Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-23
THE PROPOSED MODIFICATION
OF THE BULLION TAX.

OF THE BULLION IAN.
In the summer Of 1876 the Bonanza
Firm, 50 called, took the initiatory
stems 70 resist the collection Of so much
Of tax Is was duo from them to the
state and to the county of Storey, un-
der the law taxing the net proceeds OF
the mines. The differences arisins:
from this movement on the part OF the
Bonanza people were adjusted, tempo
rsrily, or were in the way of adjust
ment, when suit was brought. by one
Forbes, a stakeholder in the Con. Nir-
ginia Company. in the u. $. Circuit
Court for this District to pre- ent the
payment of the said tax. This suit Is
now in the U. $. Supreme Court await
ing decision. the incidents and tech
uical nature of these suits are not nee
essarily relevant to the statement of
this case. Suffice it to say that this
unfriendly treatment OF the law by
Nessrs. Mackey & Fair and associates
was enough to awaken the apprshen-
SONS of tho people and tax payers,
and that in their alarm. they took
special pains to exact pledges from
their political representatives in pri-
mary meetings and conventions, not
only to prevent the repeal Of the ex-
is;ing law, but, also, to prevent mod
iflcation of the same. The APPEAL.
was the first paper in the state 70
sound the alarm. II was reechoed by
almost the entire press OF the state.
When the conventions met,the Demo-
Gratis and Republicans outvied one
another in the exaction Of pledges i,
the direction indicated. Particularly
were the Legislative nominees to the
Assembly from Ormsby county bound
by resolution to oppose all changes III
the law. And SD the matter stood
when the Legislature met. Now for
brief survey Of the present attitude OF
affairs:
There is an amount Of delinquent
taxes due from the Bonanza firm on
account Of suits referred 10 above, ap-
proximating sSOO,OOO. They now come
to the Legislature and make the pro-
position to pay into the State Treasury
and the Treasury of Storey county
these moneys and withdraw all oppo-
sition to the collection of taxes levied
against them in future, if the existing
law is modified in some particulars.
This proposition involves these con-
alterations, namely:
First, which Of two policies is it best
TO pursue: The adherence to the pres
ont law and the enforcement or the at
tempted enforcement Of the collection
OF the taxes tied up in the U. 5. Court,
or the acceptance Of the proposed
terms Of compromise?
Second, Can any Legislator. pledged
to resist repeal or modification, release
himself or be released from his Pied
yes in order to comply with his con-
yictions of the wisdom of making this
compromise?
The question, apart from all feeling
or all considerations of the right or
wrong of the subject. is simply whether
it is cheaper to accept the terms Of this
compromise and thus Immediately re-
plenish the depleted State Treasury
and relieve the greatly distressed II
nances of Storey county. or borrow
two hundred thousand dollars and pay
interest upon the same for term OF
years and, by and by, pay back the
principal. If we accept the moneys
pro ffered by the Bonanza firm we
agree to make a modification Of the
revenue law. But we shall not have |
to pay back these moneys; and if the
modified law proves bad one we can,
in two years from now, repeal it and
reenact tho old one. Furthermore, If
we do not accept these terms, our |
taxes instead Of being reduced, will
have to be increased. In fact, to COM
promise is to place the taxes at IS cents;
while to decline to make the compro-
miss is to set the tax at 100 cents.
As to Storey county: The financial
condition there is one of grievous dis
tress. What with the Virginia city |
fire and the suspension of the source
of revenue from the mines, caused by
these suits, they are we'll nigh ruined.
Cannot Ormsby county and tho rest OF
the State do the generous thing, once
more. to relieve these sufferers? Ac-
cord ing to the showing made in the
APPEAL of Wednesday, this act of
generosity would really be a present
advantage to the State.
As We have before stated, this is
merely and simply question of State
Policy, aud not in any sense a matter
feeling, passion or preju-
dice. Tho only question is, which is
the cheaper, and therefore the wiser,
plan to pursue?
And now, as to the matter of Pied
ges. The writer, as his friends and