In the early years of the Great Depression, the agricultural industry in Montana faced financial ruin, and local Farm Bureaus hosted meetings to discuss the limited options available to their members. In Gallatin County John C. Paugh, president of the local Farm Bureau, formed a tax study committee in 1932 to compile figures in a comprehensive report designed to bolster their demands for tax relief. Copies of the resulting report were then provided to local and national political leaders in attempts to influence legislation.
The Gallatin County Tax Study report file contains a study initiated and prepared by the Gallatin County Farm Bureau, May 13, 1932. The research was done by the Farm Bureau Tax Committee consisting of W.E. Westlake, J.C. Paugh, W.H. Buttelman, W.L. Stockton with J.F. Fabrick as Chairman. The carbon typescript of the original draft of 17 pages is accompanied by the mimeographed version of 38 pages. These copies of the report are supplemented with: recommendations for change made by the Farm Bureau at their meeting of June 30, 1932 based on the results of the survey; letter of November 18, 1932 from J.M. Flint of the Star Ranch Co. to U.S. Congressman John M. Evans asking for a tax moratorium to prevent loss of ranches to delinquent taxes; reply letter of November 23, 1932 from Evans with enclosures of three printed speeches supporting decreased taxes at all levels; letter of November 22, 1932 from J.W. Anderson, secretary to U. S. Senator Burton K. Wheeler, acknowledging receipt of the same request from Flint; letter of November 23, 1932 from U. S. Senator Thomas J. Walsh acknowledging receipt of the same request from Flint; letter from Joseph P. Monaghan, attorney of Butte, pledging his help to acquire a loan from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, November 25, 1932.
This collection is open for research.
Reports and correspondence pertaining to the Gallatin County Tax Study undertaken by the Tax Committee of the Gallatin County Farm Bureau were donated to Montana State University by John C. Paugh of Bozeman, Montana in the spring of 1972.
This collection was processed 2013 March 20