Montana labor news., 1934-06-14
O'Connell Receives
Council Endorsement
Continued from page y

1AOilAAAAt10 - 90
sumner has TO pay, has too long been
based on watered stock and good will.
| am unalterably opposed to the per-
nicious practices whereby utility COM
panies are permitted to file two valua-
tons, one for their own taxation pur-
poses and another n for rate fixing
purposes. There can be only one true
and fair valuation for both purpoes,
and then these companies must either
lower their rates or pay their just
share Of the burden of taxation, so that
the loan on the real property owners
may be proportionately decreased.
Telephone rates all over Montana are
excessive and must be reduced. The
Montana States Telephone and Tele-
graph company has absolutely refused
to pay its just portion OF the cost Of
feeding and clothing the destitute
farmers and laborers OF Montana,
when they fought taxation OF instru-
ments for that purpose all during the
last Special Session and finally in the
courts, where they were successful in
taking the bite to eat out of the mouths
of many starving children in this state.
The rates on business, office and house
phones have been so eXtortionate that
cries have gone out from all the
people of this state for relief, and it
must be forthcoming soon. The de-
preston has heavily reduced the
earning power OF the people and they
cannot continue to pay rates which
existed during the prosperous days OF
the boom and before the World war.
Not only are the rates for natural
a excessive, but the service charge
which natural gas companies assess
in addition to the rates is an absolute
~atrocity and is scarcely nothing short
of pure, unadulterated robbery. The
high executive of a Montana gas COM
pany testifying under oath at a recent
trial in the city of Helena openly ad-
mitted and argued to the best Of his
ability, that the charge was not for
service but was to help to pay the
cost of the pipe which conducts the
gas. The pipes must be mde of gold
of incomprehensible quality, because
the consumers of Montana will pay for
them over and over ad infinitum. 1t
is my firm conviction that the pipe has
already been paid for many times, and
the service charge must be eliminated.
Electric rates must be reduced and
particularly in the eastern part of the
state, where commercial users as well
as domestic users are u~nbearably pen
allied for the use of power which is
inalienably theirs. Water rates, as as
sessed by private companies in p%articu-
lar, are out of all proportion with the
investment made and with the falling
earning power OF the consumer. The
time has come for the people Of this
state to bring to justice and smaller
insults OF Montana, who have been
operating just as crookedly and dis
honestly as their Chicago prototype
but only on a smaller scale. President
Roosevelt in his Portland speech dur
ing the l95Z campaign voiced the same
sentiments, and if my platform seems
to some to be radical, then the presi-
dent Of the United States must be con
demned with me.
For years Montana has cried. out in
protest against the ~exorbitant gasoline
prices, higher than in any other state
in the union. 1t is the statutory duty
of the Railroad Commission to fight
this discrimination against our people,
and | promise to devote whatever abil-
ity and energy are mine, to the end
that gasoline prices must come down,
that telephone, electric, gas and water
rates must be reduced, and to the end
that the hand of special privileges must
be taken out Of the peoples pockets
and off the peoples throat"