The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1903-02-28
COMMUNICATION REGARDING
STATE EXPENDITURES

Ihe following muDlca taken
from the Reno Journal of Feb. %, is
published for the benefit of our readers,
and ought to be read by every taxpayer
in the State and by every member Of
the Legislature now in Carson. II is
temperate in tone, yet the figures show
how utterly reckless the different Leg
islatures have been in the expenditure
of public revenues, in wild cat schemes
that never benefited the State to the ex-
tent of q single dollar. 1t is the second
communication from 81. Il. B., both
worthy of thorough p%erusal:
Editor Journal: Encouraged by your
kindness in publishing my former com
munication to the Washoe delegation.
I will add another, not, as before ex-
planned, to criticise, but in q friendly
way assist in performing their duties.
From Published reports l note that
various and sundry propositions are
proposed in the way of large and small
appropriations, both State and county,
among which is at least one for the
purpose of advertising the resources of
Nevada with q view of inducing i'm
migration.
In my last letter / incidentally stated
that our people had in the past spent
large amounts with discouraging res
suits, and now il may be of interest to
know when, how and how much was
really expended.
By looking through our statutes,
since 1864, / find various laws passed
under the somewhat delusive notion
that in order to grow great as q State
we must make q showing of what We
have and what we are. Under this idea
we sent an agent to the Paris exposi-
ton in 1867. This appropriation. how
ever, was small. Next came a donation
from the State Treasury of $4,000 for
exhibition purposes at the Centennial
exposition at Philadelphia. Then 1878
10 make a show at Denver. Next in
order was $500 10 buy specimens of our
products for exhibition purposes. Next
q donation of $500 Il the silver associa-
ton in 1887. Next 80, 1867 for exhibition
al New Orleans in 1885. Next in order
war $40, 900 for exhibition at Columbian
Exhibition at Chicago in 1898. But
this amount failed in paying all the
cost, so a relief bill was passed in 1895
to pay balance of s1,162. The next
allowance was made to exhibit al the
Midwinter fair at San Francisco in 1893
which cost s14, 1897, or q total of $780,
461 for exhibits abroad.
Now go back to 1865 and 1866, when
the Office of State Geologist was estab-
lished in the former year and changed
in the latter TO State Mineralogist, at q
salary not to exceed "a. 900 a year, with
assistants at SO, 900 year. This fash
establishment was maintained for thir.
teen years at O cost of something like
$4,000 a year or $4,000 for the term.
In 1877 the Office was abolished and the
School master General was given
charge of the exhibits on hand under
the title of Curator OF the State Mu-
scum of Neurological, Geological and
other Specimens.
Since 1877 this office of Curator has
been conducted at $500 a year. and ex>
penses for twenty-five years, costing,
to say nothing of the the item of ex-
penses, the further sum of S12, 500, or a
grand total of S140, 96l, and all this
under the old chestnut plea that we
must make our known to the
world so as to induce immigration and
capital to come and live with us, and
build up the State.
Well, as suggested in q former COM
munication, we have 'built up" from
q population of wei 5000 people in
1880 to about $1,000 at present. and
will now add that if any n doubts
importance as a State, let him examine
our expense account.
By the way. can's our Legislature in
vent q law that will enforce the laws we
have instead of passing new ones to
cumber our statutes as dead letters?
This last suggestion. however. needs
qualification. for everybody knows that
laws passed by the expenditure of pub
liz fppds ara alvavs anforced. II NAV
be remarked here. too, that. that when
our meritorious laws are all enforced
many public officials will wear a change
of clothing.
My attention is called to Assembly
bill number II. and, after reading it, I
wonder: Can il be possible that such
q law is needed as is here proposed? Is
it possible that there is danger of princi-
pals in Office and their deputies con-
piyinp to divide the paw of the depu-