The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1915-03-24
NEvADA'S 1915 LEGISLATURE
Former Governor D. s. Dickeson Says the Body Was Unfair
and Tells Why He Thinks SO---A Democratic Viewpoint
That viii Bear Reading, From Nevada Democrat.

engagement closed at 1880 O'Clock
this morning. The cast was of
mediocre type. The company had
been press-age to the limit and
the people naturally expected a high
class performance, and the disap-
pointment was all the more keen be-
cause of the grandiloquent notices
given the company.
Ii was a fourth rate performance
from start to finish Elected on
platform of retrenehment, the ap-
preparation bill will show, or rather
will not show all the facts; it has
been one of the most eytrayagant
legislatures convened in this state in
generation. Don't look at the ap-
preparation bill in forming your opin-
ion of the economical handling OF
the states business, but look to the
individual bills carrying appropria-
tions.
This is the first business men s"
legislature in the past dozen years
of my experience with Nevada legis-
latures, and | venture the assertion
that it will be the last in two gener-
atoms to come. | have seen profess
sional politicians IN action many
times in this state and In other
states. but this is my first expo nee
With q business mems organi. on,
and 1t is my firm conviction, ID l
think it will be also the conviction of
the voters of this state, that even
the common ward-heeler is prefer
aBle, when it comes to legislating
for the interests of the entire people
OF the state, to q boob who poses as
business man. Understand the
word poses" is used advisedly. II
this same aggregation would adopt
the same methods in the transaction
of their own business that they have
adopted in the transaction of the
states business. they would be in
the bankruptcy court in less time
than they have occupied in consider
ing the trifes which have occupied
their time for the past sixty days.
Tho state will have paid between
seventy and seyenty-five thousand
dollars for the honor of having had
business men tinkering with its laws.
Not a single constructive measure
has been passed. But two bills
have been considered which even
approximate constructiveness, and
CURED not only a great deal of en-
ergy but considerable alertness to
put them through. The Water Bill
and the Tax Commission Bill were
OF Importance to the State in that
we're necessary to the
present laws. But the reactionary
forces in both houses of the legisla-
ture consumed much valuable time
and wasted a great deal of energy
that might we'll have been expended
to far greater advantage to the
state.
The Twenty-seventh session is not
a signal success, and very few of its
mem bers will, in future years, refer
TO having been members of this ses-
sion with overWeening pride. At
least no reference will ever be made
to the achievements of the session.
1t would be uncharitable, and prob
ably unfair to designate them as an
of asses-there were
some high class men in this session,
but. for some reason or other,
neither their mentality nor their in
dividuality was given a chance for
fair display-only the commonplace
" do " ih1 AiAosN Obb1hf
ant onlooker.
In the controlling, the Republic
can party, in the senate, but one
man measured up to what would
suggest near approach to states
manship. Fulmer. the chairman of
the Ways and Means Committee
worked persistently and consistently,
and with more than ordinary intelli-
gence, to curtail the state expenses.
1 am not at all persuaded that many
of his proposed economical measures
would not prove most extravagant
IL put into practice, but he is en-
titled to the credit of at least trying
TO reduce expenses to a minimum.
Throughout the dreary, monotonous,
session he fought to save a penny
here and a penny there wherever he
believed il possible without impair
ment of the public service. And in
this respect he looms above his
brother Republican senators as
Mount Whitney looms above the
sand dunes in Death Valley.
He at least showed some capacity
for statesmanship. His judgments
we're warped by partisan bias or
prejudice, but his endeavors were
along the lines of constructive legis-
lation that would inure to the bene-
fit of the state. 1t is matter of
secondary consideration whether or
not his efforts were crystallized into
law; the effort at least was made,
and he is entitled to the credit that
is due him Just as much as If they
had all proven successful.
In the Assembly, the same rule
holds good One man in the majori-
ty party gave evidence of developing
into leader of men. Goodman,
who during his first term in the
twen,y-sixth session acquired repu-
tation for non-activity which afford
ed his friends little encouragement
that he would ever assume great
er activity than answering to his
name on roll-call, has been
much of surprise. He has taken
an active part in all the assembly
deliberations. II has also been an
intelligent part. 1t was simply a
case of development of self-confi-
dence. Throughout the session, he