The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-11-25
Turn on the Light i'm Nevada.

The Nevada Legislature of the ses-
sion of 1906 authorized and directed
the Governor to appoint some person,
a resident of the state of Nevada, a
State License and Bullion Tax Agent,
whose term of Office should be two
years, and whose salary was fixed at
$4,000 per. annum, and $500 was al
lowed for travelling expenses.
James Neven, close personal
friend of Governor John Sparks, but
a man who had never previously held
a public office, was chosen for the
place.
This is one of the most important
offices in the state, as the Bullion
Tax Agent comes in direct contact
with the assessor, sheriff, district at
torney and county commissioners in
every county in Nevada, and his
privileges in the examination of the
various county officers books are not
subject to discussion.
Section two of the statute creating
that office, in defining the duties OF
that officer, says:
1T shall be the duty of said State
License and Bullion Tax Agent to
examine into and report to the State
Controller and the Assessors of their
respective counties the condition OF
the various mines and mining COM
panies producing the ores and metals
in this state, so far as the product OF
the same is subject to taxation for
state and county purposes, and the
amount of revenue derived therefrom,
and to this end is hereby authorized
do, incnnntinn nf tho hook
or records of any person or persons,
company, corporation or association
CARRYING on, conducting or managing
any mine, mining claim or mining
property in this state, the object OF
this section being to ascertain the
actual cost of mining, transportation
and reduction of ores taken from the
mines of this state and the amount oil
taxes paid or payable thereon"
Has Mr.. Neven complied with the
requirements of the provisions of the
foregoing sections? Speaking fol
Eureka county, we answer no. He
has been in Office about two years
and half and during that time he
has never visited Eureka's county
seat either officially or otherwise.
The last report made by the late
Auditor Rolf disclosed some startling
irregularities. Among two of the
most important are that the bullion
tax was not being promptly collected
and further that the state was losing
at least $35, 1000 year from the fail
ure to collect liquor licenses.
The Sentinel does not know of any
such Irregularities as referred to
above existing among Eureka county
officers. That is matter for Mr.
Neven to ascertain. But what we dc
know is that there Is a state officer
who has been appointed by Governor
Sparks and who receives nearly $500
a month and travelling expenses to
attend to the collection of bullion and
other taxes; is supposed to visit the
various counties and see that the
gaming, saloon and bullion taxes are
properly collected and that all the
places are paying the rightful
amounts; that the said officer has
gated officially the affairs of the
officers of this county and has as
completely ignored Eureka county as
though it were not on the map.
Another instance along these lines
is, that during the session of the last
Nevada legislature, when charges
against Mr.. Neven were made that he
was derelict in the performance of
his duties, it was shown that he had
never officially visited Elko, the
second largest and most prosperous
county in the state. AS matter of
fact. up to the present time, the Sen
tinel has never seen a statement that
he has since done so.
A short time ago President Roose-
welt made speech at Nashville,
Tennessee, and during his address he
said he had been charged with pre-
cipitating the recent financial dis
turbance. In reply he admitted that
he turned the light on, but could not
be held responsible for the crooked
conditions that the light showed.
The Sentinel believes that Gov
ernor Sparks, who appointed Mr..
Neven to this important position,
should turn the light on" this mat
ter, which will enable the taxpayers
of the state to see for themselves
whether the State License Collector
and Bullion Tax Agent is giving
value received for the 5000 a month
salary he is raking in.-Eureka
Sentinel.
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