Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-05-14
LEGISLATION ABOUT MINES.


eifc Coast. The most absorbing is of course,
"the war" That, certainly, is paramount
in importance to all things else. The other
great theme is the proposed tax on the pro-
ducts ofthe mines. Upon this subject, every
person has word to say and an opinion to
advance. 1t is well. Let the subject be
thoroughly ventilated and let Congress and
the President hear the views of those most
directly affected by the proposed legislation.
Nearly every one Of our exchanges has ex-
patiated upon the subject, and from time to
time, whenever We have noticed the advance
ment of any new idea upon the point, we
have quoted it in our columns. The latest
article touching upon the matter is IN the
Sacramento Bee, which, taking the proposed
tax for a point of departure, sails Oft into
matters rather foreign to the point in queS-
ton and into notions with which we are not
disposed to fully coincide. Still, the Bee is 4
sensible paper and represents in part min
ing State, and its views are entitled to con-
sideration. The article in question is as fol-
lows:
The proposition made in Congress 20 tax i've
per cent on the gross proceeds of the mines has
provoked considerable discussion throughout this
State and Nevada Territory. OF course in this
discussion ali parties run into extremes. Some
contend that ths proposed tax would be Just,
others that il would be ruinOuS. We, ourselves
doubt the benefit or policy of levying tax rs
proposed. but we do not doubt that some sort Of
tax coupled with regulations that would insure
TO the miner possession Of his bona JADE claims
prove highly beneficial 10 the miners themselves,
a. well rs productive OF moderate revenue 70
the Government.
Owing 10 the lack of uniform governmental
regulations for the mines, in times past and pre-
sent our mines have been worked to the great.
est disadvantage. Generally the first few lOca-
tors in a district have made regulations for such
district the Courts have recognized such reGu-
larions ~ law but they have never been uni
form. and never has there been established a pro-
per system for keeping record of mining claims
by which the rights and possession of a miner
could be correctly defined. As consequence
litigation has been rife in all Our mining districts
from the commencement of mining operations
down TO the present, and il IS safe 20 say that
owing to the lack Of proper and uniform rrgula
tons the mining population Of this State and
Nevada Territory has been from inst to last,
unnecessarily taxed ~ least S2O,OOOOOO in the
shape of expenses for litigation. a proper sys
could have been maintained during that period
for StO,OOO0OO by the Government with profit TO
itself and by such system all the expensive
litigation would have been avoided, and the
working miners would have gained, in the aSSre-
gate SO. OOO.OOl The litigation taxes TO which
our miners have been subjected. As calculated
above may be set down direct taxation
money actually paid out Of pocket and do not
include the loss of time and labor IN watching
jumpers, dancing attendance on courts, law
yerS, SC.
..If the Government. which undoubtedly owns
the mines and has a RICH. 10 control them, would
establish careful and cheap license system, I'M
der which the recording of claims and the preser-
walton Of the records should be provided for, il
would realize some revenue, and the miners would
be greatly benefited The tax gu the proceeds
of the mines should be only shat now levied in
the shape of Income Tax"
Now, the foregoing starts off admirably,
but before the first paragraph is concluded
there appears to US an objection. That "some
sort Of tax" might be borne BY the miners,
without any great amount Of grumbling, is
possible, 1--WE are not very sure about that, but
admit it for the present. but that it would
"would prove highly beneficial we are in
clined to think they would fail to (" See" The
regulation" which our friend would have
" coupled" with the tax in order to produce
the beneficial result, is the license system re-
ferred to in his last paragraph. That IS the
point at which we are perfectly clear the mi
ners will most decidedly and emphatically
kick. The prospecting Of unknown grounds
in search of precious metals is a hazardous
business, requiring an inevitable outlay of
time, money and labor, with decidedly I'M
certain prospect of any return therefor. To
enter upon this risky trial, requires, even
now, considerable fortitude, determination
and nerve, without surrounding and hedging
it in with any more expenses, obstacles and
difficulties. slack of uniform Govern
ment regulations for the mines" is not nor
has it been source Of any grievance to the
mining population. A uniform system of
regulations that would be applicable to all
mining districts is something that it would
be an utter impossiGty to frame. The regu-
lations made by the miners of the several
districts, have been such as have been adapted
to the peculiar characteristics of each district,
and, being recognized BY the Courts, have
answered the same purpose, and much more
economically and satisfactorily than would
any code framed BY any set Of Eastern Con-
gressmen that would be likely to be intrusted
with the matter. The estimates in figures,
so easily and glibly scrubbed off by the editor
in round numbers, are matters Of the broad
est guess-work, for which the writer has no
basis save his own imagination. The idea
that if we had had from the outset lot Of
blood-sucking, knOw-nothing Federal othcers,
imported from the Eastern States ike other
Territorial functionaries, to boss the location
of claims for this people, would have totally
dispensed with all necessity for Courts and
prevented all conflict of titles, is drawing 1t
rather too strong. We never yet saw any
attempt at legislation upon mining matters
in California, that exhibited any evidence of
knowledge upon the subject matter, or which
tended in the least toward anything like
beneficial result to the miner. The people
never needed il there, nor do they demand it
here. In this country Of rock, sand, sage
brush, and holes in. the ground, the people
are as patriotic as elsewhere. They are loyal
to the Government, but the less they see of
its officials, the better it suits them; and
nine out of every ten of those who read the
article we have quoted from the Bee will unite
in declaring most emphstically that "the edi-
tors head is not level on the mining question"
LEcrURE.-On Monday evening next Miss
Emma Hardinge delivers lecture at Odd
Fellows Hall, in Gold Hill. The subject