East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-01-12

"hN HbHol ciAiCieHCy1 tHe lOnOHlnl
changes are recommended in certain
state departments:
The state tax commission may wei
Q be abolished. and the work OF tn
Y present body transferred to the Office
OF the railroad commission. which
should be given authority to emplo,
an expert In taxation and assessment
7 10 conduct this branch Of the office
u II Is my opinion that the scope oi
: work handled by the railroad commits
sion makes It's title inadvlsable and
recommend the substitution Of the
name Commission Of Public Utill'
ties."
In the state industrial accident
commission there are three commits
sioners with an aggregate salary OF
t10.S00 per annum. II is believed
that one commissioner with an office
! force equivalent TO the present one
could handle the work OF this depart
ment with satisfaction TO the public,
and with desirable economy and CEN
tralization OF responsibility. To ef.
feet coordination suggest the consol-
idatIon with the accident commission
OF the bureau OF labor and the Indus
trial welfare commission. In this re-
adjustment the present labor commits
sloner should remain the responsible
head OF his department and retain his
present salary TO the end OF his elect
ed term. further recommend the
establishment Of a waiting period for
Investigation before payment Of
claims, and n broader classification:
In connection with needed changes In
our law. / earnestly suggest consid-
Grafton Of the Michigan law. which to
me seems most excellent. In all that
concerns this department It is essen
tial that the interests OF the work
lngman be safeguarded.
also suggest that the duties Of
the state sealer OF weights and meas
ures be merged with those OF the state
dairy and food commissioner.
There are now being conducted I'm
Portland three distinct and inde-
pendent medical laboratories. sup
ported by taxpayers and needless
duplicating work and piling up ex-
pense. To eliminate this condition I
recommend the consolidation OF the
state board OF health laboratory with
the pathological laboratory OF the
medical school OF the University Of
Oregon. and. II the authorities OF the
city Of Portland agree to the desira-
bility OF the move. II is further urged
that the city laboratory be merged
with the two above mentioned under
some cooperative arrangement mu.
tually equitable.
The state Is at present virtually |
employing two architects one al the |
Capitol and one at the State Uni
verslty. II would seem that in the |
interest OF economy one architect
should be sufficient. especially as but
extremely little new construction OF
state buildings will be undertaken |
during the coming biennium. There
fore. while appreciating fully the ad-
incumbent. I recommend that the ac-
tivities Of the state architects office
be merged with those OF the Univer-
sity.
The office OF state bank examiner
should be placed under the general
Jurisdiction Of the state treasurer. ell
unnecessary overhead
charges.
suggest that the offices Of state
engineer and state highway engineer
be combined under the state engineer
who shall have an unsalaried advisory
board OF three members, especially
qualified in road matters. to cooper
ate with him in all that concerns
state highways. Here. again. central
ization OF responsibility would result.
and, I believe, the overhead expense
for office and field work OF the two
branches OF state engineering would
be materially reduced. and a higher
state Of efficiency secured.
The above recommendations I have
made because It seemed to me that in
he several instances involved the
leed for reform is especially apparent
However, I do not at all feel that the
possibility for desirable Capitalization ]
md governmental improvement ends
With these few suggestions While. no I
ioubt. several feasible plans, looking 9
oward Capitalization and economy. {
ire now available affecting certain
letails of state administration yet 1t J
occurs to me that there is not now
ime for the thorough investigation }
which the involved subject properly
Therefore, suggest the
of non-salaried COM
nittee. either TO be composed of leg
slative members or to be appointed
" the governor. which shall examine o
nto the subject during the coming $
iennium and report fully to the next s
legislative assembly its recommenda-
Ions for securing a more comprehen $
I've form than could be undertaken Q
'isely at this time q
Road Building Endorsed, Is
Wise road building is probably the o
est investment the state can under y
ike, and for its encouragement Il
consideration of some plan "
)r the establishment and use of a - y
Irger state road fund. l suggest a y
ne-half mill state tax, the combined :"
svenue of 1t and the existing Cor i'm "
roved) graduated motor vehicle tax ..
, be expended from the state treas y
ry in cooperation with the various =,
Dunties for trunk roads within their =
oundarles, their construction to be
nder state supervision.
IL Is generally conceded that agri-