The Shasta courier., 1858-01-02
Taxing the Miner. pro.pect.

tnis question at lengtn, and although we have
carefully perused all that has since been written
by the mercantile and cow-county presses in
favor of the equity and expediency of the pro-
posed tax, we are now but the more earnestly
convinced of the iudestructibility of the posi-
tions then assumed.
The Constitution provides that all property.
shall be taxed. The mining counties are less
apt to attempt notification of this fandamen-
tai law, than are those very mercantile commu-
mites that SO bitterly and untruthfully as
serting that they paying more than their
equitable proportion of the revenue for the sup
port of governmet. The mining counties have
never raised the standard of revolt against the
"powers that be- and tramped all legal au-
thority beneath their feet The mining counties
have never spit upon the constitution and
thrown filth upon the dignity of the State.
Unlike the glib-tongued merchants of the cities,
who are zealously urging the taxing of min
ing claims, they have never forgotten for a mo-
ment that California had an cscutcheon to be
preserved from the polluting touch of dishonor.
Hence they voted to pay the State Debt Hence
they will make no opposition to the taxing of all
property-property in existence, not in prospectire
The miner will never refuse to pay taxes upon
what is really property. If he is in possession
of a good prospect, however, and you attempt to
tax that, he will say nay" most emphatically,
for he knows, from experience alas how apt
these good prospects, like 'cloud castles" are
to dissolve into exceedingly thin air. His
Gsxro oil, a. l11I.-
from a claim, just when the Assessor visits him,
may be fattering, and yet the claim, after a
weeks work, may prove perfect failure. How
unjust then to make him pay taxes upon its es-
timated value? When the gold is taken from
the claim, he pays taxes upon it, and willingly.
Before he has it, however-while it is yet in the
ground, if it exists at all-he objects to pay for
it. In short he says it is unjust to tax the mi
ner's prospeet--we say it would be dishonest to
do so. How would the farmer like to have his
prospect taxed? His growing crop is his
prospect" 1t may prove valuable, and it may
prove an utter failure. If it natures, he pays
taxes upon its value. If blight comes upon it,
however, and it is destroyed, it escapes taxation.
Would it be just to estimate the value of his
growing crops, and tax them whether they ma
tured or failed? No. Neither would it be right
to tax the miners claim-his "prospectn-his
"growing CROP" which may yield gold, and may
yield only sand.
We are pleased to observe that the S. F. Ar
gus, which, short time since, rather favored
the taxing of mining claims, has recently with
drawn from that position. 1t now asserts its
opposition to taxing labor, and believes that
revenue may be raised by modes other and more
equitable than that of taxing the " miners pros
pect 1t says:
On looking back at the amount of gold ex-
ported from this port for the present year,
find that there has been manifested upwards of
forty millions. Could not this be taxed ,? Could
not the provisions of the Stamp Act passed last
winter and which is said to have worked WELL
be made to apply to this export?
Now, here is suggestion worthy of the con-
sideration of Legislators. Amend the q Stamp
Tax" law so as to embrace the export of all
treasure,* aud amount of revenue may be
raised, without the community feeling it, that
will astonish the people. During the months of
November and December of the past year, the
sum of S9,355,992 SO was shipped from San
Francisco to the world at large. A tax of one
fourth of one per cent. upon this immense sum
would have yielded to the State upwards of
Twenty-three Thousand Dollars Say the ex-
port of gold for the year s5s will be fifty mil
lions. A tax of one-fourth of one per cent.
upon that amount would add to the revenue of
the State the enormous sum of one hundred and
twenty-five thousand dollars.
Here, then is way that the members from
the COW counties and mercantile communities
may, to some extent, find relief from the burden
of taxation, without imposing tax upon the
hopes of the miner.
A portion Of section 10, Art. l, T. S. Con-
stitution, reads follows: No State SHALL
without the consent of Congress, levy any i'm