davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26

stunning initiation, there are
many in Cons former domicile,
who bought Anaconda at $3.50
and sold at So, or bought First
Bank Stock Corporation at SAT.
so and sold at Sc or bought
Electric Bond and Share at $500
and sold at Sc, that will agree
with the platitudinous declaim-
er that we should avoid infla-
ton.
There are wise words in con-
situations, both state and nat
ional. that we should, but do
not obey. One of these pertains
to our state income tax from
the burdens of which, due to the
lobbying of Milt Gum for the
Northern Pacific and Telephone
Company, and to a chorus of
Anaconda heelers, all corpora
tions are excepted. by the way
such professional lobbyists as
are members of the bar seem
to forget that on admission they
swore to support the state and
federal constitutions.
Section IL of Article II of
Montana Constitution, treating
of taxes, provides: ''They shall
be uniform upon the same class
of subjects within the territOri-
al limits of the authority levy
ing the tax" Again Section Z,
Article II of the Montana Con-
stitution provides: 'The power
to tax corporations or corporate
property shall never be relin-
quished or suspended, and all
corporations in this state or do
ing business therein, shall be
subject -. for -. taxation - for
county, school, municipal and
other purposes, ON real and per-
sOnal property owned or used
by tbem and not by this consti-
tuition exempted from taxation "
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
Con Games--Con KeNys and Constitutions

an income tax here.
earned on property in Montana
Many Independent coal mine
owners in Musselshell County
would join in the move to give
equal protection of the law. On
January 4th, 1885, Zone Of ex-
chief justice Callaway's parting
shots) it was held to be legal
that the Northern Pacific on II,
900 acres of coal land in that
county. should be assessed at
so cents an acre and indepen-
dent owners of 5000 acres of the
same kind of land there should
be assessed at $50 the acre.
Cornelius, except for four
years, 1911-1915, while the So
cialists held office and you
thwarted every good endeavour
on their part, and for three mo-
nths since Mayor Hauswirth has
held office, and you are thwart-
ing every good move on his
part, your word has been law in
the Butte City Government for
80 years. In one year the Ana
conda made net profit on its
Butte Mines, Thirty seven mil
lion dollars. The city owes 2
million dollars, almost one third
of her people are on relief, our
public library is short of funds,
our county commissioners have
no money for old age pensions
provided by law, our merchants
breaking, our householders can
pay no taxes. If your loyalty
and intelligence about running
the nation are no higher than
about running your old home
town instead of reading your
stodgy reviews, we will turn on
the radio and hear what DR..
Townsend, Father Coughlin and
Huey Long have to say. In fact,
the President might teach US
more than you can.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
MILO RENO PANS
AAA AND WALLACE
Dominated by LANCER and Burdick and State Political
Clique, Delegates Reflect ..~
All Old Officers
REDS FAIL TO WIN CONTROL

vice president and LANCER hench-
man, as chairman, in the absence
of the President, Congressman U.
L. Burdick, who was unable to at
tend because of the continuation
of congress in session.
An attempt to wrest control of
the appointment of committees
from the officers of the associa-
ton and have them elected from
the floor was defeated as the con-
vention came to a close last night.
The officers of the convention un-
der the leadership of Harry Peter
son put out the "red scare" and
yelled that the Communists were
trying to win control of the con-
vention when the motion was Of
fered providing for the naming of
committees, including the commit
tee on resolutions, from the floor.
Following the barrage Of talk in
favor of this simple and reason
able motion, a recess was taken.
After the recess, officers and other
leaders friendly to the administTa-
ton had rallied their forces, and
in short order defeated the motion
CONTINUED on page three)
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
Mother BIOor And
Five Militant Farmers
Face Term in Jail

