Amador weekly ledger., 1858-01-23
These Investigations will be pursued further
Not Taxable.

Not Taxable.
The Attorney General, Mr.. Williams, has
laid before the Assembly his opinion that
there is no authority for the taxation of pos
sessory rights on lands in this State, where
the title is vested in the General Government
but of course that buildings and other i'm
provements might be taxed
We hope this will tend to quiet the people
OF the lower valleys, for the present. on the
subject Of taxing mining claims. Surely
they ought 10 be willing for the miners to re-
main on an equality with themselves If
Government Lands cannot be taxed in the
valleys how can they be taxed in the noun
tains BY what parity of reason2 "Oh!n
some will endeavor to maintain, eve believe
that the gold in the soil belongs to the State,
and therefore mining claims may be taxed.n--
Men not uufrequently will assume positions
and premises totally untenabIe, when they
have a bad cause and we think this is en-
phatically the case with those who make the
excuse we have quoted for taxing mining
claims. If the gold in the soil of the noun
tains belongs to the State, why does not also
the productive principle in the soil of the
yalieys2 The one would be as reasonable as
the other, and in neither case would there be
very much consistency with common sense.
1t must be strange ownership of land, eth
er in the mountains or valleys, that does not
embrace the valuable principle inherent in the
soil. In the mines, that principle is gold in
the agricultural districts, it is that quality of
the soil which rewards the labor of the hus-
bandman. If the General Government is the
owner Of the land either agricultural or min
era, it is, er neeessitate rei, the owner of all
that is valuable in the soil.
But if the State did own the gold in the
soil, how then? 1t would have to be found
before it could be taxed-haye to be separa-
ted from the earth---for it would be q thou
sand fold more difficult to estimate the true
value of mining claims than of growing
crops, and the agriculturalist thinks that to
assess and levy tax upon the latter would
be utterly impolitic and impractibIe Come,
gentlemen, consistency is jewel - be viii
ling to grant to Others what you demand for
yourselves. Don't attempt to oppress the
miners, and they will not be induced on any
Il
pretext to commence crusade against you.
IMPORTANT TO COUNTIES. Mr.. Chase. of
Nevada, has introduced bill in the Senate.
providing that all revenue obtained from the
sale Of liquor and merchandise licenses, of the
9th and 10th classes, shall hereafter be paid
into the County Treasury for county purpo-
ses. Such was the law until two or three
years ago, when the Legislature changed it.
To restore the former provision would greatly
relieve the counties that are financially en-
5arrassed, and nearly all of them are in that
condition The State is now much better off
than most Of the counties.
Mr.. Hancock, of Los Angeles, has intro
duced in the Assembly concurrent resolu-
ton. asking Congress to donate the mineral
lands to the State 1t was referred to the
Committee on Mines and Mining Interests,
and,if that Committee understand the true
interests of lthe miner, and desire not only to
promote his interests but to act according to
his desires, they will report adversely to the
passage of the resolution. Let the General
Government continue to own the mineral
lands. gu s