East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-02-20
Deficiency Bill Vetoed by Ex-
ecutive, Who Tells Why.
WOULD HAVE PUT STATE
IN THE PAUPER CLASS
Passage of Measure Would Leave
Board Helpless In Cases Of Emer-
gency-Present Board Proposes to
Live Within Appropriatlons-Other
Measures Vetoed.

Salem, Ore, Feb 20.-The fear that
the state might become pauper dur
ing times of emergency prompted
Governor West to veto the deficiency
bill, according to the statement in
his formal expression Of disapproval,
issued for the benefit of the members
Of the house before that body ad-
journed.
deficiencies are bad and business
demands that they be not allowed,
but there is not demand for such
radical legislation as is offered by
this BILL" he says. SHOULD 1t become
a law and the legislature at any time
Intentionally. or through oversight,
fail to provide funds sufficient for
the maintenance of the several insti-
tutions, or should fire destroy any
Of the buildings and necessitate re-
pairs or reconstruction OF said build
ings, the board would be helpless.
Lillened to Pauper.
"The state in such case, would be
placed in the position of a pauper
debtor. who. pressed for the necessi-
ties Of life. was compelled to pledge
his word alone for supplies to meet
his needs, and pay such prices as
would be handed 10 him. This would
not be good but bad business, and
Z stamps the measure as vicious
one.
"The demand for the bill grows out
of the past practice Of old boards al
lowing large deficiencies to accumu-
late at the end Of each biennial pc
riod This the present board propos-
es to avoid and in behalf of those
boards l promise you the affairs of
the state will be so conducted during
the next biennial period as to give
you no cause to wish the enactment
of this measure"
In his veto message to the senate
on a similar bill the governor says:
No More Deficiencies.
"Inasmuch as there are going to
be no deficiencies during this admin
istration. unless they be caused sy
acts of God, or the public enemy, the
passage Of such a bill is unnecessary
and would only cucumber our statute
books with useless laws and further
compllcate our already complicated
system of government. I pledge you
that the affairs of this state will be
SO conducted during this administra-
ton that they will stand as justi-
fication for this veto"
Chases Bill Vetoed.
In his veto on Chase's bill No. /,
the governor says 1t opens the way
for the acquisition of several ports
without cost to them of any and all
tide lands now owned by the state,
giving the ports the power to lease
them for any unlimited period. This
power, he declares, could be easily
abused. He points out that the school
children of Harvey and Lake counties
now derive equal benefits with those
of Coos and Clatsop from the prices
at which the lands have been sold by
the state land board, and that If the
ports desire them it is no more than
right that they should pay for them
at their market value"
He further points out that he
question is now being thrashed out
in the courts as to whether the state
can sell these lands or must hold
them in trust for the people, and says
that, in the meantime, the present law
and the boards policy will go far to
withhold such lands from sale.
No Salary Increase.
Disappearing Thompson's house
bill, raising the salary of the judge
of the Klamath, Lake county dis
trict, the governor declares that the
people of these counties at the last
general election decided overwhelm-
ingly against the increase and tie
people of the state by a vote of H.
sos to 13,161 decided against identi-
cally the same proposition as apply
ip,r 30 tbo tbir1 udiciol al LET riot