Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1914-05-26
GOOD BYE, YOU SENATE.
STATE GRANGE RECOMMENDS
ITS ABOLITION.
Imitation of British House of Lords
Must Be RELOCATED to Oblivion
Says Resolution.

|
week, was the resolution for the
abolition of the State Senate, adopted
as presented by the committee on
legislation, prompted by W. S. U
Ren of Oregon City, and supported
by Mr.. Spence, master of the grange
The reasons for wishing to abolish
the upper house are given in the fol-
lowing:
"Our Senate is an imitation of the
British House of Lords, which repre-
sents the nobility. We do not have
the nobility, therefore that reason for
our Senate does not exist. 1t is
claimed that two houses are a check
to hasty, ill-considered legislation.
They serve as a check to as many
good measure as they do to bad meas
ures. The demand of the age is
efficiency. We wish to know how to
do, and not how not to do. The init
iative and referendum provide a bet
ter check.
"The two-house legislature doub-
les the opportunity for trading and
logrolling. The one-house legisla-
ture will make an end to passing bills
in one body and using every means
to kill them in the other. In a
two-house legislature each house de-
pends upon the other. Neither house
is as careful as if all responsibility
rests upon it.
SIN one-house assembly the great
er localizing of responsibility would
expose bad men and reveal good men.
The present devious, underhanded, Sc
cret methods would be far less sue
cessful. Candid, open, honest meth
DDS would be demanded and obtained.
The member of a single-house legis-
lature will feel greater response
bility and greater pride in his work.
1t will attract the highest capacity
and integrity in the state. We need
better men for legislators.
"The present system is extremely
cumbersome, outrageously extrava-
giant and woefully inefficient. The
two houses almost double the expense
of Legislative session and the cost
of litigation resulting from ineffici-
ency is beyond estimation.
For the purpose of abolishing the
Senate short amendment was pro-
posed. 1t reads as follows:
"Section 80. The Senate and the
office of Senator in the Legislative As
Sembly of Oregon are hereby abolish
ed. All provisions of the constitu-
ton and laws of Oregon in conflict
with this section are hereby abro-
gated and repealed in so far as they
conflict herewith. This section is in
all respects self-executing and imme-
1iately operative. -
The Eight Hour Law.
The following resolution condemn !
ng the proposed eight-hour law,
adopted by the Marion County Pomo-
Ia Grange has been adopted by the
State Grange:
"Whereas, There is an initiative
petition filed with the Secretary of
State to be submitted to the voters of I
)regon to amend the constitution,
making it criminal offense to en-
10y any laborer, man, or woman, boy
II girl, for a period of more than 3
light hours in any one day, the day !
eing defined as nine consecutive 8
ours, allowing one hour for eating Z
nd rest; the. penalty being from 800 s
o $1,000, or Imprisonment from 80 !
ays to one year, or both fine and s
IMPRISONMENT for the slightest viola I
ion of the law, which is an excess 4
ye penalty This law applies to I
very industry in the State of Oregon, J
nd &
"Whereas. the farmer would be J
Dmpelled to do all his morning chores z
nd work in the field an hour while )
le hired man sat in the house reading &
ne morning papers and in the even 3
lg he would quit work at o'clock, &
'aving the farmer to finish his days 3
.ork and do his chores alone; and in x
aging, harvesting and threshing the 9
,lmer would be compelled to have 3
vo shifts of men in order to save 9
is crops before the Fall rains come "
nd spoil them, thus greatly enhanc- :
lg the cost of production. Since the I.
lmer has no voice in establishing
lie price of his products, he cannot
Id the extra cost of production to
lie selling price of his goods and
lake the consumer foot the bill, as
lie merchant and manufacturer do,
ut the extra cost will come out of his
rofts, which are meager enough at
est, thus working a great hardship,
not completely paralyzing the ag-
cultural interests of the state. III
"The dairyman is affected in the
lme way as the farmer, since it
ould be impossible for him to have
ny hired help at milking time, when
g needs it most, thus compelling him
} sell off all his cows except what
: alone can milk, which would work
great injury to the dairying indus
les of the state. III
"No arguments are needed to show
lat the horticultural interests would
, thus unfavorably effected, there
IRE, be it -
Resolved, by the State Grange of n
RECON, that we are unalterably op- \
Dsed to sueh a drastic measure he