The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-09-10
PROPOSED GREATLY TO IN
CREASE POWER OF
EXECUTIVE.
Embodies Elements of City Com
mission Plan, Giving Chief Ex-
ecutive Practical Direction OF
All State Departments Submit
1t to People in 1910.

by the people of new legislation,
referendum, has been framed by w.
s. U'Ren. With him are associated
a number of prominent Oregon men,
and the bill in which the above Is
embodied will come before the people
for acceptance at the general election
in 1910.
Under the provisions of this new
bill, which is in the form of an
amendment to the constitution of
Oregon, the Governor and state audi
tor are the only elective officers in
the state government.
The encouragement, secretary of
state. state treasurer, state printer,
superintendent of public instruction,
secretary of labor and state business
manager are all to be appointed by
the Governor, and they are to cOnsti-
tutp his cabinet and hold office dur
ing his pleasure. The salaries of
these officers are to be fixed by law,
except that Of the state printer, who
is to receive $4,000 per annum. With
the exception of the state business
manager, they must have been citi-
zens of Oregon for five years before
their appointment
Direct responsibility for practically
every department of the state is
placed upon the Governor. He has
the power to appoint not only all
of the other officers of the state,
except the auditor, but he will name
a sheriff and district attorney for each
county, with power to suspend or re-
move any officer he appoints, and all
local officers shall be subject to the
recall by the people of their county
or district.
Complete control of the organiZa
ton and management Of all state in
situations, state business and public
functions now wholly or partly gov
erned or managed by Al boards and
commissions, is placed in the hands
of the Governor. He may retain such
boards and commissions as he de-
sires as conuselors and advisers, but
he shall be alone responsible to the
people for results. No new boards
or commissions shall be created by
law, unless the law shall first be
approved by the people. Only the
board of railroad commissioners is re-
tanned.
Proportional representation is fea-
ture of the measure, and political
lines are largely abolished.
The state business manager shall
receive such salary as may be deter
mined by the Governor, who shall
also define the duties of that official,
who shall so organize, consolidate,
supervise, direct and manage the
business departments and affairs of
the state as to obtain the highest
possible efficiency in the states serv-
Ice and full value for the public
money. All of his acts shall be sub
Jected to the approval of the Gov
ernor, who is authorized to make such
rules and regulations as may be ex-
pedient to obtain these results.
Sweeping changes are made in the
election and prerogatives of the mem
bers of the legislature, which shall be
composed of 80 senators and so rep
reSentatives.
The power is reserved to the people
under the initiative to propose legis-
Iatlve measures, resolutions, laws and
amendments to the constitution and
10 enact or reject the same at the
polls independent of the legislative
assembly. Initiative measures enact
ed by the legislature shall be subject
10 the referendum or they may be re-
lerred by the legislative assembly to
me people. The legislature may re-
Ject any initiative measure and pro-
pose different one on the same SUBJ
Ject, and in such event both meas
ufes shall be submitted to the people.
The presiding officers of the SEN
ale and house shall not be members
vi either body, but shall be chosen by
thelr respective houses. They shall
nave no voice on legislative business
anu shall not appoint the standing
Vommlttees. Members of the legis-
'dlIVe assembly shall receive a salary
VI $500 per annum and the amount
VI necessary fares actually paid. The
presiding officers shall receive $500
per annum. Ten dollars shall be de-
uucted from the salary of any men,
0er for every time he fails to vote
III roll call, unles excused by a
majority of all the members of his
house.
Inc Governor and his cabinet shall
"a'e seats on the floor of both houses
VI tne legislative assembly, and it
snail be the duty of the Governor to
l'roduce the appropriation bills, and
nc snail have the right to introduce
any measure or resolution. He and
S cabinet shall have the right to
spedk and move for admins tration
appeais, and the Governor may ap-
peal from the action of the legislative
assembly to the people, through the
-0lerendum and he ic oufbori1od m