The Nevada County picayune., 1920-04-01

are men in this house who have observed these oil and gas agents making examinations of the gas sold by the gasoline distributors. You have seen them take that little gauge or register, as 1t may be called and suck little gasoline into It, examine it, write something Tn book and go on away. You keep buying the same gasoline at the same price, and selling it at the same price, and the fel- low who drives his Packard or
 I'm Lizzie never knows any difference. So where does the public come in on the deal?
 About the same argument applies to the feed and ferti- llzer inspector. The consumer don't get any better feed or fer tlllzer than he did before the office was created. But he can have the consolation of know ing that he's helping to pay the expense of all these fat jobs.
 l know l have some friends among those occupying these different positions, but whether they will continue to be my friends after the publication of this speech, I do not know. Some of them, I think, are big enough and broad enough to view this question from a busi- ness and economical standpoint while others can only view it from a selfish standpoint. Me- thinks 1 can now observe the approach of the advance guard of politicians, job-makers and Job-seekers, crying out, Away With this teacher of false econ omy; he seeks to cut our appro- prlations, abolish our offices and strike our names from the public payroll. He must be defeated at any cost" But in stead of retreating, I shall meet them at the threshold of this contest and challenge them to combat; and with the aid and assistance of those who believe in the policies that I advocate. we will put them to flight and gain a victory for the taxpay- CTS of this State.
 Local Legislation
 In my judgment, there is another great evil that seems to have thoroughly rooted itself Tn the legislature during the last fifteen years, and that is the evil of local or special legis- lation. think it is safe to say that at least ninety per cent of the time spent by the legisla- ture is taken up in the consid- eration of this class of legisla- tion. The major portion of such legislation is not only of no benefit to the people affect ed, but in many instances it re- suits in great strife and con- fusion. These local laws are enacted, amended, repealed and re-enacted so often, until it is difficult for the lawyer, much less the layman, to keep track of the law. It hasn't been many years ago since all the laws, general and special, and all the resolutions and me- morials enacted by the legisla- ture, were all printed in little book not more than two inches thick. How is it today? The Acts of the last regular session of the legislature, leaving out all these special sessions, are contained in four books, three of which are almost as big as Kirby's Digest. Two of these big books contain nothing but special road laws. The other large book contains the re- mainder of the local laws, and the small book, the general laws, resolutions and memor- ials. This idea of local legis- lation is becoming so common and so ridiculous until a man will soon be afraid to kiss his wife, without being authorized to do so by special Act of the legislature.
 The constitution of this State provides for the giving of no- tice in the locality to be affect