Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-02-25
CARSON.
The Molasses that is Used to
Catch Votes.

Senators Discuss the Party obi.
gniiOns Of LegisIatOrs-Bflls that
have Become Laws-The Tireless
Hangers.On at CarsOn-A Grand
Reunion Engineered by the senate
CARSON, Feb. %, 1888.
The Legislature made the most OF yes
terday, a legal holiday, to take a rest from
the arduous duties that are now crowding
| upon them toward the end Of the session.
At midnight a week from to-day another
of the great historic legislative bodies will
give up the ghost sine die. What a differ
ence their absence will make in Carson !!
Even with all our Lawmakers on the streets
end in the saloons week days, and crowd
ing the churches on Sundays, the town
looks dull. There is a method and FROM
year-to-year routine Of work that makes
people more differently here from what
you get used to in a strictly mining camp.
They have their regular business hours,
that is many of them do who belong to
that portion of the army whose provider
is the people Of the State and OF the
United States. There is more standing
around here, less movement, more luxurl-
Gus picking of teeth and pairing of nails,
than you probably observe on the Base
Range. This, they tell me, is the case at
all times, but is especially true during
this biennial glory Of Carson-sixty days
of legislation and strangers within the
gates contributing their pro rata OF money
in expenditures about town.
~HANaERs-oN.
This Winter there are fewer hangers-on
about the Capitol than has been usual in
preceding legislative Winters. The report
has gone abroad, and prevails, that Nevada
has got very poor, and that opportunities
to milk the COW which has been so prolific
Of easeful ~sustenance in the past are not
numerous or good, and can be had only
by a little crowd of those exclusively ION
the inside" In the earlier and fusher
days men would come here from a thou
sand miles off to take a chance for a clerk
ship, or, failing in that, to be around
catching crumbs in the lobby. These ex-
otics are not here this time. There are,
however, no lack of local talent of this
kind that nave come in from the remote
parts of the State to make themselves use
full for sixty days. You would be sur
prised to see the energy manifested by this
class of the genus homo. They never
tire of taking you around a corner, or
leading you up to a leaning post, to give
you points on 'little jobs" to get a dollar
or two out of the States Treasury. In
this sort of business they are indefatiga-
BILE, and might be referred to as examples
of extreme industry, instead OF the very
tired bee or ant, but they might not be
employed very gracefully to point out the
moral. If you ask me how they live, and
how they get that oily look OF cunning
comfort that fits them like ''the paper on
the WALL" I shall beg you to try me on
something easier.
"MoLAssEs TO CATCH VOTES"
Shannon of San Francisco, one Of Uncle
Sans Custom-house pets, is credited with
the saying, platforms is molasses with
which to catch votes" l was in the Sem
ate this afternoon when the Williams rail
road bill, which l shall refer to hereafter,
was being discussed. There was a good
deal of latitude allowed in debate by the
President, and much was said on the obi
cation of legislators to carry out the prom
Uses of platforms as a pledge to the people.
Senator Westerfield reiterated his opinion
that political platforms are mere vote
catchers, and that he would vote and act in
the Senate according to his convictions of
duty regardless Of any such restraint.
Senator Dennis replied that he thought
q man who accepted an election at the
hands of those whose wishes were expressed
in a platform is bound to accomplish those
wishes if possible; that a platform is like a
promissory note. The man who gives the
note dare not say that he repudiates it be-
cause when he gave it he had it in mind to
obtain money by it under false pretenses.
Senator Schooling said he would try to
carry out the known wishes Of his constitu-
ency without regard to any specification in
his party platform. In doing this consci-
entiously and ~intelligently he would be
sure Of being right every time.
THE WILLIAMS R1LL.
The readers of the SENTINEL are aware
that the Legislature of 1881 passed a law
introduced by Senator Williams Of Nye,
putting the maximum charge for carrying
passengers on all the railroads Of this
State at 10 cents per mile and freight at
20 cents per ton. A bill by the same
gentleman came up on its final passage
yesterday, cutting down those rates one
half-that is, to 5 cents for passengers
and 10 cents for freight. This is in ac-
cordsnce strictly with the requirements Of
the Democratic State platform adopted in
Eureka last Fall. The bill is general and
no road is excluded from its provisions.
Mr.. Smyth, the conspicuous anti-rail-
road Senator from Lander, offered an
ply to roads which during the year 1882
had not transported %, 1000 tons Of
freight. He gave as his reason therefor
that the Austin and Battle Mountain
Railroad in 1882 had not carried quite 49,
900 tons Of freight, and was barely earn
ing a living, In fact, had netted its own
ers but S12. 900 for that year on nearly
$500, 900 invested.
Mr.. Brumsey offered . substitute to
this amendment, providing that all roads
should be excluded from the effect of the
bill that had not paid 10 per cent per
annum during 1882 on the capital in
vested. The amendment mi the substi.
tute were the subject Of a very lively
discussion, which ran OF to side issues
a. indicated above. They were voted
down by the friends and enemies Of the
bill alike, the former generally Demo.
crats) wishing to make g party record
by the vote in accordance with the de-
clared principles Of their State Conven-
ton by passing the bill in its original
shape, while the latter (the enemies Of
the measure) doubtless preferred to kill
off the amendments in order that they
would he less blamed and be held OK
cusable by many for voting to pass the
williams bill which strikes q blow at
local roads a. we'll IS at the Central Pa.
cifo.
The bill was then put upon its passage,
md went the way Of the amondments--i2
to 8. You doubtless have published the
record before this.
Senator Hobart changed his vote to aye.
In order to give notice that tomorrow he
would move to reconsider the vote by
which the bill passed.
COMPLETED LEGIsLATIoN.
Thus far, 10 bills have become laws. I
give them to you with a brief statement
Of their provisions. 1t will be we'll for