The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1915-02-27
"MAKEs A DIFFERENCE WHOSE
OK IS eoRED."

Under the heading, "Disgraeing the
Senate" the Nevada State journal,
in its issue of Thursday of this week,
makes a v~irulent attack on the state
senate, or at least ON those membef
who are opposed to the tax commits
sion law as it now exists. Following
are three paragraphs of an editorial
of a column length:
esThe assault IN the tax com
mission made in the senate yes
terday is a disgrace to the state
of Nevada. 1t is an insult on the
intelligence of the people. 1t is
a beginning of a betrayal that
merits for nearly every one of the
opposition the title of Judas"
"The public ought to read the
papers and learn what is going on.
The matter has been brewing for
weeks. 1t is the most important
bin before the legislature today
and a word aow will save many
dollars on next years taxes.
e'The tax commission has had
plenary power in assessments for
W years. 1t has pulled the state
out of a hole. 1t has lowered the
taxes of so per cent of the peo-
pie. Twenty per cent kicked, and
kicked hard. because they had
hind legs and brass-lined throats.'
Taking up the paragraphs in the
order quoted, it is denied that the
"assault on the tax commission" is a
disgrace to the state of Nevada or an
insult to the intelligence of its peo-
pie.
The public of the eastern half of
the state has read the papers and is
well aware of what = being done by
opponents of the tax commission, and
this work meets win its hearty APP
prevail.
1t is denied that the tax commission
has "lowered the taxes of eighty per
cent of the people, and placed these
taxes on the shoulders of the remain
ing twenty per cent, as the paragraph
referred to would seem to indicate.
Getting down to facts, the state tax
commission increased land valuations
in Humboldt county $3.919,ss15, which
gave the state an increase in taxes
of 1923 ,51S.89. In order that the coun-
ty might not collect too great a sum
the rate was ordered reduced from Ga
to 40 cents on each 800 of valuation,
which reduced the county's revenue
$14,O81.5 81.
In order to secure this increase in
state taxes, the commission raised the
assessed value of lands owned by ap-
proximately 400 men, out of a total
of about 1900 taxpayers, from two to
eight times their actual cash value,
but did not raise the assessment on
lands owned by the Central Pacific
railroad.
The Journal would infer that the
burden of taxation, by the work of the
commission, was lifted from the shout
ders of 80 per cent of the taxpayers
and shifted to the remaining 20 per
cent. In Humboldt county it had an
entirely different effect. 1t lifted
$24,626.66 from the backs of three cor.
porations, as follows:
Central Pacific ........... SIS, 80
Western Pacific ......... 6,052.47
Western Union Telegraph Co. 315.Sa
$24,6 26 sc
This amount was added to the taxes
Of the 400 taxpayers mentioned, mos
Of whom are men in moderate circum
stances.
1t will thus be seen that while the
state secured an additional revenu,
from this county of s23,51s.S9, tire.
of the corporations were benefited t.
the extent of $24,626. Co., in addition
to lesser amounts by Wells, Fargo Co.
the Pullman and telephone companies
The people of the eastern half of tn,
state have no prejudice against tn
tax commission, but from their view
point its work has been so outrageous
ly unfair that they cannot be (and b
unbiased people are not) blamed 70
wishing the law creating it either re
pealed altogether or amended to b
of some practical utility.
lows TErg7