Amador ledger., 1905-03-17
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A Eulogy of Our Assemblyman.

Silas Penry has an article in last
weeks Dispatch complimenting AS
semi blyman McKenney on his record in
the late lamented legislature. Mr..
Penry is democrat. and hence his
eulogy of a republican Uember, he
thinks, ought to have all the more
weight. A republican the recipient of
bouquets from a democrat, must be
extraordinarily good. According to
this eulOgist, our assemblyman has
proved himself hardy working. hon
est, conscientious member, devoting
his entire energies to advancing the
public interests. 1t is unfortunate that
the notice deals in generalities. After
reading it one is prompted to ask,
sWhat constitutes a faithful, honest
legislator" The question will be vari-
ously answered according to the stand
point of the individual One man, who
perhaps has never contributed any
beyond the payment of an occasional
poll tax, will say, So and so has made
a fine record as a legislator. He Sc
cured me job, at fat wages, for doing
nothing. Another will point out that
large sums were secured from the state
treasury to be spent within the terri
torial limits of the district. He was
able to secure liberal appropriations,
and hence he must be an able repre-
sentative. Another will say, He was a
hard worker, always found in his seat
at voting time, and always acting in
accordance with the program mapped
out by his party leaders. He has lived
through session characterized by
graft and Doodle, and has managed to
keep himself free from the accusation
of corruption. Ali this may be said of
a representative-perhaps truthfully
record worthy of commcndation. The
Ledger would be only too glad to give
full credit for any good and wholesome
laws introduced by Assem- blyman Nc
Kenney for the benefit of Amador
county or any portion of the district.
The first duty of representative is to
take care of home interests. If each
mem Der would look after reform move
ments in his own particular district the
reform would be not only local but
general. No doubt state institutions
Of
mark will equally apply to counties.
Certainly, measures might be passed
which would correct evils of long stand
ing in Amador county, and which have
been steadily growing through many
years. The road system, the fee
schedules, might be mentioned as ave-
nues for the redress of grievances. But
if anything has been accomplished in
either of these directions we have failed
to hear of it. One thing we are willing
to concede-a testimonial of the neg
ative kind. Our representative has iu-
troduced no salary grab bill, similar to
| the justices and consta bles' bill of two
| years ago. So that at least he has i'm
posed no additional burdens upon the
people. Perhaps that is something to
be thankful for. Be this as it may,
there is abundant scope in Amador
county for a change in the laws that
would prove immensely beneficial to
the people, but we have yet to learn
that any forward step has been taken
in this direction. We may be un-
reasonable, still we cannot help re-
marking that, in the emergency con-
fronting this county, laws tending to
ease rather than add to the business of
taxation, would be the most popular
form of building up a legislative record.
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