Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1897-03-13

EDITOR SENTINEL As the all important
subject Of economy in public affairs has
recently been touched upon In your
columns, from the present abiding place
Of our Solons. and the necessity for re-
trenchment In the salaries OF county and
other officers has had particular stress
laid upon 10. an idea comes to me which I
should like to elaborate in the SENTINEL.
The Legislature is dead right" as 10
the necessity for economy, in the present
depressed condition OF our affairs, but is
IL smiss for me to think that economy.
like charity. should begin 81 homer The
present session will cost the people Of this
State between thirty and forty thousand
dollars. or about one dollar for every man,
woman and child in Nevada.
viii ii be said that our State will reap .
tenth part Of that sums benefit from 1t ?
What laws have been enacted whose utility
will reimburse us for such an expenditure ?
So far. about the only Act Of importance
we know Of, which has received his Elk
c~ellency's approval, is the infamous in
famous II infamous II prize ring law.
the fret in the history Of Nevada 70 dim
the lustre Of the star OF our State upor
the national flag. Will the passage Of
that ACT reimburse US. Some, doubtless,
will think so. And why? Is il because it
will bring within the borders Of the State
9 fair proportion Of the thieves. blscklegs.
c~ut-purses, highwsymen. burglars. round.
ers, pickpockets. cut-throats, confidence
men, tinhorn gamblers. l~srcenists, incen.
diaries and thugs Of the nation.
Should not economy, like charity, begin
at home. and. instead Of giving . session
Of fifty, give as one Of twenty-five days,
thereby saving to the people from fifteen to
twenty thousand dollars
The mileage alone Of the Solons amount
to hundreds upon hundreds OF dollars,
three times more being allowed than lie
necessary to pay expenses to and from
Carson. Would il not have been the grace
full thing, in the interest Of economy, 10
cut down mileage to, say, one-hAlf.
especially ss free passes are not scarce?
Would il not have been economy to re-
duce the per diem from eight to four dol
lars per day? How many Of our Solons
average four dollars per day OF their usual
svocations7 oh, no, that would not do.
You may gore the other fellows OF ss
much as you please in the interest Of
economy, but don't you gore mine And
yet one would suppose that four dollars
per day with the Prerequisites" such ss
the crumbs that fall from the table Of
public benefactors like Dan Stuart Of
Dallas. Texas, when he seeks the enact
ment OF laws in the public interest"
would be ample compensation.
Do people know that the cost Of the
Legislature Of this State for the past ten
years will aggregate nearly $500, 900. and
for the past twenty nearly $685., 900? Ave.
sixths of which was money thrown away.
IL there a fool.killer around? II there
be he has ample opportunity to practice
his calling upon the people who have SO
lorg submitted to this monstrous extrava-
gance.
II the mileage and per diem be not re-
duced. why mot amend the Constitution so
that the legislative incubus shall not climb
upon our shoulders more than once in four
years? That would be Q measure Of
economy beneficial to the State, though Of
course In would have its drawbacks, for it
would about break the backs Of the Solons
who lie around with no other object or
calling than to travel TO Carson once
every two years to make so-callsd laws for
as.
Well. Mr.. Editor, my idea about econ
omy 10 almost elaborated, and hoping to
meet you in Carson on the 18th when and
where I'll bet you five dollars that -
will win. Yours truly,
FIrzsrMMoss. CoRBRrT.