East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-01-14

the vote of the people at the said ell
ection.
The ocean beach from the Column
bia river on the north to the Cali
ornia state line on the south should
be declared a public highway.
Water Power and Irrigation Posi-
bilities.
The federal government has indi-
Gated its willingness to appropriate
$4,000, to be spent, with like sum
J to be appropriated by the state, in
the investigation and development of
the water power and irrigation pos
sibilities along the Deschutes river
The subject is fully covered in the re-
ports of the state engineer and the
state conservation commission This
Is matter which deeply concerns
the future development and prosperity
of the state and 1 sincerely hope the
movement will have your support.
Law EnOrcement
The governor is admonished by the
constitution to take care that the laws
be faithfully executed, but neither the
constitution nor the statutes give him
adequate authority to execute this
command. 1t is true that he may call
the militia to his aid in the execution
of the laws, but this is an extraordi-
nary power which it should be neces-
sary to exercise only upon grave and
extraordinary occasions. The COVER
nor should not be forced to use the
artillery of the state to lombard boot
90
Our liquor laws should be strength
ened as follows:
Shipments of liquor of any kind into
dry territory, except under certain re-
strictions, should be prohibited
The sale of near beer should be pro-
h1bited in dry counties.
| No license for the sale of liquor
should be issued to anyone doing bus
mess outside of an incorporated city
or town.
| Saloons should be kept closed Sun
days, and on week days between the
hours of say II o'clock at night AMI
seven o'clock in the morning.
| No saloon should be permitted in
or about railroad stations
| All saloons should have open or
glass fronts; all chairs and card
tables should be prohibited
| Saloons should not be permitted to
cash checks.
Illegal sale of liquor by druggists
should work a forfeiture of license to
do business.
The several measures recommended
| by the Portland Vice Commission
should be given statewide applica-
ton and stringent laws as to the sale
/ Of cocaine, morphine and similar
drugs should be enacted; also laws
which will better enable us to abate
nuisances through injunction proceed
ings.
County Fairs and Salaries.
The present system of making ap-
preparations for support of county
fairs is not only unscientific but leads
to much logrolling in the legislature
An equitable system whereby each
county would receive just treatment
should be worked out and substitut-
ed for the present indefensible meth
Cd Some new system should also
be adopted with view of equaliz-
ing the salaries of the different Of
ficers and do away with the practice
of continually applying to the legisla-
ture for increases.
Direct Election of Senators.
There will be presented for your
consideration and approval a resolu-
ton of congress proposing an amend
70 ha 4 li,,a
that senators shall be elected by the
people of the several states. / ear
Destly hope that this amendment will
receive your endorsement that the
people of the several states may at
least enjoy the privilege of choosing
their own senators.
| / wish to invite your attention to
the California system of holding di-
vided sessions of the legislature. The
system appeals to me as having much
merit, as it affords the members a
reasonable opportunity to examine the
many bills presented for their consld-
GRAFTON.
The Oregon System.
Oregon's system of popular govern
ment, having successfully withstood
the attacks of it's enemies, is here to
stay. The time has come therefore
when it's friends should take steps to
remove such defects as a fair trial has
shown to exist.
None but registered voters should
be permitted to sign initiative or ref
erendum petitions. Each petition
should have a precinct heading and
signatures should be taken accord
ingly. This would enable county
clerks to quickly check the sigma
lures and when necessary certify the
list to the secretary of state. AS the
matter now stands it is physically inn
possible for the secretary of state to
check the signatures on the petitions
/. filed in his office. Bogus signatures
can be filed with impunity, and such
a condition is equivalent to the nulli-
fication of all safeguards which the
trainers of the law attempted to
throw around it to prevent its abuse
This matter merits yOIr careful at