The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1908-10-10
A RATIONAL VIEW OF
THE STATE POLICE MEASURE


THE STATE POLICE MEASURE
The State Police claw comes p at the November election, upon referendum
vote. The action of the legislature at thu extra session in creating thisla Law is
to be submitted directly to tn people for their approval or rejection. The
is simply to get al expression OF the popular will of the people on
the natter submitted; tn result is a implied command 20 the legislature to act
does not act automatically. A majority against the Police bill would
not repeal it. In fac. the referendum law does not provide a way for carrying
the verdict of the people ito effect Therefore, it is still up to III legislature
AS the State Police law. has been submitted to a referendum vote, it is
thereby eliminated from politics, a cannot pc considered a partisan issue. 1t
will stand or fall upon it's merits and should lot b. mixed up in any political
controversy. To b. sme, the law subject to amendment was approved and en-
by he Democratic state convention, as a measure essential to thu states
best welfare just as a convention might approve of some n0npontical consdtu
tional amendment, relative to taxation, for instance. The Republicans, who were
equally responsible with the Democrats of the legislature in enacting the law,
tried to sraddle tn issue in their convention, fearing that it might be forced
into politics to their detriment. But there hasn not been and should not be any
disposition TO inject the question into politics. It should be voted upon and
decided as an abstract proposition, complete in itself and independent If all
other and entanghng issues
The Tonopah u discusses the Police law in this judicial spirit in an X
tended editorial of the issue # October T. 1t sustans the Law with cleamess and
force and we reprint the article with our editorial endorsement:
The III cannot agree with Judge Fitzgerald that the State Police Law is
not in the interest CT labor He says it is a pernicious measure and shows sev
eral reasons why it is radical but in his speech he failed to nov where it was
'.The Police law rather than being to he detdment of labor is in its inter
est What does labor want7 To strike every week as ws the fashion at Gold
field?
Miners who wan to work have Learned that the police are for their pro
lection. They ire making more money 10Y an are not called ut for trivial
as they were before. The minersk know that and throughout his can
paign, at primaries and otherwise hav how that they do not want he police
times If tranquility, but if it vas hft to a vote Of working miners exclusively
they would indorse the police Law in a modified form by al overwhelming
But whether that is Sc or nt there are others besides thu miner who
properties in Nevada that would lie idle with investors not protected. without
police protection investments were shattered mi thrown to he fou winds. The
people who are taking chances o. money past earned by putting in itoN Nevada
mines are entitled to have it made as safe from harm in the direction of agna-
ton and strikes as if it vas in an Oklahoma bank
The police law saved this state from far worse trouble than it has ever
had. The bloody times through which Colorado passed were about to De re-
peated here and, tut for the calling of troops and subsequent passage of the
police law, would have been a reality
Every good citizen of Nevada NOW what has prevented trouble and that
is now safe to proceed with mining enterprises. But a lt of harm is already
done and it is too hard as it is 10 to convince people o the east that there
win be n more trouble.
mot only for the sake of eastern investors is protection necessary There
investors in Nevada and right here in Tonopah. 1t Goldheld and every min
I'M camn Thew all nav not be investing now. but every one has nvesmen+s
already made. Some may 10 have taken actual cash and bought mines or
u have invested their abors, which are the same thing and ever more,
from whicht they hope and have a right % realize. Nr is the investor he MOI.
only. Two miners ut of everyt three own stocks or claims and wish to get
their money back. Others have property in the nature If realty, personal and
which is not worth what it "a before the labor troubles began It
only through constant vigilance M nursing that those aues can be brought
anywhere near tn level they we're when the money, or labor, as the case may
have been, was invested.
Judge Fitzgerald is making a wrong estimate If the intelligence of the
people of Nevada if he suspects that they will vote to further tear down and
the values that even at this time are less by FAR than cost He is
making the unthinkable bunder If suppoang that people will vote against their
own pocketbooks.
Labor trouble causedth the faIure of he State Bank and Trust company.
There were other causes but THEY were the real cause. There was SOM dis
or bad manag cement, lladvied loans ant tn like, b t with all of those
the AM would w pulled through, minus the further and greater handicap of
miners wered epostcrs in tht and other strings of banks. Those h lost would
like to have their money back. These who did not would like to know their
money to be safe in III future. Are they going to vote fol- a inc II policy by
there will be n realization OF assets, making dividends OF deposits i'm
possible and causing more bank failures?
Judge Fitzgerald finds the police law 10 be unjust because it taxes counties
there were % troubles to protect others where there were troubles. He
could find that same Illogical objection t0 every form of taxation and all gov
eminent CT whatsoever kind n other words because there "a trouble at
aoldhed it is minus to make Tonopah and the rest of the state share the cost
and these citcs art in depression the whole state is likewise depressed. If
is right for the whole state to enjoy the benefits is it not right that it shall
turmoil huas III wholes state into depression, and it is a fact tina.
it will benefit the rest of the state to substitute prosperity for that depression
thereby renewing thu dement's for the whole STATE, is there anything wrong about
the whole state paying the slight cost7
the law mo- ore. That may be high and it may be low. The Sum il, mol pre-
to say. But it does say that as ar as peace is Of value and as extensively
mining values figured. tho police Law would have been cheap " years ago at
,iooOoooo But at that this paper is in favor of amending the Law q he extent
reducing it's cost; also to take away all arbitrary power except in times of
Though there is little doubt Of the cost at the time rot having been
tho trsndnows should be in tn dirsetion of economy