The people's voice., 1959-02-06

Paulsen, Powell, Babcock, Elting,
Morrison, Kiff.
WHAT CAUSED CO-OPS?
Opponents of HB 65 limited them
selves to three speakers: Claude Gray,
Big Timber; Leo Graybill, ST., Great
Falls, and David Brian, Great Falls.
Claude Gray, noting very carefully
that he is not and has never been a
member of Farmers Union, pointed
lout that he had been president of
Montana Farm Bureau for nine years,
and that he is a director of wool
marketing cooperative and a supply
cooperative in his county.
Observing the terrible monster
proponents of the bill had built up,
Gray asked "What caused co-ops?"
Then he gave very brief review of
the farmers age-old struggle to i'm
prove their bargaining power in the
economy. Co-ops have grown, he said,
valuable tool in preserving and
strengthening the financial position
of the farmer.
Striking out at the motives behind
HB SIS, Gray asked: eff they want
fairness in taxation, why don't they
include all partnerships? -"
Contending that HB 65 is "puni-
tive measure, he said it has as its
purpose "the prohibiting of farmers
from doing business for them
selves :"
Continuing, he recalled the last
campaign and the Republican party's
being tout to get labor, to get Farm
ers Union, and to get the educa-
tors :"
This bill, he said, was conceived
in the darkness of room of poll
teal corruption and born as a re-
suit of Republican sin -
In further deploring it, he pointed
to the steadily worsening condition
of agriculture under Eisenhower
Benson farm programs (which have
forced about 40 million farmers off
the land - This amounts, he said.
''to about the same number as are
."-unemployed "who
are hungry this winter, but are get
ting no help from this Legislature via
acceptance of federal emergency job
less comp. assistance (HB ID.
Leo GraybilI stated he wasn't repre-
senting Montana Farmers Union since |
HB 65 wouldn't apply to that organi-
zation. but that he was representing |
Farmers Union Central Exchange,
Farmers Union Grain Terminal Asso-
citation, and many of the locally
owned farmer co-ops in the state.
Taking issue with assertions
made by proponents that the two
regional co-ops are "psuedo CO.
operatives, Graybill said "they are
true co-operatives in every sense
:" and that they, like the locally
owned ones have no profits.
Taking note of COP Leader Ingles
Graybill quoted from the
late Republican Sen. Robert Taft who
that the tax status of
is justified since farm
ers could only get expansion from
by the patrons :"
He also quoted from recent speech
by u. S. Secretary of Agriculture
Ezra Benson who said: 81 have little
patience with those who argue CO.
Dps do not pay their fair share of
,axes they are democracy in ac-
ion they are part of our free
enterprise system 4. self-help, too,
20 allow farmers strength to COM
pete in our economy :"
Then Graybill demanded: "Why
does the Montana Republican party
have to be out of step? :"
Asking why only farmer marketing
md supply co-ops have been singled
)ut. Graybill informed Billings res
Northwich that this bill
would do nothing to tax those compet-
tors of his who are considered mon
1rofit'' such as country clubs. vets,
raternal, and similar associations who
erve meals, etc. !"
AS for Blevins and McDonald's sup