East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-02-20

While it is yet too early to secure
accurate figures on appropriations
and expenses of the recent session of
the legislature, enough is now known
of the appropriations. TO. form an ac-
curate estimate of the 0ost of the ses-
sion, and to give in outline the gene
raj laws that have been passed, ben
eficial and otherwise.
Appropriations at tlae hands of the
23d legislative assembly will foot up
close TO the $2,25O,0Oe mark. Actual
appropriations, taken together with
the regular standing appropriation,
reach a total of over ,S2, ,167, 900. be-
sides number of smaller individual
expenditures authorized by the law
makers just adjourned
The general appropriation bill, TO
cover the costs and improvements of
the state institutions, proper, includ-
ing the state normal schools, amounts
TO $1,Q42, 1880. while the appropri-
alton for the state departments runs
up to s454641
The total cost of the -13d session is
covered by an appropriation of $780,
900. with which was covered several
deficiency appropriations aggregating
on the whole s133, 3,14I42
The largest item in the deficiency
list was that of the scalp bounty.
killed by the governors veto of the
omnibus hill two years ago and
amounting to 35,SS1.11.
Most Expensive Session.
The present session is far more ex-
pensive te the taxpayers of the state
than that Of two years ago, when
allowance ia made for the appropri-
alton of $4,000 for the Lewis and
Clark exposition and $165,0ef for the
Dalles-Celilo portage road
Over GDO Bills Introduced
Bills to the total number OF 377
were introduced in the house and in
the senate the calendar shows 269
intended pieces of legislation. OF the
total number in the house. 255 We're
passed, while the senate made Lavor-
able disposition of 151 measures in
troduced in that body.
Flat Salary Law.
After many years of effort and (
unredeemed pledges the legislature
enacted flat salary law, though it
will not take effect until 1907. In
the meantime the ,eAtravagant com
pensation of the state treasurer and
the secretary of state will be con-
tinued. The state priIter, not being
n constitutional officer. was not in
sible that the referendum may be in
future legislature to curtail the
profits of his office.
One of the notable events of the
session was the determined stand
taken by Governor Chamberlain in
defense of the referendum. His
warning to the Legislature that he
would veto bills carrying the emerg-
ency clause, when no emergency ex-
listed, bore substantial fruit in the
closing hours of the. session, when in
order to escape the veto the general
appropriation bill was amended so
as to strike out the Objectionable
clause.
This bill carried the appropriations
for the normal schools, and it is pos
sible that the referendum may be in
voked upon them, especially If, as is
contended by some, it is applicable to
single appropriations out of a num-
ber in one bill.
Tax Commission.
The creation of a tax commission
to prepare a tax code for submission
to the next legislature was made the
excuse for rejecting Sonnemann's
bill, imposing per cent tax on the
gross earnings of telephone, telegraph
and Pullman sleeping car companies
The creation of the Malheur irriga.
ton district the klamath Lake grant
in aid of the governments reclama-
ton project in Southern Oregon and
the appropriation of $4,000 to be
used by the governor in suppressine
the sheep-killing marauders Of Klam'
ath and Crook counties, were amont
the important measures passed
One of the valuable measures pass
ed in the closing hours of the seasor
was Huntley's bill for the prevention
of fraudulent affidavit voting in elec
tions. The bill was designed to pre-
n. L.