Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-11-20
Mr.. GEER THINRS NOT.
Opposed to Repeal Of Mortgage
Tax and Usury Laws.
TAKE THE TAX FROM ALL CREDITS
Only Change in Assessment
Laws Will be the Repeal of
the Indebtedness Clause.
TAKE TUE TAX FROM ALL CREDITS

Sc Nttt UtSti bAs'iic ttphiuS ~ h'Sis'
Sic vii ne in the iower house Of the
lcgisiatur, from Marion county in
January, and .sA candidate FOR the
speakership, aud is the long horse in
the race in point of stature. The
other two candidates are said TO be
Hon. II. r. Miller, OF Grants, and
Hon. George L. Story, of Portland.
1t is unofficially reported that Mr..
Miller does not ssek the speaker
ship, and If Mr.. Story is after II, he
has not formally announced his
candidacy.
Representative Geer is after the
plum with long pole, and Marion's
delegation will back him TO the
man. II am in the field to stay,
and hope to win" hesaid yesterday.
Mr. Geer is q thorough farmer, well
educated and well read, is q fine
parliamentarian and q geod debater.
He talked very entsrtainingly on
topics of state interest to reporter
al the St. Charles yesterday. The
frst question was, if it had been his
observation that the people of Ore
gon are waking up and marching
forward.
AOSSBACKIsM SLIDING DOWN
GRADE.
"Well, / should say so,n he re-
piled. There is no question but
the people of Oregon are getting
move on them. Mossbaekism has
TO go, and is going down a steep
toboggan slide. You know, am a
farmer and among farmers a great
deal aud have been wonderfully
struck with the fact during the past
two years. The influx of rustling,
energetic people from the East has
had a great deal to do with it. Be
side, there has been a great improve
ment in the character of the immi-
grafton. In the past the people
came to look around, now they
bring their means and make their
homes and stay with us. AS l 60
around among the farmers / see not
| only the result of these new people
so far as their own work Is con-
cerned, but see it exercised among
our old farmers everywhere. Ore
gon has the brightest future of any
state in the Union.
I'VE will have very busy session
this time, and I trust one that will
be devoted to the best interests of
the people. Our sessions are usu-
ally short, and we waste most of the
time uselessly. l am sure the ex-
travagence which has characterized
us as to clerk hire in the past will
not find full sway this time. / am
opposed to the employment of clerks
unless we have work for them, and
I am not in favor Of paying them
any more than we get ourselves.
Even with this reformation we will
have plenty of applicants for posi-
tions.
GIVE THE RAILROAD COMMISSION
POWER.
1.-THE railroad problem is one that
will require careful consideration.
Public sentiment is in favor of Civ
ing the railroad commission suffi-
cient power to make itself felt. If
not, the commission will be abol-
ished as it ought to be.
sat this time L cannot say how
far we should go in this matter.
Last winter introduced bill Civ
ing the commission Judicial power
to enforce its findings, but the gov
ernor vetoed the bill increasing the
number of commissioners and tine
veto was oyerruled and before the
legislature could take up my bill the
session was nearly over. intend
to present my bill again at the
January session and do not appre-
hend that there will be any trouble
in passing 1t. / am in favor of vest
ing the commission with power to
fix freight and passenger rates, but
not in preference to maxium rate
law which j think would he more
just. The fatalIwreck at Lake La
bish illustrates the need of rail-
road commission with more power.
SIN relation to assessment, my
opinion is that public sentiment
does not justify any innovation In
the present law further than the re-
peal of the Indebtedness clause and
the creation Of a state board OF
equalization. The repeal of the in
debtedness clause would destroy
the loOphOle through which the
wealthy men evade their taxes and
cure one Of the greatest evils com
planned of and the state board of
equalization, If 1t performed its duty,
would insure a uniform valuation of
property asd cure the other evil to
great extent. The enforcement of
both Of these propositions would
nearly double the taxable valua-
tion of property in the state and run
1t up between $3.50, 900, 900 and $sOO,
100000.
THE MORTGAGE TAX AND vsURy
LAWS.
IL am strongly Of the opinion that
the mOrtpage tax law will unt l.a 70