Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1876-08-29
a WORD ABOUT THE BULLION
TAX.


The one issue in State politics which
stands prominent above all others and
vies i'm magnitude with that of the
| Presidential election is that of the pres
ervation ofthe existing law concerning
n tax upon the net proceeds of the
| mines. The reason for this agitation
at this time lies IN the fact that the APP
preaching election comes almost i'm
iIediately aftera series OF events whic b
seemed to indicate disposition upon
the part of the chief bullion producers
of the State to resist the operation of
! the present law. 1t is Il gratifying fact
! that they did not make the appre
hended resistance and that a just and
wise compromise was effected. Still,
the public mind is not a little agitaied
concerning the question, and it is the
duty of the press to deal with it with
that frankness and freedom from
equivOcaiion which the consideration
of so serious "A matter demands. In a
Republic like our own each citizen
holds a like attitude to the govern
ment that the associates in a ioint-stock
business operation bear toward one
another and the business in which
they are mutual Sharers of profits and
bearers of the burdens of expense.
One citizen is the full and exact equal,
I,a &c ~, Inv. .,h
each receives his full share Of the ben
efits of protection, and each, according
to his means. must bear his pro rata of
taxation. This is an underlying con-
dition OF popular government. In the
State of Nevada we are peculiarly stu
ated. The only products which we
can probably ship to market beyond
the States borders are the products Of
our mines. Whatever is grown in the |
soil of farms must find market here. |
Nothing, unless it be beef. hides and |
wool will bear the cost of transporta- |
but bullion. The saying |
is in everyone's mouth that mining il
the most hazardous business in which !
one can engage. The farmer knows,
within a reasonable scope of certainty,
ust what his land will produce
much of the merchants goods are
7alue; the mechanic and the manu-
acturer incur but the ordinary risks
# business in prosecuting their avoca-
ions; but the miner gropes in dark
less and uncertainty from the very
utset of his labOrs. And still, as we
ay, all businesses in this State de-
end, directly, upon the success of the
hines. Let the Comstock fail tomor-
DIV, and Virginia City and all its de-
endcnces would be obliterated. So s
nat, when the miner tells you that t
is business involves more financial
SKIS than any other, he does not state !,
lie whole case unless he goes further =
nd admits II 1t all businesses which
re dependent upon the success of his
share, equally with his ewn a
losen avocation, the hazards of devel .
Dments in places where No eye has h
en what is to be encount red. Out 8,
this simple statement @. = fact, then, II
to be drawn the jus: inference that p
g all. miners, merchants, mechanics, D
OCCASIONAL men, share alike the risks +,
Id perils, the good and bad fortunes, il
g prosperity and the adversely of the Il
lining enterprises which are carried %
l within our borders. This being a
he, the reason comes with redoubleG til
rec why the profits of the mines are in
legitimate an object of taxation as a
ything else that is borne npon the :.
SCISSORS books. But taxation being a "
cessary evil incident to the carrying ev
of the COVER nment, the State should w
very careful not to collect any mon wi
9, however small, in excess of the ~,
tual necessities O. the public service 81
he liquidation of just debts being OF
course included among such neces- to
les. r.