes:
LETTER
Billings, Montana,
April 9. 1881.
Attorney Jess II. Stevens
Great Falls, Mont.
Dear Mr.. Stevens:
we have your lstter OF April
regarding the .o5 gasoline tax 81
debenture gasoline tax plan IS
forth IN House Bin NO. $50.
we wish to assure you That 9
9kafa organization Of tina xarme
Uniou OF Montana has gone on re
ord as opposing this bill, and az
OF orr meetings in the state we q
expIaiuiug the bill from thu FAR
ers, standpoint.
Thanking you for your cooper
ton, we are
Mont. Div. Farmers y. b
Union Of America,
Is. =. KNDLERs Sec
Rep. RepIOgIe Writes
The Producers News the 9th
dav received the following lett
from Rep. Bert Replogle of F.
gus County, a lawyer of Lew
town. who represented that couI