The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1889-02-14
the GREAT QUESTION.

l 4
question. The following argument
was used in behalf of lottery:
On Monday. the 11th day Of Febru-
ary, 1899, there will be an election
throughout the State of Nevada, for
the ratification or rejection of certain
proposed amendments to the Consti-
tuition Of the State.
This election has been called by an
Act of the present Legislature, now in
session, because of the necessity, or at
least apparent necessity, Of appealing
to the people, and ascertaining their
judgment on the question involved
before the adjournment of the present
Legislature.
To await two years longer, it was
supposed, would result in great losses
to the taxpayers of the State, and
hence it was the part of wisdom to act
at once.
The Legislature accordingly passed
special election law to enable the
people to pass on these proposed
amendments to the Constitution, SO
that, in case of the adoption of them,
the Legislature might proceed to pass
such laws as would give effect to the
amendments and to the proposed
change of public policy, and in case of
rejection, the whole subject might be
dropped and the State be permitted to
drift along in the old way, towards
higher and higher taxation, with taxa.
bic property decreasing in quantity
and value, and the outlook for the
future of the State becoming darker
each year.
The Legislature accordingly appro-
pria,ed Sl5 900 out of the State Treas
ury to pay the expenses of this eiec.
ton, as money-saving and money
making proposition to the people Of
>the State at large.
What was the apparent necessity
for this election on the part of the
Legislature in thus appealing to the
peoplel
The answer is complete. and should
be satisfactory to exery taxpayer and
property owner in the State.
1t will be remembered that at the
last election, in November, 1888, some
of these proposed amendments were
submitted to the people and we're voted
on and adopted, and the Supreme
Court of the State, in a case made for
the purpose, decided that none of these
proposed amendments had been legally
submitted, because they had not then
been published in the newspapers as
required by law; hence what more Of
them had been legally adoptedl
Among the amendments proposed is
one fixing the time of the meeting of
the Legislature for tho third Monday
instead of the first Monday. as is now
required, in order that the reports of
the different State officers covering
the period of two years, ending on the
31st of December, might be completed
and published for information of the
Legislature and people when the Leg
isiature convened.
Another will permit the School
money, some $500, 600, now lying idle
in the Treasury, yielding no interest
whatever to the School Fund and
doing nobody any good, to be invested
in State bonds Of other States Of the
Union at fair rates of interest--say six
per cent. per annum-and thus make
n difference in favor of the School Fund
before the meeting of the next Legis-
lature of near $40, 900, as the sale Of
State lands, the proceeds of which go
into the School Fund, is continually
going on and that fund is constantly
increasing Under the Constitution,
as it now stands, this money can only
be invested in Nevada State bonds
of which there are none to invest in
or United States bonds, bearing only
four per cent. interest, and which are
selling for $l27 Oh the 800 in open
market.
1t is now impossible to invest this
money, upon the interest of which
depends the education of our children,
at any greater interest than two per
cent. per annum.
Another amendment permits the
Legislature to consolidate certain Con-
stitutional county offices and to take
othar stans now forhiddan hv which