Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1896-05-08
Food For rhousht.

IN the STATE or Nevada Tor some years,
ever hoping and praying for the dawn
OF prosperity that never comes, there
has lately doubt crept into my mind
that the free and unlimited coinage
OF silver will not be panacea for all
our ills; that, If we ever get free coin
age, we should 80 shape things that
we can retain it and not build up 9TH
er States and Territories to our own
disadvantage.
Having occasion lately to observe
the progress and development OF the
surrounding States and Territories of
Utah, Idaho and Arizona, whose soil,
climate and natural resources are
identically the same as our own, and
in no particular superior, l would
naturally ask myself what is the mat
ter with Nevada. While we realize
that those States are fast filing up
with people who are making their
waste places blossom with abundant
harvests and happy homes, whose
benificent and just laws are develop
ing and fostering a sincerity of inter-
ests for the protection of all to the
exclusion Of none, without which no
State can become healthy and strong,
it cannot be with any feeling of pride
and satisfaction that we turn to con-
template our own condition and draw
conclusions, and, it We ire :apa3.e of
reasoning from cause to effect, which
think we are, / don't thinx we need
go far below the surface to find the
cause. -
l don't undertake to say that we are
any better or worse than our neigh
bore, but will Enthusiastically say that
we have some of the most pernicious
and unjust laws that ever disgraced
the statutes Of any State. Our land
system in its conception is as rotten as
a dead mule. Our trespass laws are
but class legislation, and of such
character as is known in no other
State. The so-called sheep license
law is fast driving out an industry
that other States are proud to foster
and protect. Our mining laws, in
many instances, are unjust to the ex-
tent that capital seeks other fields for
investment and what ores are mined
have to be shipped out of the State
for reduction. And with those condi-
tions staring us in the face, with our
population steadily decreasing, 1
would like to make few pertinent
suggestions. How would it do, for
instance, to elect men to the next leg
islature who have the interest of the
State at heart and whose length and
breadth of fairness and intelligence
will cause them to protect every in
dustry to the exclusions Of none2 We
had few men OF that stamp in the
last legislature. Why not elect full
body?
Let us see how the so-ca lied sheep
License law has worked as a revenue.
producer for the State. In the first
place, If the law was for tho purpose
of revenue, which question, for /
think the intent Of the law was to kill
of the industry, IL shuts ont any poor
man wishing to engage In the bus
mess for he is handicapped by not be-
ing able to own or rent land 70 ex-
empt him from this unjust law, and it
necessarily places the business in the
hands Of those able to own vast tracts
Of land, thereby not only creating
monopoly in the business of raising
sheep, but building up and fostering
land monopoly besides, which is the
primary cause Of much OF our polit-
ical misery.
1 will give you few figures ON the
number OF sheep that have left this
part OF the State since the passage OF
this law. The number leaving last
year, so far az / know. are. Vim.