Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-12-07

mendation of the iste Grand Jury with
reference TO the County Hospital. Cold
weather is coming on, and the building
should DO made comfortable. New
furniture and bedding are sadly
svvAed. The county is ~abundantly
able to bestow upon its INDECENT sick
all proper care and attention, and 1t should
not fail to do II. It often happens that
good men are compelled, through poverty,
to go the hospital for treatment. We have
maintained a hog-pcn quite long enough.
let us treat the unfortunates, within our
gates, as though they were human beings.
THE BULLION TAX PENALTY.
Shortly after the adjournment OF the
last Legislature Of Nevada, the Bonanza
Companies Of Storey county paid the delin-
quent taxes on tho bullion product Of their
mines, which amounted to nearly $500 900.
sfhe penalty Of ten per cent. and costs Of
suit, which according to law is added to
delinquent taxes, was not collected, the
State vfficers agreeing to leave the ques-
ton Of enforcing its collection to the next
Legislature. This penalty is said to
amount TO over 500, 900, aud as the min
ing companies are amply able to pay it, it
remains with the Legislature to say wheth-
or or not it shall be collected. The plat
forms Of both parties are emphatically OPP
posed to the repeal OF the modification of
the bullion tax, and the members elect Of
the Legislature are pledged to that effect.
without modifying the law, the penalty
must be collected yet the opinion that it
will not be is quite general. 1t is almost
As certain as the meeting of the Legisla-
ture that q bill will be introduced for the
relief OF the Bonanxas, and many well-in-
formed persons express the opinion that it
will pass the Legislature, pledges and plat
forms to the contrary notwithstanding.
The foregoing is from the Silver State.
That journal falls into several errors. In
the first place, the present b~ullion-tax law
need not be touched in relieving the b.
nanzas Of the penalties due the State. The
proposition will come in the shape OF
. relief bill, having no reference what
ever to the b~uilion-tax statute as it
stands on the books. The measure will
simply aim to legalize the settlement made
by the State officials. These officers said
In terms by their settlement that they were
willing that these penalties should be
cancelled and thrown off. provided the con-
sent OF the next Legislature could be Sc
cured. No Convention alluded to the ques-
ton, and the SENTINEL was the only jour
nal in the State during the canvass to call
attention to it. 1t was the only lire bullion
tax issue before the people. Both political
parties went crazy and raved about the
bullion business, but neither touched the
true ~issue-that Of the penalties. The
Democratic party especially held that there
should be no concessions to anybody on the
bullion question, aud then went deliberately
10 work and nominated for reelection the
identical men who had done all they could
10 cancel the penalties due from the bonan-
xas. There was neither sense nor consist
ency in any Of this business. The State
had won the case in the Supreme Court of
the United States, and the collection OF the
penalties could have been enforced quite as
easily As the collection Of tho principal.
Tho judgment of the highest tribunal in
the land was for the whole amount. There
was some excuse for the Legislature Of two
years ag6. with three years Of litigation
staring the State in the face, to offer to
compromise ON the basis OF the cancellation
Of these penalties, but none whatever for
tho State officials after the case had been
won in the conrt Of last resort.
1t il pertinent here to explain how these
accumulated penalties became SO enor.
NOUS. It Is quite likely that, as . rule,
the people do not understand the subject.
The writor of this article. six years ago,
assisted in perfecting the law bearing upon
the question. The penalty for non.
payment Of taxes. by the ordinary taxpay.
81. Il Ten per cent. that is to say. that il
10 allows his taxes to become delinquent,
zen per cent. il added. The Central Pacific
Railroad had been giving the several coun-
ties, through which it passes, q great deal
Of trouble ahout its taxes. A few Of NJ
concluded that II the wealthy corporations
were going TO insist upon litigating their
taxes year after year, they should pay for
the privilege. Hence . law was framed
and passed, which provides, in substance,
that all taxpayers. whose taxes aggregate
$500 or more, having recourse to the
Courts, shall have an additional penalty Of
20 per cont. imposed upon them, making
total Of 80 per cent. 1t was under thii
Law that the bullion tax penal.
ties accumulated. The Bonanza firm
went TO the Courts to test the
constitutionality Of the b~uliicn-tax law
Pending the hearing Of the case their taxei
fell delinquent, quarter after quarter
the bullion tax being collectabls every
three months. There we're no suits, how
ever. except tor the first quarter. Til.
State has an undoubted legal claim agsinsi
tho penalties involved in the p~articulal
quarter litigated. About the rest Their,
may be some question, as tho payment fol
subsequent quarters was merely held il
allegiance pending tho decision Of thu
eourt. The 80 per cent. delinquency
however. was taxed up right along. unit
tho penalties reached something like 500,
900. The mining companies were fnall,
beaten, when, under the compromise with
the State ofioers and the local authorities
Of Storey county, above mentioned. the,
paid. all Of their back taxes, including
costs, fess the 50 per cent. due in the shap'
Of penalties accrued in the manner w
have expaaipsd. This Il the whole case
and this the matter which IL 10 claim tht
attention Of the incoming Legisisture.
THE New York papers were sold In An
nouncing the death Of James Sutherland
otherwise known ~ Senator Bob Hart