Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1879-02-25

Not long ago General ID. 4. Butler
sent q letter to the District Commission
ers in which he claimed exemption from
the personal tar laid upon citizens Of
the District ON the ground that the per-
sonal property 81 have in this District
is for my convenience and comfort
while I serve In the National Legisla'
ture. and without the possession OF
which I never would have come here"
In fact, General Butler claimed exsmp-
ton because Of his position as q Con-
gresham. The Commissioners referred
the matter to District Attorney Riddle.
and. to use a colloquial expression. sit
was nuts to that bilious official, for be
was thus enabled to pay the General
back in the sarcastic coin which was
dung at him 80 literally by the General
lately in the celebrated case OF Strong Va.
District OF Columbia, before tho
Supreme Court Of the District. Mr..
Riddle has rendered his opinion and be.
very conelusively shows that the Massa.
ehusstts lawyer and Congressman, in
attempting TO evade his tax by one OF
those
DoDoEs IN THE Law,
Which first won him his reputation a.
an astuts criminal lawyer. has not
exhibited that comprehensive know
ledge Of the statute under which the
personal tax in this District is imposed.
which he usually brings to bear when
dealing with q legal question. The
personal property Of General Butler.
which Is sought to be subjected to
personal tax IN this case. Is his horses,
carriages. furniture, ETC., and whom the
General states he pays personal tax in
another State. II Is very.evident he does
not mean to include this class Of his
property e,ceptin the way Of an evasion.
Mr.. Riddle recommends that the CON-
misioners proceed to collect the tax a.
usual, and a. Butler. in his letter, de.
clares Il to DO his intention to test the
matter in the Courts, 1t remains to be
seen whether q Congressman owning q
residence here. and personal property to
q large or small amount, can evsde the
tar imposed on other residents by
pleading his privilege rs Congressman
on the ground thai he couldn't come
here without surrounding himself with
comforts and convenisncss Of life." i.
Is to DO apprehended that in the latter
e~ventuality our Congressional Solons
would bring the entire amount Of their
personal property here. and thus secure
immunity from paying q personal tax In
any jurisdiction.
THE roErr-rIrrH coSoREss.
In q fortnight another Congress will
have passed into history, and the politi-
cal tide that tossed upon our shores the
honorables from every quarter. receding.
will have carried with 1t those worthy
members and their wives-who strutted
upon our stage awhile elstsd by "a little
brief authority"-into the innermost
recesses OF rustic ~obscurity. Among
other items which the Forty-ffth Con-
gress counts upon its credit side-on
the score Of economy. Of course--is the
diminution Of clerical force In the
departments. and reduction in the
salaries OF those retained. Just where
the economy comes In, however. Is an
enigma as yet unsolved-this wasting
Of numerous Congressional days 1.-THE
cost Of legislation having been proven
by actual computation to DO not less
than $1,000 an hour in discussing the
saving Of q few thousands by curtail-
ment Of the well. earned pittauce needy
clerks receive. and then. In an hour.
passing the river and harbor bill with
A cuEERfrL ~okSERosIrY
Ediiying to behold. thus giving away six
or seven millions Of the peoples money.
the returns Of which for the past twenty
years have ceased to be apparent. II is
stated that within the past quarter
century not less than one hundred and
fifteen millions Of dollars have been
appropriated for our rivers and harbors.
a. though the face OF the country were
o'n'
ene.Aer''oaiu. We , s..
IN, aaa 49, .n.hsSn ~ ,.nse
s,na,s - az n.s;,a'
s rh,.h hsx. -
heightened or materially improved. or
any dangerous harbor that has been
i,om ,hs rsniJs Of the 81 lawrence 10
the shifting sands OF the Missouri. or
,nat vas, waste OF %a'et.poweI .
oi the mas, nave been .implv
-,
VI u most oafc-iAceu variety IN Wn'ch
colossal CHECK" has swept over all bar
riers and even the futile ''iams'' inter.
,os., hv n. p..;s, ,.;,-
on inc contrary nave accom-
plished great good to the country in
opening up our Western world and con-
sonn,,x an .sr,h wboss fron,is, i. In ~
center. and may be regarded as q return
IN kind Tor The Credit Mooiiier; but this
,,,ei suu u III ]snni. mons sp' - =.
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