The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1953-03-27
SENATE BILL IO4-by Anderson

trification Authority. Passage of this
repeating measure was apparently
the number one objective of Mon
tana Power Co. lobbyists at the 33rd
Legislative Assembly. The electri-
fication authority act had lain prac-
tically dormant for Is years. 1t
provided legal machinery for the
state going into the generation and
distribution of electric energy if the
need arose to combat prohibitive
rates and other restrictive practices
by private power monopolies.
Repeal of the act, coupled with the
increasing danger that the federal
government will quit the business of
power generation and distribution,
may seriously jeopardize the future
sof every rural electric coop in the
state.
With the identification authority
act off the books Montana Power
and Montana-Dakota Utilities will be
the only entities legally eligible and
financially capable of purchasing
federal generating and transmitting
in Montana should the
Republican administration
decide to take Uncle Sam out of the
power business. This can only mean
higher wholesale rates
to rural electric co-ops-and result
ant bankruptcy for many of them.
Governor Aronson concurred with
he Republican legislature in repeal
ng the authority act. Aye votes
we're for repeal. Nay votes were
!gainst jeopardizing the future of
ural electric co-operatives in Mon
ana.
Sub. HOUSE BILL 17s-This bill, {
S passed by the house, would {
ave extended the right of condem- !
alton under eminent domain pro-
eedings to utilities for taking from
lndowners underground storage for l
atural gas, provided such under :
round storage was substantially
epleted" A state of Substantial {
epletion" can only be arrived at s
trough complicated calculation by R
biologists. If a land .
yner believed he wasn't receiving !
fair price for remaining gas re- ,
rves in substantially depleted" n
cid, it would have cost him about
10000 to fight the various condem- F
alton proceedings through h S
'urts. Few could afford such ex- r
.nse. Landowners would be forced z
take whatever Montana Power or =
ontana-Dakota offered for such ,
depleted" unde r -
ound storage-or else face con-
proceedings. r
The senate oil and gas committee 3
revamped Sub HB 179, N
aking it apply to only proven Char
n" gas fields. However, the bill,
wing received Governor Aronson's
prevail, is now on the books, and u
2 way is open for future legisla- s.
res to put back into it the more OBJ H.
,tionable features deleted by the
33 state senate.
Aye votes were for passage. Nay u
ties, against. Sc
RI
BILL 189-by Padbury a
d Keller-was a constitutional C
endment proposing that the ballot RI
restricted on bond elections, etc.,
freeholders. Sen. Walton led the G'
;cessful fight to kill SD 1919, point Sc
|. out that if it were enacted into lie
7 it "would disenfranchise, thou CT
ids of voters in Montana. A good &c
ny young people who have chill Re
n in schools because they do not -,
ted to vote because they do not III
yet own property. The same goes Sc
many merchants and many ten he
S on farms. If you are paying
t on business property, houses or JE
ms, you are paying taxes :" Sc
: votes were for passage, Nay Re
es, against. r.,
HOUSE BILL 73-by entire Cas- Be
e county house delegation-pro- I've
ed that all people be accorded LA
al right to public accommoda- Sci
is such as hotels, cafes, threatres, Re
regardless of race, creed or