The Placer herald., 1874-02-07
-"> N----
WHAT ARE THEY DOING I


when we reply, as we most heartily do to all
such nterrogations, that we think they are
the finest, a3lest, and most consistent set of
men that ever honored Placer county in the
halls of our State Legislature, we are most
invariably asked "What have they done ?"
or "What are they doing?' This, of course,
leads to long explanation which we are
about tired of repeating. 1t is said, 'There
are Martini Norton, and Rousch, our Rep
,esentatvcs, amt doing a thing, scarcely
None of them have introduced a bill or
made speech of any consequence. If
they have no bills to introduce, they might
make few speeches anyway. There is
Norton perhaps the best speaker down
there, why don't he get up and spread him
eef?' And thus it goes, and thus great
many seem to think. And step by step
their thoughts lead them on in this belief
until they seem to quite lose sight of the
almost unequalled wisdom and consistency
of our Representatives; the arduous duties
they are daily performing, and the grand
results tley are accomplishing. In regard
to speech making, it is proverbial that the
greatest bores, and the men of least infu-
ence in any delibcratve Assembly, are those
who are continually jumping up and down
and firing the House with their impertinent
verbosity. In this respect eur Representa-
tives cannot receive too much praise for their
action, since the interests of Placer nor the
principles they were pledged to carry out
have never yet been placed in such imminent
danger as to require their acknowledged elo
quence to save them. In regard to intro
ducing bills, if there was any great State or
local interest being neglected for the want of
being brought to notice, then there would be
room for complaining, but there is not, and
petty local measures and class legislation
they are really pledged to oppose by the
party who sent them there, further than is
shown to be absolutely necessary, and in
this respect they are only carrying out to
the letter, (rare as the case may beg
the will of their constituents. Now, as
regards ''What are they doing?' In the
first place, it is acknowledged that in every
instance they tour members) have voted
strictly right on the important measures
they were especially expected TO accomplish,
without showing the least disposition to hesi-
tate or equivocate in single instance, how
ever trying. In the second place they are
regarded by the bodies of which they COM
pose part, as the most able and substan
tial men among them, an assertion which Is
proven from the fact that on nearly every
committee will be found an Independent
representative from old Placer, figuring
most conspicuously, and where is the man
who will deny that committee duty COM
prises the wisdom and labor of successful
legislation? And in this capacity let us see
how they stand. We will refer to Hon.
w. G. Norton, for example. In the first
place, we find he is Chairman Of the
Library Committee; and here let us say,
though we hailed with pleasure the re-elec-
ton of Il. O. Cravens, our old townsman,
to the position Of State Librarian, we never
thought to attribute the result to Mr.. MOI
tons efforts, who did SO much to accomplish
it. Again, Mr.. Norton is Chairman
of the Committee on Elections, which
requires an immense amount of labor, there
being five contested seats from San Fran
cisco alone, and it is more than probable
that all the ballots cast in San Francisco at
the last election will have to be re-counted
by this committee. Again, Mr.. Norton is
Chairman of the Special Committee on
Political Code Amendments, the labors on
which, from the number of amendments
being introduced. can better be imagined
than described. Again, Mr.. Norton is a
member of the Judicial Committee, the
most important on the docket. Again, Mr.
Norton is member of the Special Con-
mittee on Senatorial Bribery, and again,
Mr. Norton is one of the Committee of
sixteen on apporionment, and also mem
Der of the subcommittee Of five on appor
tionment Just thirk Of the immense
amount of labor to be performed by these
committees, and the vast responsibility of
their position. and then say that man
thus burdened with SO much of the most
important and responsible work to be per-
formed at Sacramento this winter, is doing
nothing, and should weaken his influence by
making buncombe speeches! The fact is,
we have the most Industrious, able, honest
and reliable representation Placer county
ever had, and one that, so far, have no.
only honored themselves, but have won for
the Independents of Placer a name for hon