Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1874-01-25
OrR TOWN GOVERNMENT.

OCR TOWN GOVERNMENT.
Iu another column will be found a
communication in regard to our town
government. 1t will be set that the
writer is str nSly down on the present
organization; and i'll many points we
agree with him. Wethink some of the
ordinances passed by the Board of
County Commissioners are calculated
seriously to re;ard rather than promote
the prosperity and growth of IL
flourishing town. The ritter informs
us-and appears to speak of which he
knows-'hat the gentlemen circulating
the petition for a change from our for
MGR condition to that of the present.
Obtained signatures under the repre-
sentation tina: it was only the purpose
OF that petition to obtain greater Sc
curity against fire. to remove or prevent
nuisances and for greater police protec-
ton. Had the Commissioners re-
strained themselves in the ordinances
pissed to these objects, we believe there
would have scarcely have been a citi-
z.n who would not have upheld their
action. and lent his best endeavors to
enforce their laws. As it was, some of
the ordinances mount to almost
Il prohibition of certain kinds of BUSH
Hess; some appear to us oppressive:
one strongly V of despotism by
enacting a certain rigid rule-a sort Of
Procustean bed arrangement.
The latter ordinance, to which We
refer, is as to cylinders for stove-pipeS;
they must be just ola certain prescribed
form, Tic matter how safe another style
might be; there was no discretion left;
. and here it is worthy of remark, that
under the new Arrangement three fires
from stove-pipes have been reported
to us, one of which came near causing
widespread destruction.
The law under which the town Or
ganization was effected, we do not be-
lieve to be a wise one, in this; that it
does not permit the governed to choose
their rulers. Let us illustrate: Sup
pose our county outside of the town
should contain a far greater population
than the town itself. 1t is no violen,
supposition TO believe that at some time
a Board of County Commissioners
might be elected, not of whom
would be a resident of the town, nor
have a dollar of taxable property
within its limits; yet, such a Board, if
this law be valid, would have full
power to impose taxes, to make rules
and ordain laws, from which he or
they would be totally exempt. This
may be said to be an extreme case: but
let us suppose that Palisade should
continue to increase in population. and
business should revive with the recent
great mining discoveries in Secret
Canyon or Vanderbilt, and it became a
populous center both the northern
and southern sections of our county
could insist with reason on being rep
resented in the Board. Granting, then,
that we should be entitled to one; vet,
a majority of the Board would he on
resesiden,s and non-tax-payers of tie
town over which they We're called to
enact laws for a people with whom
they had no interests in common, and
possibly no sympathy whatever.
But, whether the law be solid or
otherwise; whether the Board should
in future, rs at present, be constituted
entirely of citizens and taxpayers: of
the town; whether the ordinance
already passed or to be passed in future
should be of the wisest and most salu-
tary character, vet we do not be-
lieve the town government will or
can he a success, from the simple
fact that it is opposed to the wishes
Of a large majority of the best
citizens of the place. This is no
Mcti0us opposition, but an opposition
founded upon due consideration and
entertained by our most substantial,
business All government is or
should be with the consent of the gov
erned; this is a fundamental principle
Of our free institutions, and this, in the
present instance, we feel certain is
lacking.
The committee appointed some
weeks ago by the citizens is still active
in the discharge OF the duties it was
called upon to perform, and is resolved
that the present form of town govern
ment shall not continue if there be a
single flaw by which the action of the
Commissioners can be set aside; but
whether they be successful in their eff
forts or not, for the former reason We
are confidant it must be ended.
THE arrest of Carrie Anderson on a
charge of mayhem created quite a
cOminotiOn in this city, and the pre-
liminary examination as we'll as the
final trial will doubtless attract a lar ce
number Of spectators, as many Of tae
eye-witnesses to the commission of the
offenso charged are not unknown TO
fame and are well up in the legal pro-