The people's voice., 1959-02-20

buC, lib III, by I0nner and Il
other House members, didn't go dow1
without battle, without having lef
premonition of eventual doom il
the minds of the power trust lobby
lists. They did their job we'll during
the ten days PUD 217 was towering
over their heads. They managed tt
bring in several hundred protestants
including at least a hundred MPCo
employees, in addition to respectable
representation provided by their kin
dred associate, Mountain States Tel
& Tele., and others from various
fields. They fought hard. They hung
the Socialist label on the bill. They
bemoaned the loss in taxes that re-
suit if in due time Montana people
decided to stop letting the private
utilities collect taxes off them for
local, state and federal governments.
1t came as no surprise that HB
217 didn't survive the House. Only
the most optimistic of proponents
thought it would. But, in the after
math, it has become subject of
wide discussion. For sure, "them
bones gwine a rise agin".
HB PIT came on the floor with a
majority "do pass'' motion from
the 15-member House Public Utilities
Committee headed up by Rep. Tonner.
Others signing the majority report
were Eskildsen, Void, Langston,
Raundal, Harball, Bardanouve and
Reeder.
Rep. Loman (R-Lake), a commit
tee member, moved House acceptance
of minority edo not pass" report
signed by himself, Anderson, Howard.
Loughran, Regan, Haines (Prairie)
and Kolar.
The fight was on, with Loman,
who in private life is editor of the
ROMAN PIONEER and president of
the anti-public power Upper Columbia
Development Council, starting the at
tack.
The freshman legislator asserted
PIT is "step backward from democ-
racy"; that it provides none "of the
checks and balances traditional'' to
the utility industry through the Pub
lie Service Commission, the latter
whom he said 'we elect to protect"
us as citizens. Loman also said the
Securities & Exchange Commission
has no control over such districts, that
Spectators will do the controll-
ing :"
Loman also claimed that Mon
tana, without PUD, had shown a
much greater rate of growth than
Washington with PUBS, in the Pc
riod, 1947-57, and he concluded
by warning that establishment of
PUDs could eliminate large source
of taxes in Montana.
Minority Leader Gerard, castigated
he PUD proposal as blueprint for
the industry of state :"
md said it is "a scheme to fix up
he United States, dreamed up by
'ome of the professors in the thir-
les :"
Gerard also expressed alarm over
What he claimed are "the unlimited
,owers given one of these districts
:" He said the bill threatened
and that it is $50 sweep
ng and so broad'' more time is needed
o study the revolutionary proposal.
Rep. Sheehy joined the Republicans
cross the aisle in opposition, con-
ending that at least two sections of
he bill are Unconstitutional. Shee- {
y's assertion brought quick retort ,
rom Rep. Tonner that PIT chad been
RATED by one of the best constitu- t
ional lawyers in Montana :" ,
Rep. Anderson, a frequent advisor {
f the House on legal matters, con- |
ended the bill is "a hodge-podge" i
nd so complicated it couldn't "be i
ewritten during the balance of the
ession ." Anderson, who has gained {
anne for his lengthy orations, also |
hided the House for consuming time |