The silver state., 1880-06-11
THE BACK TAxEs AND PENALTY
ACT.

was divideds politically as follows:
Senate-Republicans seventeen; Demo
Gratis, eight; all of the latter, except
Shepherd, of Elko, having been hold
cvers, who were elected two years pre-
viously. Assembly y-Republicans, for
ty three: Democrats, seven; giving the
Republicans majority OF forty. SIX on
iynt ballot The total vote of the
State was in round number l9, 900, and
TIE Republican majority for Governor
was 495, and for Congressman 663.
The Democratic majority for Lieutenant
Governor was $50, showing that while
tee people are nearly equally divided
politically, less than 10000 Republicans
had five times the representation in the
Legislature OF over 5000 Democrats.
This was partly due to the fact that
John 2. Jones, who was a candidate
tr reelection to the United States
senate, did much for the remonetiza-
tion OF silver, and Democrats as we'll as
Republicans believed that his services
il behalf Of the mining interests of the
State entitled him to reelection. The
Legislature, which was almost exclu-
sively Republican, was pledged to re-
dUce and eaualize fares and freIghts on
railroads and to oppose any modifica-
ton of the bullion tax laws. Notwith
standing those pledges, bill was in
troduced ''to discontinue litigation
touching inequitable claims for taxes
and penalties. This title would indi-
cate that the bill was just one, and
that it applied to all penalties for de-
hnauent taxes, on bullion as well as
ether property. The body of the bill,
however, dispelled this illusion, as it
related exclusively to the California
and Consolidated Virginia, otherwise
known as the bonanza, mines of Storey
county, and did not release the poor
farmer or miner from the payment of
taxes and penalty for delinquency on
his cabin, COW, or whatever other prop
crty he might have. Suit had been
brought, and argued and submitted, for
tue taxes and penalty from the payment
Of which the act was intended to
release the owners OF the mines.
The bill was referred to a special
committee OF three, one of whom was
member of the Assembly from this
county. The committee made an able
aud exhaustive report against the bill,
yet, strange TO say, the day following
two Of the three members OF the COM
mittee, one of them a member of the
the Assembly from this county, voted
for the passage of the bill, which went
through both houses like flash and
became law. The case was appealed
to the Supreme Court, as it involved
nearly 800, 900, about $40, 600 of which
rightfully belonged to the State, and
the remainder to Storey county. The
opinion of the Supreme Court, declar-
ing the Act unconstitutional, is now
given TO the public. 1t is an able and
exhaustive paper, and terrible rebuke
to partisan Legislature, which threw
pledges overheard and passed the bill
by a decisive majority, As the case is
now remanded to the District Court of
Storey county, whose Judgment has
been reversed, with directions to over
rule defendants demurrer, the matter
may be held in allegiance until the
meeting Of the next Legislature, when
relief may be again sought in another
bill. The people of Nevada should see
that. the Legislature is not so ne-sided
as the last, and that none but reliable
men are elected. There is no good
reason why millionaires should be ex-
empted from the payment of taxes and
penalties tor delinquency which poor
men are compelled to pay or have their
o2erty sold by the Sheriff
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