San Andreas independent., 1858-01-30
County Revenue.

casts ABROAD the 1nslnuation that the support-
ers OF the recent movement to have the coun-
ties receive the proceeds of sales from certain
classes of liquor and merchandise licenses, are
pecuniarily interested in the event of the mat
ter, we still advocate the adoption of the recon-
mendation of the Committee and we support
the change, not from any motive of that char
acter, but because we are opposed to the man
ner in which that source of revenue is divided.
We are opposed to it, because the people Of
Calaveras county demand that source of reve-
nue. to assist them in paying the debts which
have been incurred already, and assist them
in paying their officers for the onerous duties
imposed upon them by law. We advocate the
change, because our county is on the verge of
bankruptcy; our scrip worth only twenty-eight
thirty cents on the dollar, and our old
county scrip is being bought at auction by the
County Treasurer, under the law because The
citizens of our county forced to sit on
juries-both Trial and Grand-at a great ex-
pensc to themselves, to say nothing of the loss
of time, for which they receive the useless and
almost worthless county scrip. Because our
county officers are forced to take it as an
equivalent for their time and the money they
are necessarily compelled to expend. Because
the credit of the county is so poor that county
buildings and county expenditures are made
at great sacrifice to our county, and because
the builders, in the one instance, and the cred
itors in the other first make their calculations
at cash prices and then double them.
We can hardly expect that the measure will
be supported by the journals of the cities
It i sss,s = hssalways been their endeavor
to drive the mining counties, asfar as possible
to the payment Of this enormous State debt
This is all the excuse now offered--pay the
State debt Who pays the State debt? Do
we not assist, Mr. Union, as well as the cities
and counties bordering on the rivers and bays
of the State We do not propose now to in
sist that the cities of the State are in a great
measure responsible for the debt they are so
anxious to have paid but we think that if
the good citizens of the cities, and the editors
of city papers had heretofore manifested
greater desire for the success and prosperity
'of the mining counties, and less anxiety for in
creasing the wealth of their cities by Legisla-
tive appropriations, the taxes they now dread
so much would not have become a necessity.
And now they seek to take away a portion of
the revenue of the mining counties. We say
mining counties, and speak of the revenue as
being taken more especially from them, be-
cause almost all the sales of merchandise in /
the mining counties come under the ninth |
and tenth classes, but where there is an ex-
ception, the license runs up to large amount.
In opposing the proposed amendment, the
Union of the 26th inst, with the usual haste
and inconsiderateness attendant upon a hasty
advocacy or prejudieed argument, has made
q great mistake. The mistake, however, is
small but it shows to what an extremity it
is driven for argument, and coming from the
candid and independent Union, it is more ap-
parent Now, for the sake of our position, we
do not care whether the State has had to pay |
for the blank licenses, "the express charges
for sending them to their destination, and all
necessary clerk hire connected Herewith. -
If such has been the course pursued by our
officials, it is only another instance of their
carelessness; or perhaps the State Printers sit
uate in cities have had finger in the pie
The law of 1854 OF which the Union speaks,
and to which we direct attention (see COM
piled laws page 7o4, sec. SD, reads as fol-
lows:
BLANKS for State licenses shall be fur
nished by the Controller of State, but if not
received by the Auditor when necessary to be
used, may, as well as those for county licen-
ses, be procured by the Auditor at the expense
of the county; but the cost of the State blanks
shall be allo,ced to the county on final settlement
,cith the Controller
If officers have neglected to read the law,
ale we to answer for it? Does the above sec
tion authorize the Controller to procure any
ses or, to employ clerks, or to pay express
age for any other?
But grant that the State has procured al the
licenses, paid all the expressage, &C., and that
it was so required by law. Is that any argu-
ment why we should not be permitted to have
this source of revenue? If that be an argu-
ment could we not, with the same logic, IN
sist that we should have it because our Conn-
ty officers have heretofore collected the State
portion of revenue arising from these licenses,
and paid it over to them with no other remu-
neration for their travelling fees, time, &c,
than the per cent. allowed them for collecting
and disbursing-we believe, the pitiful sum OF
three per cent? Nol The act of 1854 is a
very good act; and the only reason for the
change in the number of classes, was because
the merchants and wire-workers of the cities
sought it, because but few of the merchants in
the cities who pretend to do anything like a
wholesale business, make an average ofmonthly |
sales, less than $4,000, for which, under the
law OF 81, they had to pay at least SIS; and
this went to the State-aH of it, But under |
the new law they need pay only Sl5-halt of
which, only goes to the State and because |
tne city counties San Francisco, |
iuoa and San Joaquin, are greatly benefited
py the change. The citizens of these counties