Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1913-02-25
has tried to do its duty by the state

has tried to do its duty by the state
with greater fervor Even to accom-
plish this result and complete, if pos
sible, the work outlined within the
40-day limit, it has worked night and
day, but, despite all this extra exer-
tion, the stipulated time of the ses-
sion expired and found the body still
with much work to accomplish. But
it was willing to face the exigencies
of the occasion, and it has done what
no previous legislature of Oregon has
attempted, it has been willing to
work overtime and without pay until
the work is completed and the slate
clean. In the face of this intention
Governor West deliberately locked
his office and fed. Possibly he was
overworked and worried, as his de-
tenders declare. We do not doubt
that his wild endeavor to make po-
litical capital out of every attempt
to pass bill, or other step that the
legislature has taken, has sapped his
energy and left him tagged and
weary. But he still owes a duty to
the state nevertheless. He should
have remained at his office while the
legislature was in session in order to
receive any messages which might
be sent him and been ready at all
times to expedite the business of the
state. That is what any self-respect-
ing executive would have done. He
should have had the manliness to
bravely face the issue and openly to
have either approved such measures
as he thought just or to have disap-
proved those that, in his judgment,
were not meritorious.
AS we have previously stated no
body of men could have been fairer
in their treatment toward one Of op-
posite political faith, no Legislature
ever assembled with higher aims than
the present one. They were willing
to consider the vetoed bills of the
1911 session on their merits and they
did so consider them. In this con-
sideration, the governor won on many
points, the greater number of the
bills he disapproved were also east
aside and his judgment thereby con-
frmed. But West was not satisfied.
He saw that he might lose out by re-
naming passive, so he proceeded to
play to the galleries and began tell
ing the legislature what to do. He
promulgated a set plan of action, so
to speak, and plainly told the repre-
sentatives of the people that he knew
more than the 90 men whom the peO-
pie of Oregon has sent to Salem to
them. Naturally, such tac-
ties aroused the enmity of the men, /
bers. They told the governor to man.
age his own office and they would do
the best they could to handle theirs.
Even afterward. however, the legis-
lature showed its willingness to ac-
eept advice from the executive Office |
and many of his suggestions have
been needed But, when the talk of |
the prolonged session began to be
heard. and it at last became appar-
ant that such an outcome was prob
lble, the governor, understanding
hat he might be prevented from eff
'ecting a wholesale slaughter of the
work of the session. after the same
rad adjourned. skunk away like
coward in the dark and thereby work
d a gross injustice. not only to the
of legislature. but on the
,eople of the state. Other governors
lave not been afraid to openly disap-
,rove important measures while the
legislatures have been in session. and
hus give the body an opportunity 20
nodify them until they might have
xeeutive approval That would have
cen the manly course for West.
Friends Of the governor declare
hat. if his great disappearing act I
ball result in stopping the passage .
( further bills. he viii have render {