Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1934-02-15

brought out on the floor of tn,
House. where Ii WAS promptly kill
ed in less than n hour. Then /,
other revenue bills were brough
out by the House revenue and tax
alton committee. and. such bill,
were all approved by the Senate
They were as follows:
/. Inheritance tax, WHEREBY thu
present rates were doubled.
2. Income tax, putting a surta,
of 4 per cent to rs per cent.
8. Natural gas tax, levyine
three eighths OF l per cent on each
1000 cubic foot OF gas.
4. Telegraph taxi per cent on
gross income.
S. Contractors tax. rang1ne
from 81. 90 up to 100000 size OF
contract.
s. Cigaret tax-1c on package
z. Corporation tax per cent
g.. Hydro-Eaectric tax five
eighths of / per cent per kilowatd
hour.
8. Hard liquor tax-based on
profits on sales.
10. Beer tax-$I.00 per barrel.
IL. Telephone fax-{3.0 90 pet
year on all phones 500 and over
These bills brought to Helena
hundreds Of people appearing for
and against them, and. the bitter
est fight took place that there has
been In the history OF legislation
in Montana. There were day and
night hearings on these measures
It was real trying, attempting to
raise money for relief In the face of
this depression, when our large In
dustrfes are practically at a stand
still. 1t must be kept In mind by
the readers. that these bills were
passed by a very small margin. We
shall not attempt to give the votes
each OF the measures. Some
were killed and brought back TO
life by n vote. and later passed.
Some had a final passing by a two
three majority. We believe that
these bills passed by the extra ses-
sion will bring In enough money to
meet governmental reiief. Howev-
err. 1t is impossible to know, in these
depressed times, as we have no fig
to go by. In normal times.
these new revenue measures would
bring In a good many millions OF
dollars in taxes to the counties and
state.
1t is u hope that the people OF
county, and also those OF
other counties, will look into the
records OF the action OF their Sena-
tor and Representatives on these
revenue bills that have now be-
come laws In our state. In reality
t has taken a quarter of a century
70 secure the passage OF these fine
measures. When times come
back to normal, ii will be an easy
matter for organized greed to start
accusing the men who
responsible for the passage OF
.hese laws, that they were to blame
or this session lasting 81 days.
greed will get busy and
elect law makers OF their own
and repeal these measures
n a few days.
We cannot attempt to say thaa
Inyone was to blame for the length
Il the session. We wish to quot.
minority leader Moss, who spokt
or the Republican side in the
House OF Representatives, who said
i want to reply to the unfair cri-
icism that has been poured down
rpon the head OF the Legislators
rom every part OF the state. III
rant to say that In the 54 days
hat we have been In session. this
has done more construc-
work for the state OF Montana.
Its hour Of need than did the
ntire six regular sessions OF the
OF which / have been a
lember In the past II years. In
ID OF those sessions there never
rere introduced measures capable
{ bringing about the honest con-
-oversy and differences that we
ave had to face In this session"
We quote representative Albert
,esancon, the majority floor lead
I, who spoke for the Democratic
de. - am going home with the
and conviction" said he,
we have done a lot OF work
nd have done II wen. We met
ere under trying circumstances.
'e went Into the woods and
vamps OF untrodden legislation,
nd we had to prepare and enact
leasures similar to those which
Men takes Congress six months to
.. As the s0-called straw boss OF
lis session | want to say, In re-
ards to the work done, and the
ay it was accomplished, that |
Ike a fighting bunch. Here we
ave fought and struggled, but we
ave ended smiling"
When we were called for this
,ecial session, we had ten differ
subjects to consider, but, a.
lie session advanced, 1t was found
vy - fnr.rr Yr - 4