Weekly Trinity journal., 1865-02-11
Taxation OF the Mines.

EDITOR TRINITY JoURsAL Your correspon-
dent q Miner" in the issue of week before last,
informs the world that be has .:mined for live
lihood about fifteen years, and as yet has failed
to see any good reason why a miner should be
exempted from paying his share towards the
support of the Government any more than the
merchant, tradesman and farmer ?" In my opin-
ion if Miner has delved for gold one half the
number of years he says, he should many
good and sufficient reasons why the miner should
be exempted from paying unjust and oner-
Gus tax.
If your correspondent will examine the coun-
ty Assessor book he will find that the miner
pays tax to the county and State Government
upon every dollars worth of property he pos
sesses that has fixed or assessable value, viz ;
water wheels, bitches, fumes, tunnels, reser-
voirs, &c. Besides, the miner pays just as much
towards the support of the General Government
US any other individual or tradesman. In point
of fact miners paying towards the
support of the Government than the merchant or
farmer in proportion to their actual wealth be-
ing indirectly taxed upon their incomes by the
Government, and directly taxed one-half of one
per cent upon their gross receipts. If the far
mer sells five hundred dollars worth of wheat or
otter products of his land, he pays no internal
revenue duty upon it, but if the miner produces
five hundred dollars worth of gold dust from his
claim and ca rres it to the banker to sell, the
Government per centage is deducted.
tril1 tba =rici dial
act of destroying the m ming interest of the coun-
try by selling or leasing the pu bile mineral lands,
or by laying an odious and one rors tax upon the
mineral when produced, or requiring Inc miner
to pay monthly license, like a Ch. nalaan' 1or
the privilege Of mining on Governmeht laHds'
then let the fault lie at the door of the bluL der
ing statesmen that have committed it, for | an
well convinced that either one of.lhe above-nam-
ed plans for the purpose of realizing funds for
Government support will have the same effect.
If yoGr correspondent, other miners desire
to pay to Government heavier tax than is now
demanded, for Heavens sake let them pay it,
but protest, as a miner, against inviting lcgis-
lation on this subject unless it would be to as
sist and not opprcss miners. We must look to
the press Of the mining counties to speak out
loud and strong against any radical change in
our mining system. am of opinion that gov
ernments were instituted among men for the
purpose of advancing their interests and happi
ness, and not for their oppression. The wisest
governments, from time immemorial. have fos-
tered and protected, rather than retarded or dis
courged, its people when engaged in uncertain
and hazardous enterprises, where benefits are
likely to follow either to the citizen or the gov
ernment. None will deny that private enterprise
has developed and worked the gold and silver
mines the public domain. and that immense
benefit has accrued to tbs United States Govern
ment from such enterprise. Would it be just
right that the Government after sixteen wears Of
liberal and enlightened policy towards lis min
ing population should make radical change in
her system of dealing with the mining popGla-
tion of three States and half-dozen Territories?
If change there must be. let it come slow and
gradually, so We may he able to meet it and its
consequences. DElrTER.
WEAvERvILLE, Feb. 8, 06SS.