The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-02-23
FLAT
SALARY
KILLED
Bill Failed BY Only
One Vote
Senate Defeats Kay'S Flat
Salary Measure
Committee "Feared"it Might
Be Unconstitutional

Merely as a matter Of history The
Journal prints below the oregonian's
story Of the defeat Of the fat salary
bin as reported in the oregonian
Sunday.
Il will be recalled that the pledge
to enact fiat salaries was in all the
political platforms at the June elec.
tion. but that the oregonian made
light of II, and ridiculed IL, and fought
special session TO enact a fat sal
airy law when Governor Geer wanted
to call the special session for that
purpose.
Governor Geer finally went up TO
the Oregonian Office. and was shown
that the constitution was in the way,
and the senate judiciary committee,
headed by men entirely under the or.
egonlan's ntrol, raised the same OBJ
jections.
II the pledges i'm the Republican
platform have been defeated It is be
cause the Oregonian and it's follow.
ers have been in a position TO dictate
the death-blow TO this reform prom
ised the people.
Il will be observed that the Demo
Gratis in the senate fought to the end
for this reform. Read the story OF
the defeat of fat salaries:
The story Of Defeat.
Oregonian. Feb. %: The senate de-
feated Kays fat salary bill by vote
of l5 10 Z. an Affirmative vote Of l6
being necessary TO pass the bill The
consideration for the defeat of the bill
was that salaries in excess OF those
provided in the constitution are in.
valid. The bill carries salaries Of
from $4,000 20 $4,000, while the con.
stitutonal salaries are from $500 TO
$500
The bill as Il came to the senate,
provided that the salary bill shall go
into effect on January T. 1906. Il
was unfayorably reported by the ju.
dietary committee. upon the ground
that II was unconstitutional In that
IL provides for salaries In excess OF
those authorized by the constitution
Senator Pierce, Dem, Of Union, as.
serted that Il was not unconstitutional,
and submitted a minority report favor.
ing It's passage. Fulton moved TO
amend by providing that the lat sal.
aries should not go into effect until
1907
Senator Pierce opposed this, saying
that the platforms OF both political
parties In the last campaign pledged
the enactment OF a fiat salary law.
While he wanted law that would go
into effect at once, he would rather
have one that would go into effect in
1905 than in 1907.
Fulton, OF Clatsop declared that the
bill Is plainly in violation OF the con.
stiuution for IL was directly at yari.
anoe with the section OF the constitu-
tion which provides for salaries,
Would IL be any less unconstltu-
tional In 1907 than In 1862" demand
ed Smith, OF Umatilla
Not Bit said the senator from
Clatsop. Il do not approve OF the bill
at all but II il is to pass want II TO
take effect only after the expiration
OF the terms OF the present incum-
bcnts OF state Offices"
senator Mulkey took a similar view
and said that when any change is
made In the compensation Of state OF. |
hcers Il should be done by amending
the constitution.
Senator Smith OF Mulmomah. held |
that the Republican party had bound /
itself 10 pass a nat salary law. and he |
wanted this one passed now.
senator Rand said that he and an |
other senators had taken an oath TO |
support the constitution of the state |
and that the constitution hXes the
compensation OF state officers. To
vote for bin which gave higher /
compensation ne would consider
violation OF his oath Of oaice The !
Republican party never pledged itself /
70 pass an Unconstitutional measure /
for aat salaries" declared senator
Rand.
Senator Miller. Of Linn. advocated /
the passage of a hat salary law and
said he would vote against any bnl
that ala not 60 into eject az once
The amendment carried providing
that the Law should 90 into eject IL
1897 and then the bin vas pat upon
is mai passage and defeated.
4 n Ronoy TIE Euseae coatractor