the District Court of Sherman CO.
unity at Loup City, last September,
when they were convicted Of the
charge of "inciting to riot" and
unlawful assemblage" and senten-
ced to six months in the Sherman
county jail, and to pay a fine of
$1OO each, except in the case Of
Loretta Booth, who was fined 81
and 10 days in Jail, with the time,
more than 10 days already spent
in jail, credited. In her case the
fine was paid by a friend when she
was dismissed. The remaining de-
PENDANTS appealed the verdict to
the Supreme Court, where the case
was argud about three months ago
by Attorney Dewey Hanson of Om-
aha and by Attorney D. J. Blatan
of Chicago.
This case grew out Of a peace
full demonstration by a throng of
farmers and workers on June 18th
last year on the court house
grounds at LOup City, in solidarity
with a group of girl chicken pick
ers, who were on strike at the
Clairmont Creamery and Poultry
Picking plant, for higher wages
and better working conditions.
The girls were picking chickens
in a mite picking shed at 21s cents
apiece. and locked the full amount
if the skins of one were torn. The
girls were also compelled to pick
smothered and diseased dead chi
ckers and doctor them up for the
market.
At about the time the demon
stration was breaking up, after a
committee of 81 had met with TIE
Management. of the Fairmont poul-
try Produce plant, where most of
| the demands had been granted, and
returned to the court house lawn
to report to the audience, a gang
of armed thugs, hired by the crea-
merry, fell upon and attacked the
assembled farmers and workers
with black jacks and clubs, at the
sound of a signal of the city fire
siren, Bert Sell, prominent farmer
af Arcadia was beaten down and
left for dead by these armed thugs.
Howeved, the farmers rallied and
with their fists whipped the armed
thugs and sent thirteen of them to
the hospital for repairs. The attack
upon the farmers took place under
the eyes of the deputy state sher-
iff and the county sheriff, who left
the ground without doing a thing
to stop the attack.
The next day after the "riot
the defendants were arrested, anc
convicted the first time in the CO.
unity court before a hand picked
jury of six, and again on appea
in the district court where th'
jury again formed, again convicted
Continued on page tbree)
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26

The Farmers 18th Annual Pic
,ic at Brush Lake last Sunday,
INV Dist, sponsored by the Sheri-
jsn County Holiday Association
v.s = magnificent success in spite
If all misfortunes and handicaps
aynerienced by the Holiday Farm
srs in putting it on, and the gen
oral condition of poverty which
prevented hundreds of farm famili-
Is from attending who would 9th
erwise have attended.
The picnic was the largest from
the point of attendance held at
Brush Lake in many years, 1t be-
inp estimated that between 25OO
and 5000 people were in atten-
dance, who all enjoyed themselves
to the limit, visiting, listening to
the program, swimming in the cool
green waters of the lake, picnic
dinners and dancing. The day was
clear and hot-in short a perfect
picnic day.
A person who had attended most
of the big farmers and workers
picnics at Brush Lake since the
first one in June 1918, could not
help but notice the great changes
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
Special to Producers News


Bismarck. N. D. July %, Scat
tering farmers from the several
counties of the state gathered
slowly yesterday, Monday morning,
for the Third Annual Farm Holt
day Association of North Dakota
convention which convened here,
yesterday. Monday afternoon, for
a three days gathering Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday until noon
when, if the program is carried
out, it will adjourn. Monday eve
ming at the first test vote, it was
disclosed that there were about zoe
delegates present, but more came
in Tuesday at the call of the pol
iticians when it appeared that they
were losing control of the conven'
ton to the communists. After that
VIM. LANCER and his political ma
chine seemed to be in complete
control of the convention and die
tated the election and the program
of the Association.
The sessions are being held Il
the World War memorial Building
with Harry Peterson of Plaza, frs
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26

On the morning of July 81,
1886, the daily press of absen-
tee landlords of Montana car
ries front page headlines in
type larger than that of the
war news from Ethiopia, a
Hooverized speech acclaimed by
Con Kelley to the Bankers of
Montana, assembled for their
political orders.
Con says we must stand by
the constitutions, shun initiation,
pay our interest promptly, bal
ance the budget, and that we
are at the cross roads.
Many of US who live in Mon
tana, can agree with the dis
tinguished expatriate summer
tourist on his generalities. He
usually avoids particularizing
whether dedicating a cathedral,
discussing an invasion by the
militia, criticizing a worlmen's
compensation act or raise in
wages.
Anyone who heard, at the
huge Sinclair meeting a week
ago in Butte, Senator Garrison
of Madison County, leader OF
the Farm movement, so ably
discuss the initiative measures
that are being agitated by the
farmers, knows that we are at
the Cross Roads. Russia. how
ever, is about the only large
nation which has small pub
lie Indebtedness ard well bal
anced budget, so, of course, we
cannot agree with Con on bal
ancing the budget or reducing
public debt. Countless Montana
people are contemplating dis
charging their interest obhga
lions, by a law preventing de
ficiency judgements or by goinl
into bankruptcy like the Mil
waukee Railroad Of which Co
used to be a director. As TO
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
BIG" THOR, PLANE PI-
LOT, LOSES 3 FINGERS
IN BRUCH LAKE ACCI-
DENT LAST SUNDAY

