East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-01-12
Gov. Withycombe's Message


CONTINUED from pags ons.)
with anything pretending TO be an ac-
curate recapitulauOn OF the several
departments during the biennium. II
IL rather for me, then, TO offer sug-
geatlons ooncernlAG ways and means
Tor The futur6 bstterment Of the state,
n work In which We may all cooper
ate.
At the outset. desire you to under
stand that / appear here today seek
ing no personal fayors and with no
inclination to exceed the proper linn
itatlons OF my office. IN short,
have no pet measures" and have no
intention OF exertlng such power as
my position may give to influence you
unduly There exists. then. no desire
on my part 10 interfere with the legi-
innate functions OF this legislature.
on the other hand. II seems to me the
unqualified duty OF the governor to
take full advantage OF his position to
express disapproval OF legislative ac-
tlon. should necessity demand, using
his prerogatlve not as a weapon OF
dIctation. but solely 10 safeguard the
public interest.
Danger OF POstpOning Legislation.
In this connection. / venture to
point out the dangers OF postponing
legislation until the closing hours OF
the session, when confusion must re-
suit from It's haphazard consideration.
II occurs to me further that convent
ence TO the legislature and ultimate
profit TO the taxpayers would result
from the adoption OF rule providing
that all appropriation bills be pre-
sented not later. say. than the twen-
tIeth day OF the session.
In the consideration OF government
tai development In oregon during the
past few years, one fact is clearly ap-
parent: namely. a tendency toward
decentralization. Whatever the inn
mediate causes behind II, this tendency
creates a division OF authority and in
n great measure the apportionment OF
duties among several officials in place
OF one. Accompanying this division
or authority has come a division OF re-
sponslbility. which works, Il seems 20
me. quite contrary 10 the develop !
ment OF the highest efficiency. Fur J
thermore, any tendency involving the
employment OF several heads instead
OF one is usually accompanied by ex-
travagance and waste.
While oregon In n great measure I
has been dlssipatlng her governmental |
authority among an increasing num-
Der OF officials. the trend OF scien-
tlfic legislation elsewhere has been I'm
the opposite direction. Centrallza-
tion OF administration and RESPONSE
bility is becoming more and more uni
versal; and. apparently with success.
Unless initiated too drastically. or !
carried beyond the bounds OF good
Judgment steps toward reasonable
Capitalization in no wise merits classi-
fIcation as impractical. The tendency
has proven It's worth in actual oper-
alton. Therefore, deem Il wise 20
express the opinion that oregon's leg
Islation in the future should be guild
I'd by the general rule that centrali-
zatlon is desirable in the administra-
lion OF state government
In this connection I think II highly
fitting that in several instances offices
which are now elective should be-
,ome appolntive. The virtues OF such
, change are Capitalization OF re-
and n shorter ballot.
which, under our system are particu-
arly desirable.
Economy Keynote OF Session.
Economy probably Is the keynote
" this Twenty Eighth legislative ses-
ion: II was the dominant factor in ;
're-election pledges. and II now de-
olives upon us 90 see that these prom
ses are put into practice All that
oncerns expenditure merits your !
most painstaking attention. The I
upon which We should act I
Vhen state money is concerned Is the q
anne as II that money were our own;
'e should insist upon receiving one
hundred cents OF value for every dol
ar expended. Doubtless such advice I
; hackneyed. and perhaps II savors
( pedantry-but. nevertheless. II Is
isregard OF Just such principle that
90 often discredits public administra.
lon. SO respectfully submit the e
hought assuring you that so far as e