Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1879-02-04


EDITOR SENTINEL: Day before yesterday
an article was published in your paper en-
titled Baker and 3aily," which, by some
accident or oversight, / did not see until
late yesterday afternoon. 1t states, first,
that Baker md Baily were members Of
the last Legislature"-s fact; next, that
'sthe same railroad evils that are now COM
planned of existed then'-another fact;
that "neither Of the gentlemen attempted
anything at that time calculated to better
matters"-which il not q fact, so far as
Baily at least is concerned, and the writer
Of that article should have known better
had he taken time to look at the Assembly
Journal Of that session, or had he been
present at the railroad meeting held here
on the evening of the 25th ultimo. By re-
ferring to the Journal, on page 30, he
would have found that early in the session
ninth day., Mr.. Grey Of White Pine
county offered Assembly Concurrent Reso-
luton No. IL, ''Relative to fares and
freights on railroads" which was intended
to have some of the evils complained Of
corrected, and that the same was referred
to tho Committee on Federal Relations,
consisting of Grey of White Pine, Baily of
Eureka, Harris of Storey, Trousdale Of
Humboldt, and Edison of Douglas. On
page 245 of said Journal he would have
found that the committee reported the
same back to the House, recommending
sits passage with amendments" On page
254, he would have found that it was made
the special order for the Goth of February.
On page 27S, he would have found that it
came up under the special order, and the
House refused to order it engrossed by a
vote Of Is to 80; but that Baily, Grey and
Harris, Of the committee, voted i'll the
affirmative, Edison 1.-THE only n Of the
committce) in the negative-Trousdale be-
ing absent from illness. So. at hat ses-
sion, something was attempted to remedy
the evils complained Of.
Had the writer of that article been pres
ent at the railroad meeting spoken of,
which Of course he could not be, being in
Carson, he would have known that Baily,
in his remarks on that occasion which
were not reported-cxplained at length why
action was not further taken at that ses-
sion, all those who were present will re-
member, that the matter was referred to
and discussed at length. But had no ac-
ton at that session been attempted, reasons
for it might be given that perhaps would
be satisfactory. At that time grave doubts
were entertained by many Of the best men
Of the State whether the evils could be
corrected except by National, not State
legislation. AT that time the people of this
State did not demand it, as they now do;
no meetings were held expressive of public
opinion; no petitions were forwarded, and
not one word was said in either tbs county
or State platforms of the campaign in
which Baker and Baily were elected about
railroads in any form; no instructions were
given them, and no pledges exacted; if
there had been they would have been car
ried out. They were instructed to use
their best endeayors to secure the Mineral
Hill strip, and for this, with all the rest Of
the Representatives from Eureka county,
worked hard and untiringly until that OBJ
ject was accomplished. They were in
structed and pledged to oppose any modi-
fication of the Bullion Tax law. and both
Baker and Baily worked as hard and as
earnestly in opposing that; but not with
the cooperation of the rest of the repre-
sentatives from the county, one-half of the
the representation in the Senate and one
half in the House voting for sucA modi-
f~ication, Notwithstanding instructions and
pledges.
If action should nave been taken at
that session why did not the writer of that
article move i'll the matter? He had then
served a term of four years in the Senate;
Baker and Baily had just been elected; it
was his third term, it was their first; he
had legislative experience, they little OF
none; he was well acquainted with the
machinery of legislation, they but learn
ing-was it not more incumbent on him,
therefore, than on them?
But pardon the length Of this; it has
| already grown longer thar was intended
and neither was it intended to provoke Q
newspaper discussion-a very poor way Of
f~ighting-but 1 simply wish to explain and
to say that, whether both Baker and Baily
are sincere in their present attitude, one OF
them l know is; and further, hat this atti-
tude is because one at least honestly be-
lieves the people have cause to complain
and should have redress. and that his atti-
tude is not ssthe mere blather of disap-
pointed ambition" as the writer Of that
article seems to wish might be thought
for, during the last campaign, he declined
places on both State and county ticket,
which were rendered him unsolicited and
unashed. B..
Eureka, February 2, 1879.