The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1915-08-04
MISS ERNEST|NE SWEET
RESIGNS FROM FACULTY


The Churchill County Board of
Education is in receipt of letter
from Miss Ernestine Sweet stating
that conditions render 1t impossible
for her to return to Fallon to teach
in the high school this fall.
The conditions that have caused
Miss Sweet to decide not to return
result from the so-called alien teach
ers law, passed by the last legisla-
ture, and the local controversy re-
sulting therefrom over the reelection
of Miss Sweet.
II will be remembered that the
board reelected Miss Sweet after
securing the opinion of Attorney
General Thatcher to the effect that
her case does not come within the
scope of the law. District Attorney
Cam, however, advised the count,
auditor that II would be unlawful tf
pay Miss Sweets salary, and under
this advice the auditor will natural
ly decline to issue warrants In hes
favor unless forced to do so by lega
process, a procedure that would be
both distasteful and expensive to
Miss Sweet.
Recently this matter was agair
taken up with the attorney-general's
cffice. where the alien LAW was
studied exhaustiyely, with regard
to its proper Interpretation and itt
possible conflict with treaties or 9th
er laws. AS a result of this study
the attorney-general's office render
ed an opinion to the district attorne,
to the effect that the law conflicts
with treaty rights under our treaty
with Great Britain, and that 1t II
therefore unconstitutional. Accor-
erative either as interpreted by Dis
trict Attorney Cam or as construed
In the previous opinion of the At
torney-general.
Notwithstanding this ndw light or
the subject. our district attorney has
decided not to change his advice to
strict Interpretation of the alien Law
itself without reference to possible
conflict with our treaties with for
eign countries. ssa
As result OF the district attor-
ney's stand in this matter Miss Swee
would be forced to resort to legal ac-
tion to collect her salary, and this
situation taken In connection with
the embarrassment to her resulting
from the recent controversy over her
Unemployment, has caused Miss
Sweet to withdraw.
Aside from any criticism that
might attach TO our county officers in
this connection, the high school Is to
suffer this loss through the appar-
emily ill-advised action of the last
legislature. IL, as the attorney-gen-
erals office holds. the law is uncon-
stitutional. some effort should have
,een made to ascertain the fact before
the law was passed. However, ac-
eording TO gossip current at the time
the bill was before the legislature.
these matters were given scant con-
sideration. Ii was generally under
stood that the bill was passed with
the sole object of causing the remov-
al of DR.. Hendrick, president of the
University. and that the legislators
behind the bill didn't know until
after the bill became law that DIR.
Hendrick had becaome a citizen sew
en- years or so before, by naturaliza-
tion.
II Is to be sincerely regretted that
the high school is to lose so compe-
tent and faithful teacher as Miss
Sweet. who, during her five years
service in our school, has earned the
reputation of being one of the most
competent and thorough instructors
of Latin, languages, ana history In
the state. Il. G.. HOUGH.
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