The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1903-02-06
Carson Letter.


her Scandalousl
The disposition exhibited by many
members of the Legislatures to amend
the law of 1901, creating State Board
of Assessors rather than to repeal the
law. Two years ago the Southern Pa
cific Company was confronted with a
law creating the Board out of the AS
SCISSORS already elected, and they found
themselves face to face with a board
standing eight to six against them, and
they went into court on the question
of classification of railroads, claiming
that one railroad could not be CLASH.
fled, and on the mere play that one
thing cannot constitute a class OF
things, won out, without showing that
the valuation, placed upon the road by
the Board, of $4,000 mile, was not
correct. 1t has been held times innum-
cradle that it makes no difference how
youaarrrive at correct results, and that
guess by an idiot is just as good as
the most scientific calculation-if it is
correct. This principle applies in all
affairs of life. 1t applies to the plant
ing of cabbage; if the farmer raises "a
good crop, it makes no difference
whether he planted them during full
moon or not. But this is depressing.
During the last election, the company
went into the fight and elected eight
Assessors out of the fourteen, and they
are not doing any kicking against the
law. 1t is all correct, lawful and con-
stitutional this year. The Board placed
the valuation of the railroad at the
company's own figures, and placed the
valuation of property owned by others
also at its own valuation, thus permit
ing eight railroad Assessors to value
property in six counties. out of their
jurisdiction, as well as in eight coun-
ties within their Jurisdiction. Oh, the
law is all right-for the railroad. IT.
only needs little fixing. Under the
old law, the Assessors managed to
kind of equalize the, matter by valuing
stock cattle at about So head and
sheep at about 81 per. head, although
asa necessary result high tax rate
was maintained. But more equal
burden was imposed. The southern
Pacific Company, nor any other strong
and powerful corporation, has never OPP
posed the creation of State Boards, and
the concentration of power and author
ity into few hands, and taking away
such. power and authority as much as
possible from the immediate supervis-
ion of the people. They have always
favored the concentration of authority |
into as few hands as possible. They |
are constantly and necessarily urging |
the passage of laws creating Boards of
all kinds out of Cabinet and State Off
GERS. and to place as much power into
the hands of the President and State
Governors as possible, and take away |
as much from Congress and State legis-
lative bodies as possible. The trend of
legislation is that way, and the reason
ia that all officers elected Immediately |
by the people, such as Legislators, AS
SCISSORS and County Commissioners,
are sometimes held to some accounta-
bility for their acts by the people, and
the corporations don't like to have to
elect new man every election or to
pay more for the. reelection of an old
derelict.
The Legislature has been thrown into
a sort of spasm over bill intended to
fit and assist the general government
to carry out the provisions of the So
called Newlands Irrigation Bill. AS
the members begin to recover from
this condition, their first inquiry will
probably be to what extent will vested
water rights be conserved or affected
n