The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1884-12-06
THE BULLION TAX LAW.


W eue INNING interests re-
| luires modincation OF the present bullion
TAX law VIII scarcely be denied by any
Intelligent person in the State. 1t Is also
| seli'evident proposition that the linn.
lted financial resources of Nevada viii
not admit of It's absolute repeal The
mining industry must contribute its pro.
poftionate share towards meeting the ex.
penses OF our State and county govern.
ments as well as the farming stocl,
growing ana other Interests which are
Taxed III proportion to their various prop
erty representations Under the present
law, however. the mining industry pays
III the aggregate more than its propor.
tlohate part OF the general tax, while at
the same time the division is by no means
just OF equitable, even as between the
'""efeht districts III the State producing
various classes and qualities of ores.
Inc law snould be amended this winter
20 as to reduce the general assessment 10
STANDARD, which, considering the de.
pressed condition OF the mining Industry.
"ouiu relieve 1T OF the excess Ut its bur
del' out without unjust discrimination
III It's iavor. 1t is our opinion that n
general reduction Of thirty ye or forty
per cent. could be made, without ipius.
oice 10 any other taxable interest, and
.hat such reduction would insure, iudl.
fectiy, at least, to the general financial
prosperity Of the State, to a greater
amount than the difference in the reye.
nue from that source, under the above
suggested reduction. But the greatest
difficulty In making this change consists
IN formulating a bill which will be uni.
'orm IN Its effect, relieving in the same
proportion the bullion producers in the
various sections of the State. Such a
change has never been proposed in our
legislature since the passage Of the orig
'hal law. The famous .bonanza b,il'
was drafted exclusively in the interest of
the owners OF few mines on the Com.
stock, and its adoption would have in.
creased the tax burden of operators in
luscarora, Austin and other districts
where the ledges are narrow and the ore
nigh grade, III the same proportion that
IL would have similarly affected other
classes OF taxpayers in the State. 1t is
true that the provisions of the bill were
not such as to directly increase the rate
OF taxation ON the classes of ore produced
in the above named districts, but the
practical exemption from taxation of the
mines best able to contribute literally to
the support of the government, would
nave lett hole in the treasury which
other taxpayers would have had to ill.
and the mining interests, not favored by
The law, would have been obliged di.
rectly or indirectly to contribute their
proportion. SO with the bill introduced
In the State Senate at the last session.
1t provided absolute exemption for a
class of ore which can be mined and
milled at a handsome profit on the Com.
stock, but which would not pay the ex.
penses of milling in Tuscarora or Austin.
What Is wanted is a law which makes an
equitable general reduction, and which
reduction will operate uniformly upon
the big bodies of low grade free milling
and the small ledges Of high grade ore,
which is trebly expensive to mine and
mill. 1t behooves the members of the
next Legislature from different portions
Of the State to study the matter thor.
oughly before the commencement of the
ensuing session, or the chances are they
will find themselves blindly voting for a
bill which is designed exclusively to ben.
etit few wealthy mine owners or lessees,
and which will increase rather than di.
minish the burdens of their own mining
constituencies. Superintendents and
others interested in mining matters, who
are familiar with the workings of the
present law, and who can furnish data
which will be useful in the construction
of bill which will effect, as nearly as
possible, uniform reduction Of the tax
on bullion from all classes of ore, should
take pains to furnish such information to
the representatives Of their respective
counties. In all probability some change
in the present law will be made during
the ensuing session. Let the representa-.
tives, especially from Eastern Nevada,
see that no unfair discrimination is made
in favor Of any particular class of ore.
Better that the law should remain as
uniformly burdensome as it is, than that
it should be changed for the benefit of
the few al the expense Of the many.