Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1899-12-31
IN NEVADA
Hon. Wells Drury Suggests a
Remedy for the Ssate's
Condition


State. Meanwhile the situation is ag-
gravated by the constantly increasing
tax rate, d rate which is prohibitive as
far as the investment of capital is con-
cerned. 1t is clear hat when a State
of the magnificent of Nevada
is la~nguishing there must be a cause.
In the last number ct the Nevada
Magazine Hon. Wells Drurv, formerly
a member of the Legislature from
Ormsby county, points to the e isting
system of taxation as the primo cause
of the decline of the State and recon-
mends what is commonly know as tho
single tax as a remedy. This is a tax
on land alone and Mr.. Drury proceeds
to argue in favor of the theory with
great force.
He says in the article:
What's the mater with Nevada?
''She's all right"
That would be the easiest response
for the optimist to make, were it not
that we all know it to be untrue.
Nevada Is not all right.
There is something radically wrong
with Nevada. Everybody knows that.
Even the Piutes know it. Things have
gone wrong so long in Nevada that
many begin to think there IS nc such
thing as a remedy.
But there is a remedy and the people
can provide it.
"Population.
"Population,
"Population,
Eve want more pOpulation' is the
constant cry Of the level-headed Ne
vadan who clearly perceives what the
State needs. Then this sometimes
level-headed Nevadan, in a bevel-
headed manner, turns in and passes
laws to drive away as many inhabitants
as he can and to hinder others from
coming IN to take their places.
Men and women of Nevada you
know hat you are in desperate case.
What shall you do to be saved? That's
the question. You see the values of
your property d~windnng. You sadly
mark the departures Of good families,
apparently without being able to curb
the outgoing tide. You observe the
bad result, but not all are able TO dis
Germ the evil cause.
Would you like to know the reason
for this cdlamitous condition? Listen.
and III tell you in a few words:
Nevada has enacted unwise lax
alton laws: laws that penalize &C
tive, energetic ciCizens, and hat
offer premiums to those who least
deserve the assistance and good
will of the community.
You must know hat your laws are
driving people out of Nevada, for no.
body who ever lived there ever really
wanted to leavs. There are other con,
tributory causes of the depopulation,
of course. and the depreciation of silver
is a potent one, but in my estimation il
is not so Overmastering as the un Just
manner of Ievying taxes. Persona
property and improvements. such a:
houses, barns and the like, ought to be
absolutely exempted from taxation,
and all revenue fer governmental pur
poses should be raised by the taxation
of land values.
1t seems like a simple thing, yet this
change would be fraught with stupen
dOus results. By e~xempting improve
ments and personal property from tax
alton. which would be the adoption OF
the Single Tax philosophy as taught
by Henry George, you would sncour
age all kinds of industry. You would
invite capital from affair and the State
would fill up with prosperous people
In less than five years the State woulC
contain more than 100, 600 inhabitants
These would rot be exclusively of tn,
industrial classes, Tor the rich, finding
that they would be freed from unjus'
burdens Of taxation, by becoming citi
zen Of Nevada, would make thsi1
homes with you, and as their house
would be released from the demands o
the Assessor, there would scarcely b.
any limit to the extent of their estab
lishments. They could expand theiI
improvements to their hearts contea
without fear of being punished by tn.
tax c~ClleCtOr.H
Of course there are difficulties ant
objections in the way of adopting any
thing which is entirely new to New
and Mr.. Drury proceeds to g
objections and explain 'ts Vi
be met and disn"- no" VheS I'd
of his int set OIL IhIS poF'Io
pear RESTING argument will al
n q subsequent issue Of tt
q APPEAL.