Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-03-18
THE MAMMOTH MINE TAX.

THE MAMMOTH MINE TAX.
On Friday we promised that in ad-
dition to our clear showing Of a surplus
in the State Treasury, over and above
necessary demands for the next two
years, arising and to arise from existing
Revenue laws, We would exhibit the
fact that the proposition Of His Intelli-
gency and council to tar our mines
anew, would prove a disastrously bur-
densome levy. We received the %juuta's
bill, which was introduced into the AS
sembly on Friday, and from which we
can make positive and unchallengable
calculations as to amounts and effects
from such q tai law as His Intelligency
desires, and intends to ''put through
the Legislature, if he IAN. The Bill is
published entire in our paper to-day,
and should receive a careful reading by
all our citizens. It is constructed, so
far as it is new, by those remarkable
statute-architects, Beatty and Wells. It
bears, in several singular sentences, the
uudoubted, copyrighted Mother Goose
isms Of that ~vernacular. For instance:
GAS particularly as practicable etc.
l"Ps,er Piper picked a peck Of pickles"l
It will be observed that this
BILL PROVIDES
For a n and one-qusrter (lf) per cent.
tax, for State purposes, on the gross
proceeds of mines, counting out only
the cost of handling and milling. (No
allowance whatever for %eItrscting.) A
like levied tax, but Of n and oue-half
per cent, is expressly provided for on
behalf of the counties. This aggregates
two and three-fourths (2a) per cent.
Then, it is conceded on all hands, the
respective municipalities may come in
and claim their special levy-(one and
th~ree-fourths per cent. in this town, and
one per cent in Virginia city, say one
per cent. Then you have three and
,hree-fourths mine tax in Storey. This
would mount up a tax Of not less than
1884, 900 per annum on the mines of
Storey! Can any n imagine for one
moment that Storey mines can bear this
tar? Must shut up shop; or reduce
wages, largely, Of present workuen Z; or
| Chinese labor will be substituted. One
Of these three results comes with Bias.
Bill in force. No getting around it.
Eighty-two thousand dollars would
be the proportion Of State ta1-of reve-
nue-under this Bill. And this, when
il cannot be skorn that q dollar more Of
revenue is needed than is now provided
for.
The Bill is, in one or two sections,
essentially inquisitorial and is subject
to all the obvious objections which
legitimstely spring up against such a
kind of measure. But this is a mere
incidental mention.
If this Bill be passed, and enforced,
Gold Hill and Virginia city would soon
fall below the dignity Of an ordinary
Mexican hacienda. Its enactment, and
enforcement, would serve pretty effectu-
ally to strike the man "white" out Of
this little county.
And not only at-preseut develop
ing mines will be disastrously affected,
but new mining counties will be made
to feel the sternly repressive or oppres-
sive power Of the levy-statute.
The thought, however, uppermost in
the minds of "outside" members-mem-
bers of the Legislature from milk-mine
couuties-we are told, is to calculate
and vote on what "can DO got" from
the "Comstock Ledge"
1t does not seem to US within the
bounds of possibility, that the Legisla-
ture will do our County in particular,
and the State in general, so eminent an
injustice as to pass this Bill. Aud that,
too, when there is not the slightest real
need for any change whatsoever in our
existing Revenue Laws. Yet, there's
no telling. His Intelligency claims to
have a full working majority in the As
sembly, pledged for the Bill including,
we are compelled to say, several of our
own delegation. Evidently there is to
be a hard fight made over it. The Gov
ernor is determined on securing an over
flowing Treasury, for purposes-best
known to himself; but tolerably we'll
understood by men who have an actual
acquaintance with him.
$50, 900 State tax 1854, 900 annual
aggregate tax on Storey County mines
As Mr.. Tritle writes US: "Bet.er dress
our mills and hosting works in mourn
ing I"
But His Intelligeucy says he must
hare such a Bill as that printed to-day
must have it passed. Will the represen-
tatives of the people grievously, ruin
ously burden our communities, at His
.Iu.elligency's nod? We hope not. We
trust not.
Nor ONE DISTINCT SrArEXlNr.-In his
Message" His Iutelligency does not
present any tabular statement Of lack
ings, wants, or proper legislation. He
has no real showing Of a deficiency in
present laws; and his ideas, or those Of
his junta, of particular legislation are
given to individuals and to ~caucuses.
Il would be an undoubted error to say
or intimate that he himself has any
ideas, outside of a desire to have and
handle much.
SENATOR NELSON is not, as has been
enormously reported, q member Of the
Committee Of Ways and Means in TIE
Senate. There is not a member Of that