Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1901-03-17
WE PLEAD GUILTY.

Yesterday, on the nCCr OF the mouse.
Speaker Van DuZer offered an amend
ment to the revenue bill, introduced
by the joint committee on revenue,
Senate Bill IS, which removed the
Controller from the craftsmanship of
the Board of Assessors, who meet on
the first Monday i'll April, in Carson,
and substituting tine Governor in
stead. He stated that his reasons for |
Offering the amendment was that the
Controller had lobbied for the bill to |
such an extent that this change
should be made. The amendment
passed and was denounced on the
the floor of the Senate half an hour
later as an insult 10 :ile chief revenue
officer of the State The Senators Of
fered to reject the amendment. but the
Controller asked them to accept it
without debate as refusal to concur
on the last day would jeopardize the
bill.
With this preface the writer will
state why he supported the bill.
AT the Silver convention in Virginia
City. feeling the existing need for bet
ter enforcement OF the revenue laws,
he introduced the plank il, the Silver
platform which pledged the party to
yer party rnembers of the House were
elected on that pledge.
He next introduced the resolution
calling for Joint Committeeon Rev.
enue, and assisted the Committee on
the preparation Of the bill, iii COM
pany with the Governor and the At
torney- General.
In the Fall he had visited Illinois,
Colorado and Utah at his own ex-
pense, and conferred with the revenue
commissions and revenue officers Of
those States and opened correspond
ence with the revenue officers of othe;
States on the question of State reve-
nue. and laid the information collected
in this matter before the committee.
1t developed early in the session
that secret influences We're At work to
defeat all revenue legislation. The
writer devoted a great dea! of time
blocking the moves of parties wht
were seeking to beat this bill or de
stroy its efficacy by tricky amend
ments. The fight was one from am
BUSH made III the interests OF tax dodg
ers and men who desired to place tn
Sill. CT party OF record as having b.:
trayed the voters who placed it il
power by regulating it platform
pledges.
We are obliged to state, and ",
state it with shame, that it was nee
essary to call for assistance on Repub
lican members to compel Silver part,
men to keep faith with the people a NJ
the taxpayers. But for these con scien
tious men. who acted in good fait
throughout. the battle for the b;
would have been lost. 1t finally passe
and will become a law.
But for che statement made b.
Speaker Van Duzer, this explainatio
would not be necessary. We nav
been elected by the people of the Stat
to look after its revenue, and as long q
we draw salary for the work conside
it part OF orr duty to look afte
revenue bills and prevent fake legisla
ton on the subject as far as possible
In few days we will show the publ
by what means the betrayal Of tn
party and the defea: of-the bin was Il,
tempted. and how it failed.
The writer takes no credit for tt
provisions OF 5. Is. 10 1t was not tn
measure he considered the best, but
advocated its passage because it W;
long step in the right direction.
essential feature the calling tOgeth,
of Revenue Board Of Assessors orig
mated with Senator Pitt and if il a
complishes the good results hoped TO
to him belongs the credit of the idea.
The Republican minority also d
serve credit for the staunch suppo
they gave the measure.
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