Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1895-03-30
THOMAS WREN ON THE LATE
LEoIsLATURE.
ne Suggests a Remedy 20 Correct
A~buses-The Honest. Infetffgent
Voters Must Act Together.

ne Suggests n Remedy 20 Correct
A~bu.e.-rhe Honest, Intelligent
voters MUST Act Together.
EUREKA, March IL, 1895.
EprroR RENO STATE JOURNAL; The
Legislature has adjourned and . general
sense Of relief is felt. No Legislature
ever met in the State with better oppor-
tunity for making a good record than the
late but not lsmented one. The plat
forms Of all three Of the political parties
in the State were practically the same
upon the burning questions OF the day
the reconciliation Of silver and against
the extension OF the time and change OF
terms Of payment Of the debts OF the
Union Pacific and Central Pacific rail-
roads.
1t would be q useless waste Of ink to
point out all Of the "sins Of omission and
commission" Of the Legislature, espe-
cially Of Q majority Of the Assembly.
The most fragrant have already been de-
nounced by the press Of the State.
Is either Of the political parties respon.
sible for the misdoing Of the Legislature :
Certainly not. Taking the Assembly as
an example, we find that at least eight
out Of ten or twelve Republicans in that
body and about an equal number Of Sill
YER members apparently voted as the
lobby directed all through the session.
1t would, therefore, be manifestly unjust
to hold either the Republican or Silver
yer party responsible? Who, then,
is responsible Unquestionsbly the
lobby and the members who permitted
the lobby to influence them. l was at
Carson during the first three weeks OF
the session, and during that time the
scenes around the Senate and Assembly
chambers were simply scandalous. 1t
was q common occurrence to see members
called out into the hallway at the beck
Of a railroad lobbyist, it is not unfair to
assume to receive directions in regard to
matters pending or to come up in the
Legislature affecting railroad interests.
The member dependent upon some lob
byist or friend Of q lobbyist was intimi-
dated. Bargains and bribery were used
with the corrupt and weak, and mex
perienced were wheedled and deceived by
the lobby, and by such means a major
ity in one or both Houses was secured to
defeat needed legislation affecting rail-
road and other interests, and frequently
to secure vicious legislation. The work
of the lobbyist, especially the railroad
lobbyist, is not confined to the Legisla-
ture, however. The railroad company is
interested in the election of men who
veal its collar as Assessors, County Com.
missioners and members Of the Legisla.
ture. Usually q few months before q
general election the railroad lobbyist
snoopes around through the State select
ing candidates for those and even higher
offices who will be acceptable to the rail.
road. When the candidates have been
selected the railroad company gives them
substantial support, and. if elected, they
can generally be relied upon to protect
railroad interests.
The people, q vast majority OF whom
are deeply interested in and in favor OF
honest legislation and Q just administrA-
ton Of the laws, should apply a caustic
remedy for the present existing abuses.
Permit me to suggest the remedy. A
new party division must be made. The
honest, intelligent, independent voters
must be arrayed against the knaves, po'
litioal time servers and fools without re-
gard to party utilization. These are hon
est, intelligent, independent Republicans,
Silver men and Populists. The latter al
most invariably act together. Reform
seems hopeless unless the former also act
together. Whenever o knave, q time
server or q fool is . candidate for Office
the honest, intelligent and independent
voter should vote and work against him,
no matter what party he belongs to.
Whenever an honest, intelligent and in
dependent man is q candidate for Office
and you find the lobby influence working
against him. vote for him independent of
party. Whenever you find q railroad
lobbyist shopping around the country ad.
vocating the election OF this, that or the
other candidate il is safe to assume in q
vast majority Of instances that he wears
the railroad collar and should be de-
feated.
To sum ii all up in . few words. what
is most needed to break up the worst
features Of lobby influence is less parti-
sanship and more honest, intelligent and
independent voting among our best class
of citizens. THos. WREN.
10 estimating the character and value
~ tho uniamenkad Fiftv-fourth Congress-.