Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1914-07-08

and the statements of people who
were present, the recent convention
OF cattlemen at Elko seemed to be
more tinged with politics than witt
subjects Of an industrial nature.
Nearly all OF the speakers jumped
into politics, charging gross extrav-
agance on the part of state and coun-
ty government and more or less con.
demned the commissions which have
been created by the last two or three
legislatures. The Tax commission ir
particular was singled out, and as
many bald statements were made that
il was controlled more by prejudice
than fairness, the matter was called
to the attention of the commission
and at the suggestion OF the Appeal
Emmett Boyle, one OF the members
has furnished this paper with the
following article, which is cheerfuily
printed, as it casts light on many
subjects which have heretofore been
misunderstood or misconstrued:
John G. Taylor, reputed to be the
wealthiest land owner and livestock
grower in Nevada, appears to be the
leading spirit in the organized move
ment which has for its end the aboli-
tion of the Tax commission. Among
his active co-workers along this line
is his business associate, Hon. w. {.
Pitt OF Lovelock, who has been held
mp enticingly by those newspapers
which he personally owns or con-
trolls, as likely candidate for gov
ernor.
In a recent address before the Ne
vada Cattle Owners association in
Elko. Mr.. Taylor is reported as hav-
ing urged the election of business
men and taxpayers to the legislature
and the cooperation of the land and
livestock owners in movement to
reduce "the burden of taxation" on
these interests. To this end he ap-
peals to the taxpayers of the sta'-e
and SHES his sombrero into the ring
as champion OF the peoples rights.
He is a reformer devoid of a sen e
of humor. In 19l2-prior to the crea-
ton OF the Tax commssion-the cat
tlemen of the state returned for tax
alton l70,204 head of cattle which
were assessed for $3,0l6,SS6. or at an
average value of $l762 per head. The
actual number OF cattle in the state
at this period was, according to the
statistical publication of the United
States department of agriculture
421 ,247 head and their average value
was $35, excluding the value of beef
cattle fattened for market. The
burden of taxes" of which Mr.. Tay-
lor complains fell, therefore, on &C
per cent of the property OF the live
stock owner and this 40 per cent
was assessed at half its value. This
industry paid on a 20 per cent assess
ment while the majority of the peo-
pie in the state were assessed at from
80 to 800 per cent of the real value
OF their holdings; the average being
perhaps 50 per cent.
Messrs. Pitt and Taylor own many
hundred acres of cultivated land II
Lovelock valley which, on the aver
age, could not be bought for $l00 pei
acre, with select pieces running a!
high as $500. In 1912 this land wa,
somewhere between 10 and 20 pei
cent of what it was worth
The Tax commission can be reas
onably expected to assess these hold
ings fairly as other property is as
sessed and as in the case Of those
other arms of the government which
in the exercise of their powers mus
run afoul of the extensive Pitt-Taylo
interests. it can be just as readily as
sumed that these gentlemen will Wig
orously oppose it-possbly on tn
grounds Of Economy" which is no
so inconsistent after all as the abo1i
tion of the Tax commission woul'
doubtless prove decidedly economic
al from the Pitt-Taylor standpoint
Once possessed of the facts AM
figures it seems incredible that an,
considerable number of taxpayer
who now pay their own share of tn,
expense of government plus a por
tion of the taxes evaded by thos'
who return their property at from
10 to 20 per cent OF its true worth