Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-11-28
THE COUNTY aufsTioN- 6oN-
6OIlOATt0G, ETC.

died away without accomplishing any
thing, but is showing signs OF Vitali'y
once more. Several newspaper articles
have appeared upon the subject and the
figures, showing the terrible condition OF
Affairs, have been presented. In our last
Fridays issue Cosmos made a show
ino of these figures, and offered certain
suggestions. To this letter the Enterprise
made answer Saturday morning with con-
siderable acrimony.
In discussing this matter, let us "go
slow" 1t is a matter of dollars and
cents, interesting directly every tax
payer, and indirectly every inhabitant of
the county. There is no use in becoming
wrathy about it. The citizens of Storey
county, whose affair this is, are presumed
to possess ordinary common sense, fair
share of sef-respect, and very probably
the usual amount of sef-conceit. They
can, by fair reasoning and argument, be
convinced of the correctness of any reas-
enable proposition, but we do not belive
they can be brow-beaten into anything. Let
US see, first, what is the evil complained
Of; and secondly, the plans proposed for
the abatement of that evil. The evil COM
planned of is enormous taxation at pres
emit, and the daily accumulation OF debt
which threatens to increase that taxation
to an uncomfortable extent. According
to the figures of Cosmos" the debt Of
the county is about $S04,o00; that OF
Virginia, about 100000; and that Of
Gold Hill, about $40, 000-a total of over
half a million. The county debt is in
creasing at the rate of over one thousand
dollars day. This is what is the matter.
Now for the remedy. The plan generally
known by the term Of consolidation" is
the Virginia plan. 1t had its origin there
last winter, and We recognize in the edito.
rial in Saturdays Enterprise the "sign "
of the gentleman with whom we conversed
upon the subject year ago. The ICON
soidation idea is this. There are now
within the limits of the county three cor
porations-the County, Virginia and Gold
Hill. These require, of course, three dis
tinct sets of officers to be paid. The ar
gument of consolidation is, that by
consolidating the whole into one corpora
ton, under one set of officers, the amount
of salaries to be PAID would be greatly re-
duced. That is a plain proposition
enough, and is good argument as far as
it goes. 1t does not 60 far enough. 1t
has not been the amount paid away in
salaries that has reduced the county to its
present desperate financial condition it
has been gross Encouragement. If every
dollar that has been paid for salaries were
deducted from the present debt, it would
still present figure that would be scan
dial upon the administration of affairs.
To make this saving in the matter of sala-
ries is the only object to be attained by
" consolidation" There are arguments
against consolidation to which We
shall allude presently. To return to the
letter of Cosmos" and the answer which
it evoked from the Enterprise. Zoos
mos presented two propositions for the
consideration of the public, and to bring
out discussion. They were as follows:
First Proposition-To destroy the present
county organization, excepting so far as the
Judicial District goes, then form an incor-
poration of City and County of Gold Hill,
and City and County Of Virginia, (making
Virginia a present Of our interest in the
County Jail and County HospitaD. Gold
Hill paying her pro rata Of the county debt,
which pro rafa can be had from the assess
ment roll.
Second ropoSition-Virginia to give Gold
Hill equal representation. or say Board of
Supervisors Of two from Virginia, one from
Flovery, two from Gold Hill, and one from
American Flat. Virginia, BY special tax, to
take care Of her own Fire and Police Depart
nent, and Gold Hill the same, and each to
pay their own debt
These propositions "raise the dander
Of the Enterprise, and it comes back on
hem with broadside of wrath. 1t says:
"The absurdity of the first proposition
need not be pointed out. 1t amounts simply
10 proposed division Of the county by legis-
ative enactment, and the selfish insinuation'
that Gold Hill could get along very well with
the expenses Of county organization wereit
not for the extravaganza Of Virginia. This
is not the proper spirit in which to meet
looking to the general relief Of
the county"
We viii pass by the general sweeping
charge of "absurdity," with the simple
admission that we don't see it in that
light. With regard to the "segfsh" charge,
we have a word to say. We will remind
our contemporary that this is simply and
purely question of dollars and cents.
There is no great principle of patriotism,
of religion, of human progress, or even of
common charity involved in the question.
1t is simply the hard and unromantic fact
of tar-paying, that is before the people of
Gold Hill. When you come to talk about
" consolidation" the only question that
arises in the minds of people living out
side the city limits of Virginia is, I" shall
we reduce our taxes by this measure !"
" Just that and nothing more "-quoth the
Raven. If they find that SO far from re-
ducing they increase that taxation, and,
so finding, object to the proposition, the
term selfish" which usually conveys ap-
probrium, is unjust. 1t is simply self
preservation and justice to self.
Concerning the second proposition of
Cosmos" the Enterprise is equally Sc
we're. It says: ....-
The second proposition refers TO an actual
consolidation Of the city and county govern
ments, but hampers the suggestion with an