Thor Thorstenson, expert ma
chinist at the Donaldson garage,
and local airplane pilot, was the
victim of a very painful accident
last Sunday at Brush Lake, in
which he lost three fingers, a part
of his little finger and thumb. Mr..
Torstenson is now in the Sheridan
Memorial Hospital where he is
being treated.
Mr.. Thorstenson was at the
18th Annual Sheridan County pic
mic, doing stunts for the entertain
ment of the visitors and carrying
passengers, and his accident was
the only event that marred that
perfect day.
Thor states that an automobile
with powerful headlights drove up
in front of his plane while the mo-
tor was running, and thinking that
the car might drive too close and
be hit by the revolving propeller,
he signalled them with his left
hand to stop, accidentally bringing
his hand into the range of the pro.
pellor, which struck his hand, tore
the fingers nearly off and shatter-
ed the bones so badly that amputa
ton was necessary. Thor came tt
Plentywood Immediately by auto
mobile, making the 80 miles in A
minutes, where he received surgi
cal attention at once.
The accident besides being yer.
painful, is a very costly one TO
"Big'' Thor as he is known to hi
host of friends over the northwest
as it will be considerable handi
cap to him in his work as a me
chanic, but he says he will manag
somehow, and takes the misfortun
very cheerfully.
Thor Thorstenson is a fully l
! censed commercial pilot, havin
passed all examinations with hig
averages, and is considered b
those who know about such thing
r as one of the most trustworth
and best plane pilots in the nortl
west. 1t is reported that his il
jury will not prevent his futul
/ activities as a pilot.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26

A complet new board Of direc-;;
tors was elected at the eighteenth
Annual Stockholders Meeting of
the Peoples Publishing Company,
publishing the Producers News,
held at the Farmer-Labor Temple,
Plentywood last Monday afternoon
The old manager and editors,
thereupon resigned by walking out,
and Charles E. Taylor, the former
editor who went on the job when
the paper started publication in
April 1918, and who had been con-
nected with the paper in some ca
pacity or another until January,
1884, was Immediately hired by the
new board, as editor and manager
and placed in charge Tuesday eve
ming, when Eijnar Duus, the as
sociate Editor, retiring, turned the
keys and the office over, and Tay-
lor Immediately went to work get
ting out the current issue.
/ The stockholders meeting was
the largest from the point of the
stock represented, ever held in the
history of the company, nearly
1900 shares, out of 2173 outstand
ing, were represented either Il
person or by proxy, and the gen
eral interest in the outcome of tn
, meeting was widespread and noisy
The meeting was the first a
> which a legal quorum was presen
for five years, the old board hav
2 ing held over by reason of fallur
of a quorum to elect new board
The meeting was scheduled TO
? 2 o'clock, but was called to orde
h by president of the old holdove
v board of directors, Andrew j. Al
5 derson, of Outlook, at 8 o'clocl
v when Secretary, Oden Lutnes
+ McElroY brought in the corpora
= ton books.
{ There were two factions-ol
which supported the old board, Il
by Hans Rasmussen the Busine
Manager of the Producers New
\. and Editor Alfred Miller, and Il
v other against the present manag
E ment and policy of the paper i
a by Vice-president of the Board
re Directors, James Ostby and forl
er Editor and Manager, Charles
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
Peoples Publishing Company Elects New Board OF d.
rectors at Largest Stock Holders Meeting
In History Of Corporation
NEW MANAGEMENT TOOK OVER
PAPER TUESDAY MORNING
MORNING

