Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-09-01
PROTECTION OF SHOE
STRING PROMOTER IS
CHARGED BY GOVERNOR
Replies to Statement of Kay
and Says He Is Trying to
Shift Blame.
BLUE SKY LAW BROKEN
Governor Charges Morson With vio-
lation of Statutes and Watson De.
mands Fee From Firm.

This morning the Oregonian printed
a column-long statement from por-
tion of the Desert Land Board attack
ing Governor West for his action in
connection with the Deschutes Land
Company's affairs and blaming him
for the delay in the completion of the
work, in that he caused the general
government to hold up the work while
investigating charges made by the
governor. For this reason Messrs. Kay,
Lewis, Crawford and Olcott think Nor
son, who is in charge, should be given
more time to complete the work. The
governor does not agree with them
in this, and there is a pretty war on.
That it will assume goodly proportions
seems certain. AS a sort of prelimin-
ary answer to the statement in the Or
egonian the governor this morning
handed out the following:
"In his statement, made through
the cplumhs of the oregonian this
morning, Mr., Kay insists that my
charge that a petition addressed to the
interior department asking for an ex-
tension of time upon the contract be-
tween the state and federal govern
ments covering the Morson project was
prepared by Lewis and himself is un-
true, that it was prepared by Assist
ant Secretary Van Winkle, an employe
in the office. Mr.. Van Winkle could
no doubt, with propriety, clear himself
by saying that it was prepared by the
stenographer, and the stenographer, in
turn, lay the blame on her machine.
Il have no patience with heads of
departments, who, when trouble canes
and they find they have put their foot
into it, try to shift the blame to some
helpless employe. have always stood
ready to assume the responsibility fol
the acts of those in my employ.
"My sympathies were with Cover
nor sulzer until he began to shift the
blame for some of his acts to his wife
I believe in man facing the music OF
all occasions. I find, however, thai
my charge that Kay and Lewis pre-
pared this petition needs little mod
ification. Further investigation re
veals the fact that, with the exception
Of the Introductory and closing para
graphs, which were prepared under tn
direction of Messrs. Kay and Lewis
that the nine remaining paragraph
were prepared by Mr.. Morson.
''Most of the troubles of the Deser
Land Board have sprung from tn
practice of State Engineer Lewis an
Acknowledgement Crawford, who, i
permitting promoters of these projec
to prepare most of the contracts an
( petitions which the board is called W
, on approve and sign
+. "In this fight Messrs, Kay, CraN
G ford and Lewis are lined up to prote'
o A shoestring promoter who is engage
e in practices which the Blue Sky law
r aimed to prevent [ am thankful th'
Q ! am lined up and making the fight
behalf Of the public" F"
e Tn connection with the above It
G learned that the corporation comml
g sioner today sent the Deschutes Lar
h Company statement that It had N
10 paid It's fees for the years 1918
n. 1914 the laws requiring these shou
be paid in advance, and the compai
Q il liable to a fine Of 5000 therefor
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