Weekly Trinity journal., 1858-01-30
Taxation Of Mining CIminrs.
OREGON GULCH, Jan. q, l

OREGON GULCH, Jan. q, 1858.
Mr.. EDITOR There is considerable excitement
In this neigbborhood about the taxing of mining
claims. Before che Inauguration of Gov. Weller,
the Democratic papers throughout the different
mining eouHties in che State were loud and Sc
we're in their denunciations of all persons in ia.
eor of taxing the miners. Since the Executive
intmated that he was in favor of uniform sys-
tenn of taxation, these papers have gracefully and
quietly "hauled in their horns,' and not word
is now said in opposition to this unjust measure.
In an article which recently appeared in San
Francisco paper, the writer asserted that if the
miners properly understood the question: majority
of them would be in favor of paying a tax, be-
cause Of the protection they would rtceive."-
What is the "protccton" alluded to? In their
primary capacity, the miners, in their different
districts, now make laws governing the size of
claims, and also the number of days that per
son may hold claim without working upon il.
know of no place in the mines where person
can hold more than one claim by pre-empton,
and in most places they are not allowed more
than one by purchase. In either case, if there is
water to work them, ten days is the longest time
that the miners can leave them before they are
liable to be seized by others. Everything like
monopoly is promptly put down in the mines
Since the first discovery Of gold in this State the
miners have made their own laws, and they still
believe themselves capable of doing it. If the
"protection' which they are to receive in consid-
Grafton of the payment Of the tax deprives them
Of the power to make their own laws, then they
will be opposed to the measure for the very rea
son ndducrd in its favor If paying tax upon
mining claim gives the owner right to work
1t when he prases and to own as many claims as
he feels disposed to pay tax upon, how long
would it be before the mines would be in the
hands OF wealthy spectators? A poor miner
would then have no chance whatever, and would
be forced to seek employment from the monopo-
lists, and receive such wages as they were willing
to give. If, on the contrary, person must com
ply with the regulations of the mines, even if he
does pay tax upon his claim, tell me then, if
you please, in what way he will be better "prC-
tectedh than he now is
The residents of the agricultural counties con-
tend that the miners do not pay their proportion
OF the expenses of the State government. If | un-
derstand the matter Alright, person who takes
up one hundred and sixty acres of farming land
upon the unsurveyed public domain and builds
house thereon, he is compelled to pay a tax upon
the building alone, and not upon the supposed
value OF the soil. He might have farm that
would yield one hundred bushels of grain to the
acre, ana yet he pays no more into the govern
ment Golfers than person who owns farm upon
barren hillside, provided the cost of the i'm
provetnents upon the two farms equal. The
'ame system of taxation prevails in the mines. A
person takes up a piece OF ground believing that
1t will pay, and accordingly he digs ditch to
convey the water, and constructs fume to carry
the gravel away from his claim. For both of
these improvements he pays tax, even if there
never was a particle of gold within three miles
and half of his claim. But this does not satisfy
the farmer. and he Insists upon the miner paying
tax upon the gold supposed to be buried in his
claim. What would the farmer say if called upon
TO pay tax upon the potatoes which it is sup
posed he will dig from his farm in the fall
The miner now pays tax upon all the gold
taken from his claim soon as it fluids its way
into his pocket, and it seems unjust to force him
to pay tax upon that which he has not, and
which there s certainty of his ever possessing.
Yours truly, DARTMOUTH.