White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-11-06
NEVADA STATE IN THE MAKING;
GREAT MEN OF EARLY HISTORY

lhe days when as boy he used 10
SWING on the wagons hauled by the
writer's bull teams at Eureka in the
early sos until he entered the halls
Of congress in 1907.
The writer was also running stages
ut Eureka when Mr.. Bartlett first
hung out his shingle as a LAWYER. and
one OF the first jobs given the young
| attorney was when the writer en-
F, gagged him to write a letter TO the
bosloinee department seeking The re-
| mission OF a fine imposed on account
OF mails being delayed while crossing
the snowy Hamilton mountains. The
| letter was a masterpiece and secured
The desired result.
Mr.. Bartlett was elected 10 con
gress In 1906 and reelected in 1908.
His services in the state attorney gen
erals Office and in that of the United
States district attorney for Nevada
proved him 10 be one OF the ablest
brightest and most conscientious Of
flcials in the state.
While Mr.. Bartlett was serving his
first term in congress the labor trou-
bles at Goldfeld broke out and the
governor was forced to call out the
militia and later TO call IA special ses-
sion of the legislature to deal with
the situation. At this special session
was enacted the law providing for
state police and MIR. Bartlett. who
came back from Washington to take
part in the fight. was largely instru-
mental In the passage of the law. as
he was perhaps closer to the miners
and the mining operators than any
man in the state.
During Mr. Bartiett's second cam
paign for congress his opponents tried
10 urge his part in the enactment of
the state police law as n reason why
he should be defeated. claiming that
the law was blow TO the liberty OF
the workers. This argument was par
ticularly used In ISOLATED mining
camps. such as Searchlight. where the
greater part or the voters we're min
ers. So convinced were the miners
NJ Searchlight that Bartlett should
be defeated and so strong was the
sentiment against him that the dem
cratic county committeeman. who
was miner. refused TO take part In
welcoming Bartlett TO the camp when
he was scheduled to arrive during his
campaign tour
The writer. who was operating q
stfge line between Searchlight and
the railroad, was finally forced to en-
list the aid of John F. Emerson. the
republican mayor, and Henry Perkins.
publisher of the Searchlight Bulletin
and republican county committeeman,
10 go 10 the railroad and welcome Mr.
Bartlett on behalf OF the town. Bart
lett. by the way, WAS accompanied by
= man from Tnscarora named A. =
A. Johnson. The bills announcing
the political mass meeting naturally
carried the name of Johnson as one
of the speakers. and number OF the
Irish miners were bitter against Bart
lett because he was accompanied by
an "A. 7 A
As WAS customary in those days
the candidate. who was accompanied
by the mayor, the editor. Mr. Johnson
and the writer. after his arrival in
town began TO set up the drinks for
everybody. making the rounds up one
side OF the street and down the other,
stopping at every saloon and gam
bling house and playing the wheel
freely as we'll as calling for liquid re-
freshments. Whether the keno" let
WIS WoH vi lust tuf uiAhhf hti' vi
the candidate. and as a result when
the meeting was called to order early
in the evening every seat in the hall
was taken. When Mr.. Bartlett got
through explaining the good points Of
the police bill and proved how ii safe
guarded the rights of every man who
wanted to work. he had made con
verts OF virtually the entire audience
When Mr.. Bartlett left to catch the
early morning train IL appeared as II
the town would vote for him pretty
solidly and this belief was later JUS
tlfie by count OF the ballots. which
gave Bartlett 30 votes while his OPP
ponent. who had spent several days
In the town on an active campaign.
received hut II votes. or majority
of 43 for Bartlett. AT the same elec'
ton Taft defeated Bryan by | ) votes
in the precinct.