The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1958-02-21
1857 Law, State Land Revenues Draw

20-year periods for more accurate
averaging purposes. While rainfall
over the 40 years showed no wide
variation, crop yield did, particularly
in the first 20-year period. Better
farming methods, including wide
spread summer following in the Sec
ond 20-year period are credited with
keeping production from dropping to
disastrous levels in poor rainfall years
such as 1862.
In this connection, soil surveys are
also considered of value and help to
round out the productive capacity
picture of each tract of land.
S. Land Sales: Land sales expert
ence has bearing, too, but there
is plenty of error in judgment in
volved in land buying, thus els an in
dication in an unpredictable way as
to what the land will produce. Price
paid, alone, is only factor in CLASH
flying.
6. Judgment and Interpretation: In
determining classification of what a
piece of land will produce, observa-
ton. training and experience on the
part of the classifying team is impera-
tive. Peterson holds a masters de-
gree in Agricultural economics and
statistics from Montana State College,
has had considerable experience in
judging stock and land, and is farm
er in addition. Reports are that two
other men on his staff of five have
had similar training and experienced
7. Farmer Contacts and Community
Establishing good rela-
tions with the land owners of each
community and inviting their assist
ance and advice in carrying out the
program is most important. In Chou
teau county each community has such
a committee whose chairman sits on
a countrywide committee. At both
local and county level, farmer partici-
patton in carrying out the program
IS sought and is being received.
If such program is to be success
full, is to be accepted, the people of
each community must have thorough
understanding of it and it's needs,
Peterson insists.
Chouteau county, as of this week,
had completed classifying of 80 of the
L26 townships in the county. The
balance of the 81 townships, for the
most part are either along the Mis-
souri, river "breaks" or are poorer
grazing lands. Classifying of town
OTIS and improvements is getting
underway in that county.
HOW TO TAX TIMBER?
One of the knotty problems facing
ounty classifying teams as we'll as
he Tax-Education group is the mat
er of classifying privately-owned
imber. Little has been done on this
n the counties to date. Information
5 that the U. S. Forest Service is
carrying out such a pro-
ram on acknowledgement timber
ands. This survey, according to
EQUALIZATION board member Winters,
ill be most helpful in setting pro-
edures for classifying non-publicly
wned timber.
The question whether privately
wned timber stands are taxed equit-
bly, as compared with other real
roperty, came up again at this
lonth's meeting Gas it has at practi-
ally all previous monthly TIE ses-
ons).
TIE member tombstone suggested
lat severance tax on timber in
cad of the current low ad valorem
TX should be given serious considera-
on.
Member Winton Weydemeyer of /
incoln county questioned whether
lie reliance should be placed on !
tax, pointing out that in {
mes of depressed market conditions, T
'unties depending on that tax for
UGH of their revenue like his 1
'unty) would be hard hit. He said !
, isn't "dead set against severance q
x" but thought his point should be Y
ven serious consideration before 8
ly recommendation is made to the r
gislature. s
C. r. Anderson, Helena, opined t
at possibly a combination of ad b
loren and severance tax would n
present the fairest method of tax a