The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-05-03
LEGISLATIVE GRAFT
BILLS NOT ALL IN

LEGISLATIVE GRAFT
BILLS NOT ALL IN
Revision Of the journals Cost Large
Amount.
The practice Of grating from the tax
payer during the sessions Of the Oregon
state legislature is not restricted, by any
means, to the various items in the APP
preparation bills nor to any one class OF
individuals. The great ambition on the
part Of all ever seems to be TO gain access
to the state treasury for as great an
amount as possible whether their claim
be legitimate or otherwise. II is sur
prising to note that this disposition is
equally manifest among all classes OF in
dividuals, including those OF honorable
position of whom an example more
worthy of emulation, might be expected.
Such an instance has been disclosed IN
connection with the recent legislative
session and in the conduct OF the affairs
of the house of representatives.
The announcement in the Portland
Oregonian by its Salem correspondent,
that Hon. l.. NJ. Reeder, speaker OF the
house, drew $l60 for assisting in the
revision of the House Journal, when in
fact he was in California when the
work was being performed, naturally
occasioned some surprise, and it was
expected Mr.. Resder would be able to
disprove the assertion or render a
satisfactory explanation of the matter
Instead in All interview in an Eastern
Oregon paper, he admits, in a some
what boastful way, of having received
the money and spent it already.
Reference to the records of the late
legislature and the Kuykendall bill,
regulating the salaries and duties OF the
officers of the two Houses, discloses some
very interesting facts.
Section 10, of the Kuykendal bill,
which relates TO the corrections and re-
vision of the House Journal, provides ne
! follows: at shall be the duty OF the
chief clerk and the calendar clerk OF
each house to remain at the capital
after the adjournment OF session OF the
legislature and correct and complete
the Journals OF the respective house and
for this service th shall lie allowed
compensation for a number OF days
equal to one third Of the number OF days
which The sessions continued at the
rate per day provided for in this act'
RATES fxed by law were: Chief Clerk,
S.; CaIander clerk, $6.)
The records of the house as shown by
the calendar, shows that on the second
day of the session, Orton introduced
house resolution No l3, providing that
A committee consisting OF the
chief clerk, assistant clerk, cal-
endsr clerk aud one mem-
Der of the house be appointed
to revise and correct the Journal at the
close of the session. Speaker Reeder ruled
the resolution out of orJsr and alleged
a. reason that it conhlcted with the
provisions of Kuykendall bill relative to
the subject.
On the last day OF the session, hou,e
resolution No. 81, by stewart, OF Jack
son, was rushed through and p ssod. II
provided that the Journal clerk, the
sneaker and one member ia addition t.
that allowed by law, assist in revislnl
the Journal and that they be allowed
the same pay per day as as the chic
clerk and twenty days to complete the
revision Representative Stewart was
made member of the committee and
drew $50 therefor.
The creation OF this committee for the
purpose of revising and correcting the
House Journal was in direct violation oil
the law Of the state governing such mat
ters. Il is violation OF the law in
three separate and distinct particulars
First--The law directs that the work OF
respective houses shall be done by the
chief and calendar clerks of the two
houses; Second-Their compensation II
fixed at IS aud 81 respectively; Third
They are by law allowed but 1879 day.
in which TO complete the work.
The records fail 10 show ii the Orton
resolution, introduced at the opening o
the session, was illegal and in conf ic'
with the provisions OF the Kuykendal
bill, why the resolution offered b.
Stewart on the last day OF the sessioT
was not eq aally at fault and in direc
violation Of the law OF the state
Speaker Reeder may be able 10 explain
this apparent inconsistency.
Under the Stewart resolution, th'
revision OF the house Journal for th'
late session cost the taxpayers OF Oregon
$500 when the law requires that sucl
work be done by two officers OF tina
body and fixes their compensation
Under the operation Of the Kuykendall
bill the cost for performing this work
had the clerks taken the full IS15 day
time allowed them, would have been II
the aggregate, only Sls6.66.
Early in the session the members o
, the House were desirous oiOVer-s .eppinl
the provisions OF the Kuykendall bill II
the matter of clerk hire, and contende'
. that the Legislature was supreme AM
. not liable TO the rules established by any
= -. ai.,o, .assion CneakaT ReedeT su ID