The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-02-16

sale sales tax, claiming this would
not be passed on to the consumers;
but large number of the members
of both the House and Senate tax
alton committees were strongly
opposde. The Revenue and Tax
atiCn Committee of the House pro
ceeded to draw a sales tax bill.
After two weeks of hearings and
meetings, it was whipped into fair
shape and brought out On the floor
of the House where it was prompt
ly killed in less than one hour.
Then eleven other revenue bills
were brought out by the House
Revenue and Taxation Committee.
and, such bills were all approved
by the Senate. They were as fol-
lows:
1. Inheritance tax, whereby the
present rates were doubled.
2. Income tax, putting a
surtax of a per cent to 25 per cent.
/ 8. Natural gas tax, levying 3-S
of 1 per cent on each 1000 cubic
feet of gas.
A. Telegraph tax, 1 per cent on
gross income.
5. Contractors tax, ranging from
81 up to $400 size of contract.
6. Cigaret tax, 1c on package.
Z. Corporation tax, 2 per cent.
8. Hydro-electric tax, 5-8 of
per cent per Kilowatt hour.
9. Hard liquor tax, based on pro-
fits on sales.
j 10. Beer tax, 81 per barrel.
IL. Telephone tax, So per year
on all phones 81 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
d. in Montana There were day and
, night hearings on these measures
: 1t was real trying, attempting to
} raise money for relief in the face
, of this depression, when our large
Industries are practically at 9
standstill. 1t must be kept in mind
= by the readers, that these bills
were passed by very small mar
gin. We shall not attempt to give
: the votes en- each of the measures
: Some were killed and brought bach
to life by one vote, and later were
= passed. Some had a final passing
: by a two or three majority. We
!. believe that these bills passed b!
/. the Extra Session will bring il
enough money to meet govern
= mental relief. However, it is i'm
possible to know, in these depres
E sed times as we have no figure
E to go by. In normal times, thes'
t new revenue measures would bring
e in a good many millions of dol
h lars in taxes to the counties an,
/ State.
9 1t is our hope that the peopl
e of Sheridan county, and also thos
8 of other counties, will look int
the records of the action of thei
Senator and Representatives O
these revenue bills that have no,
become laws in our State. In re
atty, it has taken a quarter of
II century to secure the passage @
: these fine tax measures. Whe1
: times come back to normal, it wi
! be an easy matter for organize
greed to start propaganda accu:
! ing the men who were responsible
!. for the passage of these laws, ths
they were to blame for this Sc!
! sion lasting 81 days. Organizes
= greed will get busy and elect Law
- makers of their own choice, an
o repeal these measures in a feV
- days. We cannot attempt to So
a that anyone was to blame for tt
length of the session. We wis
to quote minority leader Moss, WI
speaking for the Republican side
the House of Representatives, sa
81 want to reply to the unfair crit
cism that has been poured dow
upon the head of the legislator
from every part of the state.
want to say that in the 81 da,
81 that we have been in session, tn
Legislature has done more on CO
nd structive work for the State O.
Montana, in its hour of need tn;
- did the entire six regular session
Dr. of the legislature of which l ha'
Ie been a member in the past
t. years. In all of those session
n, there never were introduced mea
= ures capable of bringing about t
= honest controversy and differenc
that we have had to face in til
session.. We wish to quote Re
resentative Albert Besancon, tt
majority floor leader, who spo
. for the Democratic side, 81 am 6
ing home with the feeling and CO
viction," said he, "that we ha'
done a lot of work and have do
it we'll. We met here under tt
ing circumstances. We went In
] the woods and swamps of untrc
- den legislation, and we had to pl
- pare and enact measures simili
to those which often takes CO
~ gress six months to do. AS t
~ so-called straw boss of this sessi
want to say, in regards to
work done, and the way it "
- accomplished, that / like fig
ing bunch. Here we have foue
- and struggled, but we have END
snoilin0D