The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1922-07-18
HAS MESSAGE FOR
RANCH INTERESTS
Vernon Metcalf, Secretary Nevads
Land and Livestock Association,
Talks Right Out Concern
ing Election Necessities

In the current issue of the Ne
vada Stockgrower, Vernon Metcalf,
secretary of the Nevada Land and
Livestock Association, sets forth
some truths of vital Importance to
the farmers of Nevada, as well as
to people in other walks of life.
Editorially, Mr.. Metcalf says:
Once more Nevadans are con-
fronted with the necessity Of se-
lecting large number of state and
county officials to direct their gov
ernment affairs for period of
years.
So far as state and county gov
ernment goes, there is little if any,
thing to warrant partisanship at
titude. There is just one issue in
volved and that is, are we going
to have a state and county govern
ment of responsible, representative
Nevadans of affairs or govern
ment of good fellows of the political
class, a class that can afford to
spend a lot of time and bit of
money getting these public jobs
because if they don't get them they
won't have anything else to turn
to.
The answer depends absolutely
upon the amount of interest shown
in the campaign by the two sides.
The class whose property invest
ments and work of life time are
at stake are in the majority-but,
as always has been and as probably
always will be the case, a half
hearted and disinterested majority
makes easy picking for an active
and interested minority.
AS a representative of the in
terests of the stockgrowers and
ranchers of Nevada, / want to tell
you, straight from the shoulder and
without mincing of words at time
when your interests are so vitality at
stake, just what my experience has
been in attempting to improve your
conditions is matters connected with
your state and county governments.
There are too many public offices
and too many officials with whom
we must deal every year to attempt
to cover the whole story. A sample
or so should surffice.
Most cattle and sheep growers
and ranchers in Nevada are vitality
interested in efforts to cut down
losses of livestock from theft. 1t is
a notorious fact that convictions in
connection with this crime have
been few and far between compared
to the number of trials. A care
full study of the reason why leads
us to the conviction that county
offciers-not all, but many-have
not shown much interest in the mat
ter.
Prosecutions must be directed by
the various district attorneys. When
you help select your district at
torney ask yourself just what you
can expect from him in this line.
Juries-here is the biggest of
all-are selected very largely by the
county commissioners, at least they
select the jury panels from the
voters lists. A very great deal
depends upon the county commits
sioners or the chairman of that
board as to the general makeup of
a jury. OF course, a fair number
of representative, law-abiding people
are bound to slip in, but it only
takes a few of the "tin horn" class
to give the lawyers making a prac-
tice of defending our criminals al
most "cinch" on the verdict. One
such person can hang jury. One
or two who happen to be good
takers, can and often have won a
majority against them over to the
side of the defense.
County commissioners who really
want to see the laws upheld car
very materially help to guarantee
such result in their jury pane
selections, particularly if they know
they have the backing and support
of the representative people.
Just keep that in mind when il
comes to help select those who ar.
going to be your county commits
sioners.
This is just a small sample o.
the power of county commissioners
They are not the county directors
!. L 4