Montana labor news., 1939-02-23
LOBBYISTS RECEIVE
FATAL BLOW
Labor RevOlts Against Corporate
Control.

The last two days of the past weel
were by far the most interesting
days of this session of the legisla.
ture. The corporation lobbyists, A.
and Billy, had things their own way
and every bit of legislation that
would have placed a tax on any Of
the corporations operating in the
state, were ridiculed right off the
board. Amongst these measures were
some very good revenue producing
bills that would have put part of the
cost Of government where it right
fully belongs, on those most able to
pay, and none Of them residents OF
the state.
One after another of these bills
was defeated in less time than it
takes to tell about it. But the sur
prise of the session occurred Friday
night when the gambling bill hit the
floor. The House was informed in
very eloquent terms of the revenue
this measure would bring, and also
Of the urgent need of this revenue.
! had heard from very good author
ity early in the evening that the
best the opponents of this measure
could muster was A votes, and
naturally figured that the measure
would be railroaded through in very
short order.
l had forgotten that labor was
represented in this assembly, as
every labor bill that was introduced
was defeated, but labor was repre-
sented and when they took the bit
in their teeth, they certainly went to
town. Archie Mcleod, majority
floor leader, spoke against the bill
and was followed by Spiegel of Sill
yer Bow, and after a very heated
debate, in which Mcleod and Spie-
gel informed the House of the won
revenue producing measures
that had been defeated by these very
same people who we're now crying
that the state did not have enough
revenue to meet the appropriations.
. vote on the bill was finally taken
and it was defeated by 48 to A, four
representatives of labor
against the measure: Mcleod
Cascade, Spiegel of Silver Bow,
Murray of Anaconda, and MCGEE Of
Jefferson. All these men should be
great credit for the courage
they displayed in voting against this
measure, as they fully realized they
would be criticized for their action
by many of their constituents. I'M
nediately after this vote, 1 heard
many comments from the spectators
the galleries, and none that did
lot commend these men for the
courage they had shown in demon
itrating to the lobbyists that labor
lad the courage to fight even if it
,ost them many votes in the future.
So I say that as long as labor has
he foresight to send men of this
to represent them, they need
lave no fear of the ultimate result.
am by no means condemning the
,ther representatives who voted for
his bill, as l am satisfied that had
hey needed more votes, to defeat
his measure, they were right at
heir command.
Saturday was a day of remorse for
hose who thought they had every
hing in the bag. An open forum
vas held trying to devise ways and
means of introducing revenue pro-
measures that would fill the
.ap in the state treasury caused by
he revolt of labor.
Representative Metlen of Beaver
cad spoke at length on a cigarette
ak, a wheel tax on highway trans
ortation, an increase in the tele-
hone tax, an increase of the hydro
lectric tax, all bills that had been
reviously introduced. l would like
} know how Rep. Metlen voted on
nese measures. He also stated that
tax of so cents per ten on strip
oal would be impossible and ridicu-
Jus. But why would it be ridicu-
JUS? Previous to the installation
f this stripping machinery, the
verage cost of man-mined coal was
bout $3.50 per ton, laid on the car.
his shovel put the coal on the cars
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