Amador ledger., 1904-09-23
A LEGISLATIVE RECORD.

interests OF this community, this coun
ty, and this, the eleventh assembly
district. shall support NJ McKenney.
His record, made at th last session, is
an enviable one. He stands for the in
terests of his district fir t. last, and all
the time. He did not allow himself to
become entangled with any question
able legislation, and introduced and Sc
cured in having passed some bills which
were for the great betterment of the
conditions politically.
: 'Chief among these was the salary
law, granting salaries to the constables
aud justices of tho peace Under the
operation of that law the people have
ample and continuous police protection.
and the constables are not forced to be
out of reach when needed, because
they must needs 60 out to earn a living
for their families.
The above from professedly dem
ocratic paper, is circulating the
rounds of the republican press of
this assembly district. The Ledger
is republican paper, and cheerfully
gives place to the article, but wishes
it distinctly understood that it does
not indorse the statements therein
contained. We have been in the
newspaper business long enough to
know with what eagerness a send-off
by paper of the opposite political
faith is tossed around the circle by
the average politician as an evidence
OF popularity and public confidence.
The Ledger would be pleased to join
in the anthem of praise if it were
able to do so honestly and conscien-
tiously, but this it cannot do, 1t
may be that c. H. McKenney will
have no opponent in this assembly
district. That is the policy mapped
out by the programmes, but
whether it is carried to success or
not, the Ledger deems it a solemn
duty it owes to the people to say
that the record of the assemblyman
in the last legislature is far from
commendable. Personally, we have
nothing to say against Mr.. Nc
Kenney. A public servant must be
judged by his record as such. Our
contemporaries claim to advocate his
reelection because of the record
he has carved out. The Ledger on
the other hand is impelled to with
hold support because of that record.
The all-important point therefore is
to present the record. Our cotem-
poraries point to the justice salary
bill as point in favor. Unfortun-
ate allusion! That bill is the very
acme of legislative degradation.
1t was conceived in iniquity, having
for its sole object the striking down
of one OF the most sacred safeguards
OF the taxpayers enthroned in the
constitution, namely, that no in
crease of salary or compensation
shall be made after an officers cleo
tion or during his term of Office.
The salary bill was introduced and
passed, and fought through the
courts for no other purpose than to
provide an increase of compensation.
The extract from our cotemporary
plainly admits this. And for this
perfidy-this open revolt against the
fundamental law-the voters are
asked to reward him by reelection.
Let those who can swallow such
arguments, we cannot. Inasmuch
as the record generally of C. H. Nc
Renney has been brought into the
discussion as point in his behalf,
we have taken the trouble to look
over the assembly journal, and
segregate therefrom all the bills
introduced by Mr.. McKenney in
the last legislature, and the dis
position made of the same, We ask
a careful reading of this list. Is
there one in the entire list that
tended in any way to the betterment
of political conditions or the relief
of the people generally? The record
is as follows:
241-An act to provide for the con-
struction of the unfinished part of the
free wagon road from Mono Lake basin
TO connect with road called the Togo
road at or near the Togo mine, and
making al appropriation therefor.
Passed.
242-An act making an appropriation
to pay the claim of Geo. G. Graves for
services rendered and expenses incurred
in the extradition of James William
Martin from the state of Oregon.
Failed.
422-An act appropriating money for
the purchase of books for the library
of Preston School of Industry. Passed.
423-An act appropriating money for
the purchase of bedding, furniture,
and carpets for the use of Preston
School of Industry. Passed.
424-An act forbidding the employ
ment of inmates of state institutions in
the manufacture or production of arti-
cles for the use of state officers, or the
officers and employees of state institu-
tions. Passed.
425-An act making an appropriation
to pay the judgment of 81, 125 rendered
in and by the superior court of Gala
veras county on the 4th day of Decem-
ber, 1902, in an action entitled John
Raggio vs.. State of California. Passed.
434-An act to appropriate the sum