The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1905-01-28

ton is however, lnaI ALMOST the
same mail that carried the bill to
Salem, carried also petition sign
ed by nearly all the business men
of Corvallis, asking the Benton
representative not to urge the ex-
tention. With the business men
praying for no extension of the
limits, neither Senator Avery nor
Representative Carter felt like
pushing the measure, and the bill
for the extention had as well not
been prepared, for it will not be in
troduced.
A fiat salary bill has passed the
House, and it will pass the Senate,
and become law. 1t takes effect
in January 1907, and provides a
salary of $1,000 for the governor,
$4, 500 each for the secretary of
state and treasurer, $4,000 for the
state superintendent and $1,000 for
tbs attorney general. 1t passed the
House Thursday morning by vote
of 81 to 2. One of the votes
against the measure was so given
because there was not provision for
it to take effect at once. The law
will save the state large sum of
money each year.
The heavy vote for the bill is not
without its significance. Flat
salaries was one of the issues on
which Governor Chamberlain made
his campaign three years ago.. The
fear the widely popular governor
would go before the people On the
same issue in the next campaign
with the added prestige of a bril-
liant record as governor and of
specific platform promises OF flat
salaries made and broken by the
republicans, this fear and the
knowledge. that Governor Cham
ber1ain is exactly the man to make
the most out of the opportunity
this condition would have present
ed, left the republican majority no
alternative but to pass fiat salary
measure. Of course there were
republican members who favored
the measure from choice, but there
were others who did not, and who
voted for it because under the cir
cumstances they dared not do other
wise. 1t is, indeed, splendid
thing for the people, when the gov
ernor and the legislature are of diff
ferent political faith.
One Of the things much talked
about in the lobby at the capitol is
the local option law and the propos
ed changes in it. The measure is
now pending in the House. Some
members say it will pass that body.
Representative Carter of Benton is
of this opinion. Others who ought
to be equally well posted, say it
! will not. Immense pressure is be-
ing brought to bear on members of
both the Senate and the House.
Portland business houses are writ
ing letters to them. A big bunch
of letters arrived at the state house
Thursday from the Merchants
National bank, of Portland. The
letters urged members to support
the amendments. A big lobby !,
provided by the liquor interests is
at Salem, and reports current are
to the effect that they have money
to burn. The bill is now in the
hands of a committee. and it is not
8 fully known in what form it will
again appear in the House.
Whether or not it will have an
emergency clause is debated. Pre-
vailing opinion is that it will meet
! a veto by the governor if it ever
reaches him in that form If it
passes without an emergency
clause it will be subject to the refer
endun veto, and will be sure to be
the subject of vote by the people
at the next election The meas
ure is perhaps the one that attracts
most interest at the capitol.
s The bill authorizing Corvallis to
issue bonds for construction of a
mountain water system passed the
! senate Wednesday. 1t was intro
, duced in that body Monday by
5 Senator Avery, and under suspen-
sion of the rules went at once to
the second reading. 1t was then
referred to the judiciary committee,
by which it was reported back
Wednesday, and at once passed
through the senate under suspen.
sion of the rules. It is now in the
! House and is expected to pass that
body without delay.
:, A matter of keen interest connec-
: ted with the bill, is that Dallas has