Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1879-02-25
THE QUESTION OF TAXATION,

We insist upon it that the greatest question
that the Legislature is called upon to deal
Nth il the question of Taxation, direct and
Indirect Anything which affects the general
public In regard Of it's essential industries by
burdening the same with any neediessly
heavy loads is a tax. Thus as We have held
and explained in previous discussions, the
charges maintained by the railway companies
doing business in this State are to be regarded
in the light Of an indirect mode of taxation
upon Ill classes of our people and upon every
kind and method of industry. 1t is, there
fore, q question of the very first Importance :;
Are the reasons not immediate, urgent and
imperative why this species of tax should be
Eghtened by appropriate legislation
The great industry of the State is mining.
Let our mines be abandoned and the State
must elapse into its aforetime condition of an
unpeopIed wilderness, The red man would
resume his title to the lands of his forefathers
And yet, while we exact of the mining
companies of the State an I'D ualorem tax
upon their profits "a kind of tax We do not
exact of any other interest) and while it Is
true that we demand of each and every miu-
ng company doing business within our Dor
ders a quarterly statement of its minutest
affairs with regard to the bullion product),
we have permitted the railways to virtually
fix their own rate of assessment, and have
never yet taken etfectual steps to compel them
to make even yearly exhibit of their trans
actious.
Now 1t being an end desirable of attain
ment that mining should be encouraged and
fostered by the State, and it being q further
fact that on the Comstock lode, with it's vast
eXtent and most expensive methods and
means of working, there Is not at present one
single dividend paying mine, Is it not the
part of wisdom for the Legislature to deal
with this question of direct and indirect taxa
ton in a manner to relieve, far possible,
this paramount aud essential industry from
any hamperlng endorsements to which it
may at present be subjected For example,
if the rates of railway transportation are I'M
iusti6ably high, causing the materials which
are Indispensable to the working of the mines
20 be subjected to cost which practically
bars prospecting IN some directions and Grip
pies the entire industry in others, is it not the
duty of the Legislature to pass a Law restrain
ing the common carrier" of it's rapacity?
Further, the reduction OF taxation being
the question of the hour, concerning all
alike, and mining being the industry most III
need of encouragement and protection, does
not the question of Back Taxes as presented
In Senator Schultz's bill assume a most i'm
portsnt attitude2 We think it does. As before
stated, not any mine on the Comstock is
paying dividends to its stockholders But
= very small proportion are paying current
expenses All at once the stockholders III
these mines are confronted with the depress-
ing danger of suits at Law to compel the pay
ment of certain alleged arreas in taxes amount
ing to not less than one million and a half of
dollars. Very naturally the mining compan-
les, finding themselves thus assaulted in the
name of the tax-gatherer. come to the Legis-
lsture asking relief. We believe that they
should have the relief thus prayed for The
State under prudent management, has enough
and to spare In its treasury. Taxation is but
. necessary evil at best 1t is the part of
wisdom as we believe, for the commonwealth
to waive its equities where it can do so with
out inflicting any injury, especially when by
90 doing it can relieve it's citizens of the pay
ment of taxes which, if paid into the public
treasury would only swell the volume of
needless hoardings-a surplus over all present
or prospective necessities 1t is consistent
then, with the general movement toward
. reduction of our taxes direct and in
direct, that the bill which looks to the arrest
of the general onslaught upon the Storey
county mines in the shape of back taxes and
penalties should receive the most considerate
action of the Legislature. 1t is the sort of
Relief Bill which commands our heartiest
sympathy. The mines of our State have been
the scapegoat of demagcgues and the prey of
petttoggers quite long enough.
HARTOWS PRINTING, RITZ