The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-04-24

70. $50 and the tactics used In
'utting it over May 5th.
LETTER
Lewistown, Montana,
April 81, 1881.
The Producers News,
P1entywood, Montana.
Gentlemen:
I have read, with much interest |
during the past three or fou1 |
months, the different news items,
in the Producers News, and wish
to thank you for the sample copies
you have mailed to me, during the
past few months. There should be
more papers like this in the state
Of Montana, papers that produce
REAL NEWS. 7 have enjoyed very
much reading the letter hi. Jesse
Stevens had published In this pa
per on March az.
Some two or three days after I
returned from the legislature, /
was invited to address a taxpayers
association on House Bill $50. and
other measures. AS Jesse Stevens
and myself had carefully examined
House Bill $50, before it passed in
the House, was familiar with this
particular bill and I advised the
tax payers of Fergus county. Mon
tana, that the bill provided for five
cents additional tax, as we were
money to build the additional roads
on the cid Sc gas tax bill. being
House Bill 90, which went through
the House early in the session.
The Lewistown Chamber of Com
merce, and other Chambers had a
large number Of lobbyists in He1-
ena, assisting in passing this bin.
The State Automobile Association
Is sending out written statements,
that only four members Of the
House of Representatives opposed
this bill. I was under the i'm
preston that there was about fiji
teen, but when you stop to consider
the influence Of the large con.
tracing concerns who expect tC
make millions thru this contract
Is 1t any wonder that the bill car
ried by such tremendous major.
ity7 These contracts should all bG
done by the State, and not let on
TO eastern contractors who vii
bring in outside labor as they arr
now doing on the Federal build
tngs, and preventing our home PEG
/ pie from securing employment.
am a member Of the Lewis
/ town Chamber Of Commerce, and
| last night, at a regular meeting
after Tom Stout. and ona or tw'
other members had finished ad
dressing the members of the Cham
Der advising them to supper
House Bill $50, I arose to make
few remarks in defense of myself
and in opposition to House Bill
$50, and after having talked for
period Of one minute in oppositio
to this bill and in answer to tn
speakers who favored the bill; on
Of the members got mp and move
that the meeting be adjourned, an
the motion was Immediately seC
onded by one Of the members VIII
had spent much time lobbying &c
this bill at the last session, and
was not permitted to make an
further reply to the argument {
Mr.. Stout which would have r
CURED about Is minutes more tim
have no way Of determinin
how much the state of Montana
going TO charge us per gallon "a
tax, but I DO know that under Il
provisions Of House Bill $50, thel
is nothing to prevent them fro,
!, charging us an additional fil
, cents tax, and doubt very muS
whether the additional tax win |
sufficient TO pay off the 1ntere
and principal on the bonds II thu
? pass at the election May 5th, and
object to eastern contractors for
ing our State in debt in the fu
? Their sum Of Six Million Dollars,
any other sum, as this State is
desperate financial circumstanc
= at the present time.
: Very respectfully yours,
Q ALBERT 3. REPLOLGE,
Representative fro
Fergus County.
: Review of Referendum No. IS
D Attorney Stevens, in a releai