East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-05-12
MEASURES BEFORE
PORTLAND VOTERS
VOTE ON so IMPORTANT
PETITIONS IN JUNE
Two of Them Relate TO Charter Re-
vision Which Would Have the Ef-
feet of Complete Change in Form
of Government Gothenberg
Amendment Granting the Exclusive
Selling of Liquor Will BE on Ballot
Bridge and Water Measure.

June, for there are nearly that mum
ber of measures TO be on the ballot
either through the initiative or the
referendum, says the Journal.
Chief of these is the proposed re-
vision of the city charter submitted
by the committee of Is. This meas
ure does away with the city council
of 15 members and substitutes there
for the commission system. Under
this there shall be six councilmen
and mayor, all of whom, sitting to-
gether, shall compose the governing
commission of the city. Each men,
Der of the commission is to be elected
by the people, is to receive an ade-
quate salary and is to be the respon-
sible head of one of the branches of
the city government. All boards and
commissions are to be abolished. The
plan of the committee of 15 is a
modification of the Des Moines plan
of city government. The provisions
of the measure are exhaustive sup
planting the present charter in every
particular, the old instrument being
repealed in its entirety by the adop-
tion of the new.
Extension of Water System.
Going with this commission plan an
alternative amendment regarding the
control of the water system and the
raising of funds for the maintenance
of the department is submitted. One
of these proposed amendments pro-
vides for the extension of the water
system by the issuance of bonds. The
other provides that expense of lay
ing mains shall be borne by the bene-
fitting property owners.
Another initiative measure of much
Importance to be on the ballot is
that of the Gothenberg association.
This measure provides a franchise,
if passed, to the Gothenberg associa-
tion, granting it the right to
have exclusive handling and retail
ing of liquor in Portland for period
of 10 years. In return for this priv
ilege the association is to reduce the
number of saloons in the city from
440 10 $50, to remove all saloons from
the residence district and maintain
the $50 saloons only in the main
business district All saloons are to
be under strict regulation, to permit
no gambling, to bar women from all
places, to have no boxes, to sell no
liquor to minors or to intoxicated
men, to close at midnight and stay
closed until 5 o'clock a. m, to keep
closed all day Sunday. In considera-
ton for the franchise the association
binds itself to pay the city total dur
ing the 1O-year- privilege of $685.
600. These payments are to be made
quarterly in advance at the rate of
SS65,O00 annually for the first five
years and 100000 for the second
five years. This payment equals, ac-
cording to the estimates of the back
ers of the association plan, between
Is and is per cent on the capital in
vested, it being intended to spend ST.
nNNfNNN III NAAt ppNidtAOll u llit BiSAils
Two Bridge Amendments.
Two bridge amendments are before
the people for their vote. One Of
these provides for the construction
of a bridge at Market street instead
Of Madison, and the other for a bridge
at Sherman street. There will be an
amendment or an ordinance provid-
ing for the regulation of the electric
al wiring Of the city, providing safe
guards on high power wires and pro-
vidng for the creation of the office
of inspector to see to the enforcement
of the law.
Kellaher's anti-patent paving ordi-
nance is also before the people. This
is directed against the paving trust"
and provides that the city shall not
call for patented materials in specifi-
cations for street Improvements.
The referendum has been invoked
on the vehicle tax ordinance, and this
will be up for the decision of the peo-
pie.
The excise board amendment. COM
monty known as the McKenna petit
tion, which was thrown off the ballot
through the large number of bad
signatures to the petition, is now be-
fore the courts in an effort to have
1t placed on the ballot in spite of the
failure of the requisite number of
signers. Should the court hold with
the petitioners, the measure will also
appear on the ballot
Another Charter Revision.
The remainder of the measures to
come before the people is known as
the committee Of seven, and taken
together mean a wholesale revision
Of the charter, though not going so
far as did the offering of the com
mlttee Of 10. The committee Of sew
en-, which was created after the coun-
Gil baked at the new charter propos-
ed by the committee Of 10, offered 10
to the present charter,
which amendments, it is contended,
will clear up the situation so that the
city government can proceed in an
orderly manner