Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1884-12-21
WHAT TO DO WITH NEVADA.

cusses the throwing of stones at the Sill
yer State:
In 1868 certain politicians, who were
ambitious to serve the people at Wash
ington or as State officers, conceived the
idea of getting the Territory of Nevads
admitted as q State. The fact that the
population did not exceed half the mum
Der then required to entitle it to a Rep
~resentative in Congress, and that the
people were opposed to assuming the ex'
pense and responsibility of a State gov.
eminent, did not deter them in the least
from endeavoring to accomplish their
designs. Though their motives were
selfish, they pretended to be actuated by
patriotism, and claimed that their OBJ.
ject was to relieve the Federal Govern
men from the expense Of maintaining a
Territorial government in Nevada. They
called a convention and framed a Con-
stitution, which the people by an over
whelming majority repudiated at the
ballot-box. Though disappointed they
were not daunted by defeat, and they at
once renewed the contest, and in 1864
succeeded, by Misrepresentation and
fraud, in getting the Constitution ad-
opted. This instrument provided for a
State Government much more expensive
than that Of Indiana or Illinois, though
it was not claimed that Nevada had over
45, 900 inhabitants, including Indians and
Chinese. Every State officer was pro-
vided with a deputy, who performed the
duties of the office, while the principal
devoted his time, and in some instances
the public funds, to stock gambling in
San Francisco. The mines were produce
ing millions, and Congress interposed no
objections to the admission of the State,
because it strengthened the party in
power. The high pressure system of the
government was kept up while the Com
stock bonanzas held ont, though the
population did not increase proportion
ately with that of other young States
and Territories. Taxation was necessar-
lily high, and the millions produced by
the mines were invested outside the
State. No effort was made to develop
the agricultural resources of the vast ter
ritory comprised in the State, and even
its mineral resources, outside the Com
stock, were unnoticed except by adven-
turons prospectors, whose only capital
was pluck and energy. Storey county
was supposed to embrace all that was
worth noticing in Nevada, and when the
Comstock bonanza gave out a general
basiness depression followed.
"While Nevada was increasing the
nations wealth by a constant stream of
gold and silver, thus enabling the Fed
eral Government to resume and maintain
specie payment, when the national debt
amounted to billions, eastern journals
and statesmen did not grumble at the
representation which its fifty or sixty
thousand inhabitants had in the National
Legislature. Now, however, the sup
position East is that its mines are ex-
hausted, that the golden orange has been
sucked dry, and editors and statesmen
are puzzling their brains with the ques-
tion OF how to dispose of the worthless
rind.' Ignorant Of the fact, or purposely
ignoring it, that a large majority Of the
bona fde residents Of Nevada were not
in favor Of its becoming a State. and are
not responsible for the act of the politi-
clans who admitted it; they misrepresent
both its people and its financial condi-
tion. and oppose each and every act to
encourage the development of its re-
sources. Though the United States
Treasury has been enriched by millions
from its mines, which rightfully belongs
to its minsrs, while advocating appropri-
ations for various purposes in other
states, the statesmen and press in the
East object to applying q dollar for the
benefit Of Nevada. Too near sighted
and prejudiced to see that the financial
condition of Nevada is much better to-
day than when it was admitted as a
State. and for four years afterwards, and
that it has not cost the National Govern
ment a dollar, instead Of recommending
appropriations for sinking a~rtesian wells
on it's arid plains, or encouraging the de-
velopment OF its mines, by giving the
bullion producers the profits derived
from the coinage of silver, to the end,
that its population and prosperity might
be increased. they confne themselves to
devising methods to deprive it of state
hood and deride its citizens. whom they
have been systematically plundering
under the sanction of an outrageous law.
"The people of Nevada to-day. though
one OF their principal industries are suf.
fering from the effect of unjust legisla-