Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1898-02-27
LETTER FROM JOHN WAGNER.
HE DISCUSSES THE HIGH
TAXATION AND THE
CAUSE.
Something of Official Salaries,
Light, and Water Charges

ED. APPEAL:-Whilst new corners and
young bloOds, up-tO-date gentlemen, are
giving their views on the subject of
booming Carson, perhaps a few lines
from an old settler like myself would
not be out of place.
| am heartily in favor of doing every
thing possible to advance the interest of
Nevada, not only because it is my home
and my interests are here, but for the
still further reason that | believe it to be
a desirable place for families of means to
come to and locate, and enjoy with us our
salubrious, health giving climate, and
other advantages that few other localities
possess. SO far the majority of the ideas
advanced, has been to keep the trade at
home. This principle is well enough in
itself, and should be fostered and encOur-
aged but | think the boom would never
be very extensive if it depended on this
fact lone.
believe abe matter of taxes, licenses,
salaries and other expenses imposed
upon US by our County officials, cut some
figure. In discussing this matter, look
at our little county not much larger than
the palm of a hand, burdened down on
account of the high salaries we are pay
ing. There is not a merchant in town
with all his large investments that can
make anything near what our officials
are getting. There is not a clerk in this
town who gets one-half the salary that
our County officers are getting. We have
a whole lot of good men, good accOunt-
ants. who would be willing to work for
less than One-half what we are paying:
not that l am opposed to high salaries If
we are able and could afford them. |
would be the last one to object.
Look at our schools. We are paying
from $3.50 to $50 per month for five days
services in a week. Whilst | am a
staunch friend of the public schools and
with all due respect to the teachers, L
think if we were to pay, say from 500 to
$50 per month, we would be able to keep
our schools going for ten or eleven
months in the year, and soon be able to
pay u teachers III cash, instead OF pay
ing them in warrants, which they have to
discount. Neither the school, the teach
ers or the taxpayers are benefited, and
the scholars are losing by it by having
only 81 months school instead of having
ten or eleven months.
Our State officers, from the Supreme
Judges to the deputies, we are paying
higher salaries than th~ree-fOurths of the
States in the Union: We are paying high
err taxes and nave less asSeSsable property
than any State in the Union. Why is all
this? We ought to be careful whom we
elect to our offices; to elect men who are
identified with this State and who are
State developers. We have elected men
to office time and again, who, as soon as
their team of office expires, left the State
and have not a good word for 1t after
they get all they can out of it.
One other thing which is driving
non out of our State that is double
taxation on property and mortgages.
I get a lot worth $1,000, l borrow 5000 on
it for which | give a mortgage for 5000.
1 am assessed for $1,000 and the man who
loaned me the $1,000 is assessed for $1,000
and there is only $1,000 worth of properly.
The man who loans me the money has to
charge more interest to stand of the tax.
am told that we are paying in Ibis
city for light SlS5 per month, and for
water Sl55 80 per month. The county pays
from $40 to SD per month for gas and for
water about Sl2 sc. l understand our
City Trustees made a contract with the
companies for the above prices when
times We're good and nobody complained,
now comes hard times and we all feel it.
Still it is a corporation and their OWn
nrpnortv thnv h 70 a viuht RI ph3rUp &C
much as they can get. Now I think our
trustees might go and see the managers
and they might be able to have the price
of light and water reduced, these people
have the interest of Carson City at heart
as we'll as the balance of us, and it don't
cost anything to see them.
Now the most difficult thing to lea
with is State affairs. The University has
used the State credit for Slf9,16f.2i >imct
1889. Our State borrowing capacity i, a
its limits if we are to rUn this il~ttUtiOI
any longer our State taxes must j." .aiSeC
from 80 cents to l % per hundred and Goo
knows our taxes are high enough now
The valuation of our property is growing
less every year. This University is doing
good only to a few, the total number o
students are 332, of which 146 belong t.
WashOe County and l4S to the ditferen
counties of the State and 80 to California
We have many young, talented men il
this State outside of Washoe count,
who would avail themselves of taking
course in the University if they hao
the means to do so. I think the Nevada
State University is a credit to the State
but the way it is carried on it cannot last
much longer without higher taxation
and with the most rigid economy tn,
State cannot afford so many high priced
Professors as are new employed. TIL
Regents must make close calculations il
the future
DR.. Stubbs is entitled to very mucl