The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1909-02-05

Salem, Feb. 2.-The legislature
entered the fourth week Of its work
Monday, after rest of three days,
the house meeting at 10 a. nl., while
the senate did not resume its ses-
sions until p. m. The business of
the senate Is In better condition than
that Of the house, which expects to
hold protracted sessions during the
concluding three weeks of the 40
days session.
The adjournment from Friday un-
TIL Monday was taken by the house
over the protest of Speaker NEAR
thur, who insisted that the members
were shirking their duties.
Committees of both houses have
settled down to steady work and the
bills are coming back to the two
houses of the legislature for third
reading and final action. Members
are getting their knives ready for
slaughter of numerous measures for
which there is no need, or which APP
pear to be injurious in their effect.
Many bills which have passed one
house will fail in the other. Among
the measures which are certain to
wind up In the slaughter-pen Is Bal
ley's bill to move the state fair to
Portland.
If all bills carrying appropria-
tions, creating new Offices and in
creasing salaries become laws, the
present session will go down in his
tory as the most extravagant legis-
lature Oregon ever had. There are
bills for creation of no less than 200
new Jobs, most of them at fat sal
aries, few of which the state and Its
subdivisions really need.
Governor VIII Veto.
Governor Chamberlain indicated
In q special message that he would
veto all bills to increase salaries
during the term OF Office of the pres
ent incumbents.
After receiving the special mes
sage of the governor upon the sub
jeot of salary bills, the senate at
first adopted the policy of sending
such bills to the committee on coun-
ty and state offices, with instructions
to insert clause providing that the
bills shall not take effect until the
ard of the terms Of present incum-
bents.
Instead of resenting the warning
issued by the governor, at least one
third of the combined members of
house and senate are grateful for
the attitude of the governor on the
salary grab. Most of the bills which
have been introduced to raise the
salary of incumbents of county Of
fees came at the demand of the Off
cials. and not voluntarily from the
members of the legislature. These
members have been pounded on the
back by the officials in their respect
I've districts to have the salaries In
creased.
The warning message of the gov
ernor has political effect, and
members recognize that should they
oppose the governor It would help
him and injure themselves. While
they do not care whether the govern
or makes capital, they don't want to
lose the opportunity to make capital
themselves.
Convict Work on Roads.
Employment OF convicts on the
public roads under the direction of
convict labor board, consisting OF
one member of the state highway
commission from each OF the two
congressional districts, state road
engineer and the superintendent Of
the state penitentiary, is proposed in
a bill introduced in the house by
Representative Clemens, The bill
provides that all such convicts shall
be employed In this manner, with
the exception only Of those required
around the penitentiary building and
farm that is conducted herewith, 1t
diSp lNHttiS uil laws NHlNH pIONlut
for contracting labor of convicts In
any other way. The bin carries an
appropriation of $4,000.
Each county in the state, under
the bill, will be permitted to secure
such number of eonvicts for labor
upon its public roads as in the judg-
ment OF the board 1t may be able
properly to guard and employ, The
county so employing convicts shall
pay all expenses incident to taking
and keeping the men from the time
they are taken from the penitentiary
until they are returned TO that In
stitutlon.
Optionists Are Fearful.
Senator Bailey's motion for an
amendment to the constitution per-
mitting the legislature to amend a
city charter with the consent OF a
majority of the voters Of city Is
looked upon by the anli,saloon peo-