Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-01-12
Gov. Withycombe's First Message
arately, as at present.

several departments or state govern
ment heartily concur in the feeling
that reforms tending toward economy
are desirable in state administration,
and no doubt these will receive wise
consideration from you. But l venture
to point 10 field of endeavT even
broader; namely, to county administra-
tiOn. During the last few years of each
500 paid in taxes in an average county
about $3.50 has gone to the state and
approximately $3.50 to the county. In
other wcCds, county administration
costs the taxpayer three times as much
as state. Undeniably, there are many
leaks in county government that well
may be checked by adequate legisla.
tion, and it is my hope that effort for
economy and efficiency will not stop
with the state but will proceed to the
details of county affairs.
With some hesitancy | call yolr
attention to another field for economy,
and one close at hand. The clerical and
stenographic force at the last legisla-
tive session cost the state 1892. .95,
and IN this detail showed an increase OF
more than twenty per cent over the
1911 sessiCC. The total cost in 1913,
500, ,S62.S5, was more than thirty per
cent higher than the 1911 session y.
So Ear as | am able to determine, there
is no sound reason why this legisla-
ture, by commencing its economy pro-
gram at home, cannot save at lease
$4,000.
Prohibition Legislation.
"The people OF Oregon have decreed,
by n decisive vote, that the liquor traf-
fic shall end in the state after Janu.
ary first, 1916. They have imposed
upon you the obligation of putting pro-
hibition into effect, and it becomes
your duty to provide laws that will ac-
tually prohibit the sale and barter Of
intOXicants, These enactments must
neither be so drastic as to be non.en.
forceable, nor so lax as to be ineffec-
tive. In short, your difficult task is to
devise ways and means for making, and
keeping, Oregon actually prohibition
state, so lcng as the will of the people
shall decree.
While it is for you to provide anti
liquor legislation, it is perhaps well 10
remind you that in a great measure the
enforcement Of the laws you enact will
be the governors responsibility. Or,
! might better say, 4 general supervis-
ion Of their enforcement will devolve
upon the state s executive, who ulti-
mately will be held responsible by the
people for their satisfactory admins.
traton.
therefore, you are earnestly urged
to provide the gOveTnor-or whatever
official upol whom may be placed the
responsibility-with the means of prop.
erly enforcing the prohibition laws. TO
perform this duty adequately, in my
opinion, it will be necessary to amend
the constitution, authorizing him to re-
move delinquent officers.
Section q of article VII of the
Oregon constitution provides that pub.
lie officers shall not be impeached; but
incompetcncy, corruption, malfeasancc
or delinquency in office may be tried
in the same manner as criminal Of
fenses, and Judgment may be given Of
dismissal from office, -
"'lu other words if officers are re.
miss IN their duties-say sheriff IN
enforcing prOhibition-he can be reach.
ed only through criminal procedure, and
often by the time the tedious cure IS
effected the i'll has become historic
To mend this situation | recommend re.
fcrring to the people a constitutional
amendment which would change the sec.
tion quoted above so as to conform with
section | of article X of the constitution
of the state Of New York, which pro
Vides that the governor may remove
any sheriff or district attorney within
the term for which he is elected, Civ.
ing such officer copy Of the charges
against him and an opportunity to be
heard.
To make such supervision Of law
enforcement practicable, it is essential
that funds be provided to defray ex
penses. of investigation or any specia
action that the executive may be called
upon to undertake. The last legislature
appropriated $1,000 for special agent
work during the biennium. venture e
predict that in the future such sun
will prove utterly inadequate, especially
after the prohibition amendment goe,
into effect IN this connection, with al
regard for economy, il is worth remind
ing you that the fruits of such invest
cation work inevitably are fines which
bring far more revenue to the publ,
treasury than the outlay involved, even
disregarding the mcial obligations oi
the ease.
Abolish Tax Commission.
"With the end in view of econom,
and higher efficiency, the following
changes are recommended in certail
state departments:
"The state tax commission may wei
be abolished, and the work of the pres
ent body transferred to the office j
the railroad commission, which shoul,
be given authority TO employ an exper
in taxation and assessment to conduc
this branch Of the office. IL is my
opinion that the scope Of work handled
by the railroad commission makes ~
title lnadvisable and ! recommend tn,
substitution Of the name commission
Of public utilities
g In the state industrial accidei
commission there are three commission
ers with an aggregate salary Of $40, ,sOC
per lnnum II il believed that one com
missioner with nm office force eQuiya
lent TO the present one could handle tn,
work of this department with satisfac
tion to the public, and with desirabl,
economy and Capitalization Of respon
sibility. To effect co.cdiuation ] sug