Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-06-21
DAILY SENTINEL.
THURSDAY, JUNE q, 1877.


vIRGINIA'S LATEST TROUBLE.
Virginia City is again in trouble
about bullion tax matters. The munic-
ipal charter was re enacted at the lac
session Of the Legislature. 1t was
purely u local matter, and representa-
ttves from other counties of course
favored the measure in any shape de-
sired by the Storey delegation. 1t ap-
pears that there is a clause in the
law exempting the proceeds Of the
mines from taxation for city purposes.
The exemption amounts to about $780,
600 annually. No tax had been levied
ny the municipality on this class of
property prior to 1875, when a pro-
vision was slipped through empower.
ing the city authorities to collect one
per cent. The chief dispute, however,
relates to the manner in which the ex-
emption clause was adopted by the
late Legislature, some going so far as
TO say that tho bill was tempered with
after its passage. A private letter from
= friend at Carson demonstrates con-
clusively that this could not have been
the case. The legislative history Of
the new charter shows that the bill
was amended by a rider in the Senate
and afterwards concurred In by the
House. The rider appears in the
proper place on the face Of the en-
crossed bill and was correctly enrolled
in the copy which received the Gov
crnor's approval. Our correspondent
informs us that the bill being of a 10.
cal nature, the Governor signed it
without having it read.
II is our recollection that the bill was
so amended on the third reading by
one Of the Storey county Senators.
We remember distinctly that it was
stated on the floor of the Senate that
Sharon and other owners Of bonanzas
had not paid a city bullion tax, and it
was argued that it was but the fair
thing that the present producing
mines be exempted. At all events the
amendment was regular and undis.
guised. We believe. also, that it came
unsolicited by the mining men. The
writer remembers a conversation with
Colonel Fair on the subject. during
which the Colonel said, that while he
considered the mining tax too high he
did mo- var to see it curtailed for
municipal purposes. lie went on to
say that the city owed a heavy water
debt, and having lost all of her public
buildings, etc., by the fire of a year
ago, she was in M condition to stand a
reduction. He considered this the
wrong end to commence the correction
Of the bullion tax, the State being far
more able to stand a just equalization
Of the same. We volunteer this
information, believing that it may aid
our Comstock neighbors in arriving at
correct conclusions regarding the true
status of their new charter. We can
zee no help Tor them IN . suit vt law,
oven though the bill had been tam
pefed with. Our Supreme Court, in
the fullness of its wisdom, has already
decided that the enrolled bill, properly
authenticated, Is the law of tie land.
The constitution prescribes that every
bill shall be read three several times
on separate days. etc., but this tribunal
holds that 1t makes no difference If the
bill were not read at all or even voted
upon. All that is necessary to be done
Is to get the certificates of the officers
Of the respective Houses to the en-
rolled bill and you have a law. [See
the decision OF the Court in the case o.
Eureka vs.. Elko County.1