The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1911-06-29
CALL FOR PUBLIC
Lands CONVENTION

In compliance with resolution of
the eighth general assembly of the
state of Colorado, John F.. Shafroth,
governor of said commonwealth, an
nounce to the people of "those western
states and territories having one mil
lion or more acres of public lands
reserved and nreserved-within their
borders "a public land convention to
be held in the city of Denver, Colora-
do, September 2S, 80 and of this
year, for the purpose of discussing all
questions, and taking such action as
their wisdom may direct, relative to
the proper administration of the public
domain, the natural resources pertain
ing thereto, and the practical conserva-
tion thereof under state authority and
of protesting against congress enacting
laws providing for the leasing of the
natural resources of the west.
In conjunction with the legislative
committee constituted for the purpose
of formulating the necessary regula-
tions for the convention, the following
features have been provided:
First-The following states and ter
ritories are embraced within the call,
viz Arizona, Arkansas, California,
Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana,
| Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico,
North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon,
South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and
Alaska
Second-All votes by roll-call to be
by states and territories, and on the
basis of five votes at large and one
vote for each 100000 acres, or ma
jority fraction thereabove, of public
lands within the respective states, in
sofar as each unit is represented by an
accredited delegate.
Third-Inasmuch as the province of
the convention is for western people to
determine upon questions pertaining to
the interests of western states as af
fected by Federal systems, it is made
requisite for qualification that dele
gates shall have been resident tax
payers and voters within their respec
tive states for the preceding three
years.
Fourth-The selection of delegates
! is provided as follows:
| The governor, senators and congress
men, and members of the state legis-
lature of each state and territory, and
| delegate of each territory and of Al
aska, are hereby commissioned as dele
gates.
Each governor may appoint thirty
delegates.
The mayor of each city may appoint
one delegate for each 1000 of popula-
| tion, but not to exceed a total of fly.
Each chamber of commerce, board of
trade, real estate exchange or other
commercial bodies; each board of
county commissioners; each association
of stock growers, of lumbermen, of
| forestry, of irrigation each horticul-
tural or agricultural Organization
may appoint ten delegates.
Each governor is requested to ap-
point a state executive committee Of
five. to cooperate with the Colordo
executive committee-J. Arthur Eddy.
chairman, Denver, Colorado.
1t should be known that there is
now seriously proposed, and may be
crystaliZed into law at the next regu-
lar session of congress, new and revo-
lutionary national policy pertaining to
the public lands, and their attendant
natural resources, that demands the
serious and earnest consideration of
every citizen of the republic. Not
only does this new system affect our
economic and business interests, but it
seriosuly threatens the principle of
home rule in the conduct of our local
affairs.
! The real issue is,plainly and distinct
| ly, whether the public domain-other
than the little remaining farming
lands-shall be held in perpetu-
lity by the national government
free from taxation by the states, to be
administered through leasehold for
revenue for the Federal treasury, and
under bureaus at the national capital
AS taxes upon property in the west
ern states for thirty years equal its
value, perpetual ownership by the ma
tional government free from taxation,
would effect deprivation of tax reve
nue. to the states equal to the value of
those lands every thirty years. In
other words, it would cost those states
the value of the public domain every
thirty years and yet the states never
own the same.
A rental or lease based upon the out
put of natural resources is tax upon
production, and a tax upon production
is invariably paid by the consumer.
Such policy would compel the western
states to bear an undue proportion of
the burdens of the national govern
ment No other states have ever been
compelled to pay royalties upon their
natural products, why should wei
Our wealth must consist, very largely,
in those very features, the tax revenue
from which is so essential to the main
tenance of state government. Even the
raw land itself is withdrawn from
state taxation.
If our people are to paw tax on the
product of our natural resources, viz:
Coal, oil, gas, phosphates and upon