The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1906-01-23
PETITION FOR FLAT SALARIES
Bill for Referendum that 10 Full OF
Antiquities.

Bill for Referendum that 10 Full OF
Antiquities.
A Salem special to the Portland
Oregonian says one of the most pre-
posterous measures ever proposed was
launched here today in the form of a
fiat salary amendment to the state
constitution to be adopted under the
initiative. Though the petition states
that it is a fiat salary amendment,
there is nothing in the amendment it
self to show that it is a salary clause
of the constitution. AS written, it
would amend the first nine articles of
the constitution, which have no rela-
tion to salaries, or if it be construed
as an addition to the constitution, it
would leave the present salary clause
undisturbed, except by implication.
The ridiculous features of the pro-
posed amendments are clearly seen at
glance If it should be adopted by
the people, the amendment would read
as follows;
Article 1, section /. Governor,
$4,000; secretary of state. $4,000 state
treasurer. $4,000.
Art. 2, sec. /. Superintendent of
public instruction, attorney general,
state printer, judges of supreme court,
each $4,000.
Art. 8, sec. /. Clerk supreme court,
reporter supreme court, each $4,000.
Art. 4, sec. l. Bailiff, state librar-
ian, dairy and food commissioner,
game warden, commissioner of labor,
state biologist, state fish warden, each
$1,000.
Art. 5, sec. /. Land agent, clerk
land board, each $500.
Art. 8, sec. /. Governors secretary
and secretary's first secretary, each
$4,000.
Sec. 2. Secretary's second secre-
tary, $500. and secretary's other
clerks, $1,000.
SEQ. 5. superintendent asylum,
$25O0; superintendent penitentiary,
$4,000; superintendent of deafmute
school, $500; superintendent reform
school, 1890; superintendent blind
school, $500; superintendent sold
iers' home, $500.
The boards named in article Z shall
each receive 80 per day while in serv-
ice:
Art. Z, sec. /. Child labor, pilot
commissioner, military commissioner,
health officer, agriculture, Horticul-
ture, immigration.
Art. 8, sec. /. Board of regents of
the following schools, each IS per
day, not to exceed $1,000 per annum,
viz: Eugene, Corvallis, Monmouth,
Ashland, Weston and Drain.
All other elective employees, $3 per
day.
Sec. 2. Appointees, $3, without
board appointees, 81. so with board.
Sec. 8. And the legislature shall
not employ more than 80 clerks, 20 for
the house, 10 for the senate, nor more
than 10 pages, six for the house and
four for the senate.
The state board shall serve without
extra pay on board committees.
The same to take effect and be in
operation on and after the adoption of
the people at June election, 1905.
1t will be noticed that in the first
six articles there is nothing to show
whether the amounts after the names
of the different offioe ers are salaries, or
what they are, or whether they are
to be paid annually or monthly or
biennially. If the public could draw
upon its imagination to supply these
defects, and construe these amounts
to be annual salaries, several other
imperfections are disclosed. A fiat
salary is proposed for the state printer,
but nothing is said about the pur-
chase of printing plant.
The greater number of the officers
mentioned are entirely unknown to
the constitution. for they are not men,
toned in the constitution and their
duties are not there prescribed. If
this Were adopted, the constitution
would prescribe salaries for officers for
whose election no express provision
had been made.