The Shasta courier., 1858-02-27
Mining VS.. Agricultural Counties.

On the 10th the bill TO restore to the countv
Treasures all of the license tax of the 9th and
10th class traders, &C., which is now equally d.
vlded between the State and the various coun-
ties, was before the Senate, and elected a very
interesting debate, in which Mr.. Garter nartici-
pated-his remarks, however, do not annear in
the Unions report. Mr. Chase, of Nevada. the
author of the bill, made most able effort in ;ts
defence. He handled its opponents with nm
gloved hands. His manner of treating tbem as
well as the puerile character of the arguments
urged in opposition, will be seen in the extracts
following. Mr.. Bell stated that the mining
counties had enjoyed all the honors and emolu-
ments of office, while the agricultural counties
paid the bills. To this Mr.. Chase thus triumph
antly responded:
Where was the authority for this statement?
1t is unfounded and unsupported in every par
ticular In looking over the history of the State
for the past eight years, from what sections
have come our Governors? Have there been
any from the mines? None. We had Burnett,
and Blger, and johnson, and now, Weler-and
none of them from the mining sections. Who
have been Judges of the Supreme Court for the
last eight years-three each year? Who are
they now, and where from Any one of them
from the mines? None Our Lieutenant Gov
ernors for the eight years past, with the excep-
ton of two years, have not been from the min
ing section. With the Secretary of State it has
been the same with the Lieutenant Governor
With the Attorney General for the eight years
past, the same. With the Clerk of the Supreme
Court the same. Has the State Printer, one of
the most lucrative offices in the state, ever been
selected from the mines? Have our Senate rs
in Congress, the highest Office in the world, ui-
less it be the President Of the United States
having vast amount of patronage to bestow-
have they been taken from the mines? No. Our
Representatives in Congress think, have been
about equally divided in their localities. Now,
what becomes of these bold assertions, that the
honors and emoluments of office had been be-
slowed upon the mines ?"
Mr.. Bell also made the assertion that the agr-
cultural counties had to foot the bills To this
Mr.. Chase responds:
"Can he find any evidence of it in the reports
of the heads of Departments ?-any authority
for it anywhere? l will take the year just clos
ed, ending the 3lst December 1857, and refer
the Senator to the Controllers report Exhibit
Y; eighteen mining counties paid S435 900
| twenty-one agricultural counties, S237 ,000-an
excess paid by the mining counties over the ag-
ricultural counties of Sl97, 900"
Again:
But we have still better evidence of til,
bearings of the present revenue law. This bill
has been in force since the first of July; and
by referring to the Governors Message, pag,
49, we shall find that, since that time, sixteer
mining counties have paid into the State Treas.
ury 1928, 900. while the twenty agricultural
| counties paid but SIP, ,000-making a much
greater dsproportion than during the year end
ing 3lst December, 1857. The excess paid by
the mining counties since the LIST of July being
Sl56000, or at the rate Of S3I2 900 a year
such excess being about half enough to support
| the State Government"