The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1909-01-29
representative or senator IN the leg.

representative or senator In the Ie8.
| stature.
Few Junket Committees Named.
There is nothing doing thus far
his session of the house in the way
Of Investigating commi tees and
unketing trips. During the opening
Lays C the session there were intro
duced the usual number of resolu-
Ions calling for investigation of the
various state institutions and COM
missions. They took their regular
order and went to the committee
Oh resolutions, where, with only two
! exceptions, they are still slumbering.
The two exceptions were those pro-
viding for joint committee to in
vestigate the records Of the Oregon
commission to the Alaska-Yukon-
Pacific Exposition and that providing
for committee to confer with a
similar representation from the
Washington legislature regarding
uninform fishing laws.
The two houses have provided for
a joint committee with instructions
to devise and report at this session
a practical plan for permanent sys-
tenn for auditing the books and ac-
counts of the state institutions and
commissions.
To Protect Travellers.
The nine-foot bed sheet bill, in
troduced by Kellaher, of Multnomah,
passed the senate. The bill was
treated as a joke by some, but most
of those who discussed 1t treated 1t
seriously, arguing that long sheets
were necessary for the protection of
the health of the travelling public.
1t was explained that hotels and
lodging-houses seldom washed their
blankets and comforters, so that II
the patron was to be protected from
infectious diseases the sheets must
be long enough to fold down over the
covers at the top.
Senator Kellaher's fire-escape bill,
applying to all hotels and lodging
houses, passed the senate. 1t re-
quires that all hotels of more than
one story In height be provided with
rope securely anchored near a win
dow and that the rope be knotted
every IL inches. This will provide
means by which dodgers may escape
In case Of fire. Buildings OF more
than one story must have iron fire
escapes.
Provide for State Publicity.
Secretary of State F. w. Benson
has asked the legislature to arrange
for the publication of a small PAM
phlet on the resources of Oregon.
giving authentic information regard
ing all portions of the state, which
pamphlet may be mailed to people in
the East who write for information.
At present there is no public docu-
ment which the state officers can
send in answer to such inquiries. The
secretary's idea Is that the pamphlet
should contain information furnished
by the several counties. edited to see
that 1t is correct, and that each coun-
ty be assigned the same amount of
space in the pamphlet.
No Liquor for Dry Counties.
Importation Of liquor into dry
counties is prohibited by the terms
OF bill introduced In the house by
Representative Davis, of Multnomah.
This is the first measure treating
with the local option question that
has made its appearance at this ses-
sion.
This bill proposes to prohibit the
transportation or shipment of intoxi-
eating liquors into any county or pre-
cinct Of the state while the sale of
such intoxicating liquor Is prohibited
in any such county or precinct.
Life Term for Highway Robbery.
Representative Dimmick's high
way robbery bill, which passed the
house, provides penalty of from 10 |
years to life Imprisonment for per-
sons convicted of highway robbery,
being armed with deadly weapon.
The present penalty Is from five to |
20 years Imprisonment. The amend |
ed bill leaves the question of wheth-
er or not the sentence shall be for |
life at the discretion of the trial
judge. unarmed persons convicted |
of highway robbery may be SEN
fenced from three to 15 years In the |
state penitentiary.
Changes i'm Railroad Laws.
Only minor changes of the rail-
road law are asked by the railroad |
commission, Three of its bills have !
appeared in the house. 1t will ask |
for two additional bills-one for
compulsory fencing of railroad right
of-way; another to authorize the |
commission to employ experts for
determining value of operating sys-
TENS and admitting such findings as
prima-facie evidence.
Celebrate States Anniversary.
Committees from the house and
the senate have been named to CO.
operate with the Oregon Historical
Society for celebration of the 5Oth
of Oregons admission to
the Union, These exercises will be
held in the house of representatives
ut Salem, at D, m. Monday, Feb
ruary 10, The details Of the pro-
posed programme of exercises have