The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1864-04-30
The Mines to be Taxed.

In the California Legislature no question
has ever been met with more fierce opposi
ton than proposition to tax the Mines
In one form and another the proposal has
been frequently made, but the majority has
always been largely against taxing directly
the product of the mines.
The continuance of the war, upon the
grand scale of expense upon which it is con,
Quoted, has convinced all thinking men that
sooner or later every thing taxable must
come within the reach of the national reve-
nue. laws to prevent fatal and early collapse
in Government finances. Congress has BUSH
ed its brain to provide revenue, as far as pos
sible by indirect taxaton-the least obec
tionable of any, for the reason that it comes
gradually in the enhancement of articles Of
consumption, without bringing the tax
gatherer personally to every mans door,
Direct taxes have been limited as far as pos
sible. Although the rev enue derived by the
modes provided has been large, it has fallen
far below the estimates of the Treasury De-
partment, while the expenses have greatly
exceeded the same, as witness the Offering OF
deficiency bill in Congress of over $780,,
crease Of revenue, hence Congress must wi
den its range Of taxable objects.
At the East longing eyes have for several
years been turned toward the gold fields of
the Pacific coast, as furnishing the snews of
war to the relief Of those sections Of the
country not favored with the precious ores.
But until now the earnest representations of
the Pacific coast members have prevented the
consummation of this project. The exgen-
cies of the Treasury however can no longer
tolerate acquiesence to the prevailing sent-
ment Of gold and silver miners, and Com
gress comes with sweeping hand to take
toll from the precarious product of the mines.
The telegraph assures us that an amendment
has been N ade to the tax bill $50 that duty
of five per cent. shall be imposed on gold
and silver produced from quartz mines, from
beds of rivers, from earth or in any other
manner"
Five per cent. is pretty strong tax for
the hard working miner to pay. Five dol
lars out of every hundred be extracts from
his claim will 90 into the hands of a new
army of collectors that will be required
How many miners, after deductng the work
ing expenses of their claims will have a sur
DIuS OF 0Vo dollars l6IL on edCu uuuuIeI Win
which to pay this tax. Hardly majority,
we think.
AS to the effect of this tax on mines the
future will show. That it will be very dis
couraging, we do not doubt-apd will GER
tainly check prospecting that has been so
hopefully and earnestly carried on. 1t will
give Washoe an ague shake, and scare Wild
Cat stocks out of all propriety. Gold and
Curry, Ophir and other productive mines
can stand the pressure, but their figures will
hardly quote so high in the Stock Exchange.
But the miner who deves in some nearly ex-
hausted ravine or placer, making barely wal
ter money and board bill, and frequently
failing in that, what of him! That five per
cent will be loadstone about him, that will
lessen the vigour of bis nervous arm, and
entirely discourage the hope that is already
too frequently chilled by disappointment.
But the evil hour is at hand. The taxation
of the mines will soon commence, and no
man can say that thereafter they will be
freed from the burden.