East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-07-31
SOUTHERN OREGON
WANTS TO SECEDE
SAID TO FEEL BITTER OVER
RECENT STATE LEGISLATION
Residents Of the Southern Part of the
State Say They are Held Back by
Other Scotions-Ihlnk That tho
Remedy is the Creation of II New
Statc-Will Join Northern Califor-
MIA.

II tilC vi ~ ANCN
State-Will Join Northern Callfor-
MIA.
Portland.-Disgusted with being
handicapped, held back and harrass-
ed by Willamette valley people in gen.
eral and Salem citizens in particular,
secession from oregon and the crea-
tion of a new state is being advocated
in Southern oregon. Declaring that
the southern part of Oregon is being
neglected and that the northern part
of California is similarity treated, the
suggestion Is made that Southern Ore
gon and Northern California pool their
interests and carve out state of their
own, and the name offered Is the
State of Sisklyou, says the Oregonlan.
Agitation for the secession has al
ready made its appearance in print
in the territory affected, and the cam
paign will continue unless the people
of Southern Oregon are convinced that
their interests can be better subserv-
ed by clinging to oregon rather than
in establishing a new commonwealth.
The idea of a new state is meeting
with favor in the extreme southern
part of the Beaver state, and the peo-
pie across the line in Northern Cali
fornia are even now discussing the
prospect.
Two Sore Spots.
Two events of recent occurrence
have precipitated the demand for
new state. The first came with the
slaughter of the normal schools by
the legislature. The second sore spot
was when a lawyer Of Salem blocked
the appropriation Of 100000 for the
Crater Lake road
While Eastern oregon suffered the
loss of a normal school as well as
Ashland, Eastern oregon was weh
taken care of by the Legislature in
other respects, so that Eastern Ore
gon does not feel the sting so severe
ly Eastern Oregon was given "
UIdlltH dHN Aulli anu q FNAAP bFhi'Ns
law. each valuable to the residents OF
that section, and there was also an
appropriation for the portage road at
The Dalles, for state Senator y. ].
simon obtained $4,000 for this pur-
pose. In Southern Oregon. however,
nothing but bruises were received.
1t is from Salem politicians. how
ever. that Southern Oregon has been
dealt the blows which have aroused
the desire to be divorced from the
willamette valley. state Senator
Smith. of Marion county, a Salem
politician. took the lead in wiping out
the Normal schools when he proposed
abolishlng the four Oregon was main
tanning and establishing one at Port
land. Senator Jay Bowerman was In
the foremost of battle against the Nor
mails, Bowerman haillng from Eastern
Oregon. but Bowerman was given lib
eral announcement by Smith of Mar
ion. Southern Oregon Senators, led
by L. L. Multi, did their best to pro-
tect the Normals at Ashland. but
without avail. and the fate OF the
Normals was keenly felt in the South.
Balm IN GiIcad.
As a sort Of salve to the Southern
Oregon delegation, the appropriation
for the Crater Lake road was passed.
This appropriation was given after
large crowds Of boosters from Med
ford. Ashland and other points assem-
bled at the Statehouse and lobbied
day and night for the 100000. Two
counties interested offered to each
appropriate $4,000 and f. II. Har-
riman promised $4,000 and additional
sums. The Federal government inti-
mated that $25O,O0O and more would
be appropriated. All that the state
requested was a contingent appropri-
alton, and this was eventually prom
ised
Before the state money was avail
able, a Salem lawyer, at his own ini-
tiative, decided to put spoke In the
wheel of Southern Oregon, and
Brought suit in the name Of a Polk
county taxpayer. The lawyer attack
ed the constitutionallty of the bin.
making the appropriation, and re-
ceived a decision from Judge Gallo
way. An appeal is now pending in
the Supreme Court, but the activity
Of the Salemite was the last straw
for the Southern Oregon citizens.
Sick of Being Knocked.
southern Oregon Is tired of being
hampered in its efforts toward pro-
gress and development, of the dicta-
tion of those whose caliber Is shown
by opposition to higher education and
slaughterlng of Normals," says the
dlsaffected Southerners, who want to
secede. at is sick of the short-sight-
ed rule and blight of the Willamette
valley mossbacks and the Salem hog
Southern Oregon is wearied of the re-
strictions of an obsolete constitution
that renders good roads an impossl-
bility and prohibits state-bullt high
ood of Onnnoffiop tbat dafaotc