Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1915-01-20
State of Nevada
Executive Department
Carson City, January

Carson City, January IS, 1915.
TO the Honorable the Senate and As
sembly:
In accordance with the provisions
OF the state constitution, / have the
honor to submit herewith a report of
the conditions of the state. together
with my recommendations for such
measures as appear TO me necessary
10 the proper conduct of our affairs
and to the promotion of the pulic
welfare.
Your honorable bodies enter upon
your duties at time of industrial
depression, resulting from conditions
over which none of us can exercise
control. The people of Nevada, while
suffering TO an appreciable extent
from this general disturbance, are
still to be congratulated on having
thus far enjoyed during one of the
most trying periods in the worlds
history. degree of prosperity which
would have been impossible in any
commonwealth not richly endowed
with natural resources and not com.
priSing a citizenship of unusual cour.
age and energy.
In times of financial stress private
business is quick to respond to a de-
mand for retrcnchment, but the same
cannot always be said of public busi-
ness. There will be no argument ad-
duced in this message that the eff
cheney OF any branch of our govern
ment, which, in the judgment of the
people. is needful in our system of
public service, should be impaired:
but it becomes my duty to call to your
attention in no uncertain terms that
general and insistent demand exists
FOR the exercise of the same business
prudence in the conduct Of the states
affairs which the times demand in the
conduct of the private enterprises TO
which the state must look for its sup.
port.
Apart from the fiuctuating CONNER
cial conditions affecting our general
prosperity. we must not lose sight
of the fact that our problem in Ne
vada is peculiar. We have a state of
vast area, approximately 10000
square miles; our population is the
lowest OF any state in the union and
does not today exceed 10000 people
We are state of small and iso.
lated communities. These conditions
in themselves place an unusually
heavy burden upon our taxpayers. We
are entitled to enjoy all the advant-
ages flowing from a good and modern
government, and we are too progress
sivc to accept less from our govern
ment than progressive people are de-
manding elsewhere. But our public
servants must realize that the very
nature of things here requires of them
an unusual degree of consideration
for those upon whom the cost of gov
crnment falls.
The executive branch of the state
government is pledged to the people
TO exercise its best efforts i'm holding
expenditures for state purposes TO the
lowest figure consistent with proper
service. / entertain no fear that the
Legislative department will fail to
cooperate patriotically with the exec
utivc in the redemption of this pledge.
Reorganization Of the Legislature.
The cost OF each recent regular leg
islatiye session to the state has been
In the nCighborhood of $4,000.
There is no question in my mind
but that this session of your honor.
able body should be marked by sub.
stantial reduction in the expense.
The system employed in the past
of handling the clerical work of the
Legislature should be abolished by
immediate action of your honorable
bodies on the sufficient grounds that
II Is obsolete. inefficient, costly, and
liable to introduce dangerous errors
into the laws.
The creation of modern organiza-
tion TO perform the clerical work OF
this session, designed with the para
mount idea of obtaining efficiency at
the minimum cost TO the state.
should be your first official act, II you