Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1901-02-13
NEyADA'S
PROSPERITY.
HOW 1T NAY BE- INCREASED
By REVISION OF TAX
LAWS.
Written by Wells Drury, Fern
erIy A Member Of the Ne.
i'
vada LEGISLATURE.

ever lived ia that genial cline my heart |
turns back to it, even though long al
sent. If could do aught to advance !
the welfare of the Battle Born State, it
would be lasting pleasure. It would |
be cause for pride. This, believe, is
the sincere sentiment OF all Nevad ans
those who are gone as well as those
who are present inhabitants.
The prosperity Of state rests on
wise legislation. When an American
commonwealth is suffering from hard
times it must inevitably be the result of
.unwise legislation. aver that this is
what ais Nevada.
Some may interject declaration that
Nevada, on the average, lie as prosper
GUS as any other State ia the Union.
Possibly this is true, but all must ad-
NIT that it is not doing as we'll as we
| wish it would do. At any rate 20 one
can dispute that there is falling Off in
population, and that personal prop
erty. as fast as it is prod ced, is hur-
ried out ofthe State. Question What
would be the remedy? Answer-Re-
move all taxes from personal property
and improvements and assess land val.
ues only.
| That can be done. There Is one
place in the world where it is being
done, and that place is the most pros
porous spot on earth. Do you wish to
know its name? New Zealand Is the
place.
Several months ago Senator J. W.
Bucklin of Colorado told me OF his visit
to Australasia, and particularly to New
Zealand. He said he found the tax
alton of land values and the exemption
OF personal property (including i'm
provements) had brought prosperity
where it was tried. Not all the col
onias have adopted the plan, but they
are being won over, one by one, on &C.
count OF the experience Of their neigh
bors.
just look at Nevada. We all know
it TO be rich IN minerals But suppose
a man owns a mine then, what is Of.
fered by the State laws to encourage
its Development?
Nothing.
On the contrary all the power OF Law
In Nevada is exercised to keep q man
from developing his mine. In the first
place the constitution OF Nevada says
mines shall not be taxed, but only the
proceeds shall be taxed
Let us see bow that works in practi-
cal. every day life, for after all law
that does not work well 10 every day
life ought TO DE amended or repealed.
To ILLUSTRATE, We will say that my
friend Colonel Boyle is the owner of a
mining claim in Lyon county. The
law Gays that SO long as he leaves it
idle it cannot be taxed. OF course
there is o requirement Cor doing work
ting to 800 q year, but even
this may be obviated by obtaining q
pstent. Suppose Colonel Boyle has
made careful examination of the
ledge and finds that the margin of Dos.
sible profit is very narrow. He is not
likely to start development operations
80 long as be knows that as soon as he
begins work the assessors and the tax
collectors will step in and punish him
for doing so. It would be a good
thing for the community of course if
he would open the mine, thus giving
work to miners; yet if be does 30 the
community will punish him for his
ienterprise.
II he puts up windlass that gives
employment to two men, his fine is
whim, requiring three men and a
horse, his fine is n-reased Then if he
, puts up steam ho.ftin@ works his fine
is raised in proportion to the value of
the plant. But that is not all, for if he
is 80 wicked as to actually prod uce
bullion in anything like paying quail
tiles the assessor pounces down on him
and Furnishes him worse than ever.
This Is al wrong. The NINE the
laad, ought to be taxed and the i'm
provements and products ought to go
free. That IS the way to encourage
industry and to induce men to develop
their mines, thus giving employ ent
to men who wish 20 work. Some of
the members of the Legislature may
have mines of their own, hope -forsaken
coyote holes in the hills back OF their
home towns, but that Insignificant fact
ought not to prevent them from doing
right. They ought to vote to amend
the la ~ so that the State at large may
be prosperous. Besides. such law as
have suggested would benefit the
coyote holes 1t would enable them to
do development work without paying