Taylor, who were supporting the
plan for the election of a new
board.
Art Wankle of Raymond was E.
lected chairman by the Stockhold-
ers to take the place of Andrew
A. Anderson of Outlook, and Odin
Lutnes, was elected as the secre-
tary of the meeting. There was
quit a spuabble over this. After
the election of the chairman and
secretary, credentials committee
composed of seven, namely, Henry
and Jens Gunvold of Antelope,
John Lindblom and Wayne Le-
Grange of Raymond, Dan Mccall
of Comertown, Selmer copeland OF
McElroy, and Simon Swanson OF
Plentywood, were elected and went
Immediately to work. There was
considerable Wrangling over stock
and proxies by Simon Swanson
which prolonged the work, and il
was about 9 o'clock p. m. when the
report of the committee was read.
There was more extended debat'
involving the report, when the re
port was adoptd by vote of ia
to 329. whereupon the defeated oil
management, led by Hans Ras
mussen walked out, leaving an
turned out the lights as partin
demonstration of protest.
The lights were turned on, an
the remaining stockholders pre-
proceeded with the election unaI
imously electing, with 1144 share
. Continued on page p
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
YLOWNDES MAURY and A. C. SHONE

the constitution is followed and
the income tax Of Montana
made applicable to corporations
as well as persons, the Anacon-
da Companywill have to pay on
income earned in Mexico, Arr
iona, Chile, Peru, Africa, Pol
and etc. Last year the gross in
come of the company was re-
ported to be about 90 million
dollars. The profit was perhaps
a dozen millions. A Montana
farmer making IL million dol
lars the year would have to pay
$474,OOO.OO yearly.
We do not think Con is going
to get Milt Gum or any OF the
Northern Pacific or Telephone
crowd to join him in enforcing
the constitutional equalities IN
taxation.
All of the stock in Northwest
improvement Company is owned
by the Northern Pacific Rail
way. This is a land owning COM
pany. Most of its land is IN
Montana and virtually all is a
part of the old fraudulent grant
to the Northern Pacific Of a
larger area than that of seven
eastern states combined, that
can be named by any good pu-
pill in geography in high school.
1t is a recent boast of the Nor
them Pacific about the North
west Improvement Company
that Gin addition to regular di-
vidends of around one million
dollars, this subsidiary disbur-
sed extras of Five million dol
lars. in 1881. Five million six
hundred thousand in 1882, four
million in 1888 and two and one
half million in 1884.
The same line of authority of
the United States Supreme
Court holds that if this was all
it could have been made to pay
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26

Of Twenty-Five states having
an income tax, Delaware, the
home of tramp" corporations,
and Montana, the milk cow, of
the absentee landlords, are the
only ones that absolve corpora
tics from the same income taxes
that natural persons must pay.
Con, if you want obedience to
these constitutional provisions
and have the state income tax
apply to corporations just as it
does to farmers, working men,
LAWYERS, doctors and the bank
ers assembled to get Their pol
tical propaganda from you in
person, almost everybody In the
state is with you. But, Con, we
are afraid you and Milt Gum
will drop out of line when we
try to enforce the provisions of
the state and national consti-
tutions about equal burden of
taxation for corporations and
individuals. Before you finally
enlist for the war to give rich,
middle class and poor, equal
protection and burden of the law
YOU might consider some seri-
Gus defects of our local laws
and what would result if they
were remedied.
Take thought! The Anaconda
Company is a corporation, or
ganized in Montana, with char
ter recently renewed for scores
of years to come. 1t is domicil-
ed here. The Supreme Court of
the United States announces in
Lawrence VS.. State Tax Com
mission of Mississippi, 2S6 US.
Reports. 276, that a state may
lew tax on a person or corpor-
alton domiciled within, the state
for income earned within the
state and on income earned out
side of the state also. Thus, ii
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
IRRIGATION SPEC.
TO VISIT COUNTY

Since the assistance of Mr.. y.
w. Monson, Irrigation Specialist
from the Extension Service at
Bozeman, many requests have
come to the Extension office for
assistance according to M. J. Pet
erson, County Agent.
Notice has now been received
that additional help will be avail
able to farmers of Sheridan Coun-
ty to assist them in laying out
fields for irrigation or building OF
dams for stock watering. Mr.. N.
A. jacobson has had considerable
experience along this line and is
we'll qualified to give advice on
water control work.
Farmers desiring assistance
should get in requests as doom as
possible says Mr.. Peteron. AS the
rule of first come first assisted
will be adhered to.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
rhrongs Attend the Farmers 18th Annual Picnic
TAYLOR AGAIN EDITOR OF PRODUCERS NEWS
5000 SCRATCHING
BITTER ROOT HILLS
FOR PLACER GOLD

