The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1882-12-16
WHITE PINE NEWS
SATURDAY. DECEMBER 16, 1882
The Quvstion os the Day.

affairs Of the Nevada State govern
ment is, in the opinion of the Reno
Gazette, more apparent every day.
Nevada is a State with less than $4,000
inhabitants, and she has only S27, OOO,-
900 in taxable property. The Cover
nor gets a salary Of $4,000 per year
and his Private Secretary will take
down 81, 900 per annum after January
1st. The salary of the Lieutenant
Governor will amount to $40 per diem
during the session OF the Legislature
and Si4 per diem when the Chief Ex-
ecutive is out OF the State. The Clerk
of the Supreme Court will receive
80, 400 per annum. The Secretary of
State receipts for $3.50 per month or
50, 900 per annum, while his deputy
gets $4,000. The Controllers salary
Is SO. 900 and he is allowed a deputy
at 81, 200. The Treasurer gets the
same, while his deputy receipts for
$4,000 every year. The Attorney-Gen-
eral gets $4,000. The Surveyor-Gen-
eral is allowed SO, 900 and a deputy at
go, 900, and it has been the castom to
allow that officer from 81 900 TO 81
900 per mum for extra clerical work.
The Superintendent of Public insiruc-
ton is allowed $1,000 per year and
the State Printer 81, 000-aggregating
in the neigborhood Of S36 900 per an
mum. Cannot the pruning knife OF
reform be utilized to good advantage
and not impair the efficiency Of our
government and lop off twenty five or
thirty per cent. ofthat expense? Why
cannot the Governors salary be re-
duced to $4,000 and still obtain the
services of a good man; and why can
not he get along without a private Sec
rotary If he should be allowed a clerk
during the session OF the Legislature?
Is there any reason why the Secretary
of State cannot act as ex-officio Sur
veyor-General, II he is allowed a good
deputy? Why cannot the useless
Office of Lieutenant Governor be abol-
ished? The Controller and Treasurer
can get along with one good clerk be-
tween them. Why cannot the Clerk
of the Supreme Court act as ex-oficlo
Superintendent of Public instruction
and not neglect the duties of either
office? The changes we have sug-
gested would save the taxpayers
about sl2, 900 per annum, and we be-
1ieve that the business would be look
cd after just as closely and be just as
faithfully performed as it is now. Is
there any reason why the number of
members of the legislature cannot be
reduced twenty per cent. and still
give us all the law we require TO car
ny on our government? II the legis-
lature will investigate the subject is it
not fair to presume that the judiciary
can be remodeled and saw the tax
payers several thousand dollars and
not hamper the ends of justice?
One thing is conclusive, we must do
something to Tighten the burden of
taxation or we must relinquish our
charter and crawl back to the protect
ing wing OF our National Government.
Our taxable property, in round num-
bers, amounts to S27 ZOO, 900. We
pay, for all our governments, State,
county and municipal, 81 900, 900 per
annum, or one twenty-seventh Of all
u taxable property goes for taxes
every year. Can we expect to be en-
dowed with prosperity until we do
something to rectify this outrageous
expense on the people9 Capital cam
not be induced to come here as long
as our government expenses
SO large a proportion of the taxable
property, and it behooves the people
to demand retrenchment and reform.
These changes can all be made, too,
without going TO the unnecessary ex-
pense of calling a con stitutional con
vention. They a be made by