The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-12-31
THE S-PEAILERSHIP.

THE SPEAKERSHIP.
A big fight is ON over the speaker
ship of the next house Of representa-
tives. Ben Selling. of Portland,
seems to be the choice of the Oregon
ian and the Multnomah county dele
CATION for the place, while Allen H.
Eaton, of Eugene, and a representa-
tive from Lane county since 1907, is
claiming the support from over the
state. The Oregonian makes the an
nouncement that Selling is in the
lead and will be chosen, and there
is much talk emanating from the
Eaton headquarters that the Port
land papers, especially the Oregonian
have been unfair to Mr.. Eaton in not
allowing him a hearing through their
columns.
This is a matter in which the peo-
pie outside of Portland and Multno-
nah county are much Interested. 1t
undoubtedly effects the redistricting
of the state, and as Multnomah
county will try to get a bill through
that will give that section much more
power in the Legislature than it al
ready has, land this is more than
they are entitled to- it is we'll for
the balance of the state to get busy
and put a few blocks in the way of
the game.
AS a sample of what is being I'M
d%ertaken, the following quotation is
given from a recent editorial in the
Oregonian:
1.-THE total population of the state.
according to the Commercial Clubs
figures, is 795,5S7. Multnomah
county, then, has a little more than
o%ne-third of the population of Oregon
within its borders.
Under the present system-with
a total of 80 members in the legis-
lature-Multnomah county should
have 80 senators and representa-
This is given as a hint to the rest
of the state and points the way to
what Multnomah county may ask for.
The single city of Portland now
sends 20 men to the legislature. 1t
has IL members of the house and 6
members of the senate. In addition
it has the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
joint place in the house and the Multi
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. joint
place in the senate, which two mem
bers not only represent Portland but
nearly actually live in Portland.
If under the proposed redistricting
the injustice" to Multnomah coun-
ty is removed by giving Portland 80
instead of 20, or one-third
the entire membership of the house
and senate, the additional ten will
have to come off the upstate mem
bership.
For example, if all counties were
to be reduced to the same basis of
representation as that given to Multi
nomah county as per basis suggested
in the Oregonian, l legislator might
have to represent Sherman, Gilliam
md Morrow counties, instead of, as
It present, 2. For here in substance
IS the deft Portland argument:
I'VE have 277,1S3 population and
20 legislators. This is one leg
for every 1859 of popula-
ton. Sherman county has 4,207
for l legislator, Gillian coun-
ty 3.S15 and l legislator, and Nor
row county has 1922.
IF, now, Sherman, Gillian and
Morrow counties are brought down to
the Multnomah basis Of representa-
ton, that of n for each 1859,
combined population will give
them one legislator instead of their
present two, plus a joint interest
with Umatilla in one MORE
Now it has heretofore been the
habit of the Multnomah county dele
to name both the president of
the senate and the speaker of the
house, and in most instances these
men are Portlanders, and when it SO
happened that they were not the in
auence of the big delegation was so
strongly asserted that they might
just as we'll have been from among
own number. In other words
The Portland delegation has been get
ting what it wants, and this new
move will only cinch their hold on
The legislature all the tighter should
t succeed.
One good move in the direction of
checking the power of Portland over
he rest of the state would be to elect
Mr.. Eaton as chairman of the house.
His platform calls for a reduction of
rs percent. and more if possible, in
he expense of running the legisla-
i've session. 1t calls also for a new
legislative procedure that will Grip
,le gang methods in the future.
Mr.. Eaton contends that the pres
mt chances of election are yer be-
ween him and Mr.. Selling, and he is
making a strong plea for the support
# legislators outside of Portland
md hopes to win through their sup
BORT by the country press. 1t is a
struggle between Portland and the
counties outside of Portland and the
counties are entitled to win
hat the general good Of the entire