: MissOula, July %. Though +
the net returns may not be +
staggering, several thousand :
mem now scratching hills of +
the Bitter Root mountains =
for gold are looking hope =
fully into the future, while =
many at least are netting at :
least enough for beans and
= bacon.
= Forest service headquar-
+ ters here believe as many as
5000 diligent tOilers are pla-
Ger mining or prospecting
and many more, Judging
from inquiries, may take a
fling at it.
Some old timers have ex-
hibited pay dirt and have
taken as much as Sc to $40
a day from the hills and
streams, while others are
cOntenting themselves with
from $1.5O to So a day, just
enough to spur them on.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26

Boston, July 16. - The U. S.
Circuit Court of Appeals struck a
blow at the A.A.A. when it ruled
today that the processing tax is
unconstitutional. The court over
ruled Federal District Judge Elisha
H. Brewster, who last October up
held the alidity of the tar.
The ruling was made in the case
of the Hoosac Mills Corporation of
New Bedford, Taunton and North
Adams, which challenged the right
of the federal government to col
lect processing and floor taxes OF
about $4,000. The case has been
regarded as a test case.
The processing tax was declared
Continued on page two9
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
COURT DECLARES
PROCESSING TAX
|UN CONSTITUTIONAL

Washington, July 16. - Frank
J. Waterman, Assistant Attorney
General in charge of tax cases, to-
day said the decision of the FEEDER
al Circuit Court of Appeals in Bos-
ton holding A.A.A. processing tax
es unconstitutional would be cap
pealed Immediately" to the Supre-
me Court.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
NO NEWSPRINT TAX

Washington, July %. "A. A. A.
amendments prohibiting the gov
erment from issuing orders re-
strictig advertising or imposing a
processing tax on newsprint were
approved today by the senate.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
PRESIDENT APPROVES
RECLAMATION FUNDS

Washington, July % Sena-
tor Murray, democrat, Montana,
has been advised President RO-
Osevelt has approved works al
lOtments amounting to nearly
S2,OOO.OOO for three Montana
projects.
Murray said allOtments apprO-
we'd included $1,OOO,OOO for Buff
faIO Rapids, $715,OOO for the Sun
river project and 100000 for the
Bitter Root irrigation project.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
Special to Producers News

Washington, July %. - The re-
lief administration today, in it's
policy to reduce the wages of
American workers below that of
Chinese Coolies, pursued it's plan
to strike from the relief rolls all
persons who turn thumbs down on
Jobs, regardless of the wages,
hours or conditions offered.
Any person on relief who re-
fuses a job," said Lawrence West
brook, assistant relief administra-
tor, will be cut off immediately"
The decision was announced af-
ter complaints were heard that the
Winchester, Va, and in counties
nearby, farmers offer jobs and
are laughed at by loafers at
stores and filling stations, who say
they are on relief"
The wages offered, however
were so small that they amounted
70 much less than the puny relie-
doled out by the relief experts.
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
Thousands Of Workers
Cut from Relief Rolls
In Wage Cutting Drive

eral work projects, prompted their |
to go to the fields.
OTHER STATES
CUT OFF RELIEF
Nebraska prepared to stop fed
eral work relief allotments in 26
counties and to reduce them by
half in Is others until assured that
farmers had hired the men they
needed.
Illinois halted work relief in rur-
al areas. Iowa stopped aid for able
bodied workers in nearly 20 coun-
ties and advised them to go to the
fields. North Dakota stopped work
on all but specialized projects.
Kansas and Ohio both issued
warnings that refusal to take farm
work would bring denial of relief.
Redwood county, Minnesota, cut
off relief projects.
IOWA JOINS
PROCESSION
In order to force thousands OF
men into the harvest fields to work
for the starvation wage of S1.5C
a day, Iowa has discontinued relief
in IA counties and many more
counties are contemplating similar
action, it was learned today.
Even women are being throw
off the rolls in some cases ant
have heen told "to find work i
the harvest" is was admitted b,
relief officials.
Starts in South
Most of the counties which hav
taken the drastic action are In tn
southern part of the state whe1
(ContinNed on page 3
The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-07-26
Snecial to Producers News

Omaha, Neb., July 20. The
Supreme Court of the State Of
Nebraska, yesterday handed down
a decision sustaining the conyiS-
ton of Mother Ella Reene Bloor
of Philadelphia, Harry Mcdonald,
and Portius Sell, son of Bert Sell,
farmer of Arcadia, John Squires
and Carl Wiklund, farmer of LOuI
City, and Floyd and Loretta Booth
young Negroes of Grand Island, in