East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-02-22


killed-Speaker Selling Declares
Senate's Delay over Consolidation
Bills IA Deal"
SALEM, Ore. Feb. 22.-Consolida-
ton and elimination Of state depart
ments, which subject was given much
consideration during the recent leg
islative session, resulted in the con-
sol!dation of two departments into one
and the elimination OF two others.
The offices of the State Highway
Engineer and the state Engineer are
to be consolidated and the state ae-
oountancy system and the state inn
migration commission are abolished
All other consolidation bills were sent
to their graves over various parlia-
mentary routes.
One bill was passed in the closing
hours Of the session providing that
the state engineer become an appoint
i've office at the expiration of the
term Of the present engineer in jan
uary. 1919.
The bill to change the name of the
state railroad commission TO the pub
lie service commission also was pass
ed.
Corporation Bureau Merger Fails.
one important bill that the house
failed to pass, was that providing for
consolidation Of the corporation and
insurance departments. 1t did not get
up before the house for final consid-
Grafton until long after midnight and
received only 2S votes in its favor
batch of other consolidation bills
was sent over to the house from the
senate in the closing hours Of the ses-
sion. but the house adjourned with
the bills resting peacefully on the table.
The bill TO combine the two en-
gineering departments was not reach
ed in the house until after / o'clock
Sunday morning. The measure had
been reported favorably by the house
committee and came up on its merits.
There was no opposition to the bill
and the members were tired when
the roll was called, so nearly every
one voted AYE"
Speaker Selling objects.
But when it came Speaker Selling's
turn to vote he took occasion to de-
nounce the tactics of the senate in
asking the house to pass upon i'm
portant consolidation measures in the
closing days of the session.
Il want to say" said lne speaker,
that this is a part Of a deal The
entire appropriation for the engineer
ing department is only $4,000 a year.
If We save 1t all. that is the sum to-
tai of the saving that we can make.
There is no real genuine economy in
this kind Of business.
Nov. know what this is for. II
means that members of this legisla-
ture have made promises to consoli.
date and that they have not consoli-
dated.
1T is now 1:45 Sunday morning."
pulling out his watch, land they want
us to pass this kind of legislation
merely so that the members can go
home and say that they carried out
their pledges. For my part, I didn't
make any pledges Of that kind and
dCr't propose to stultify myself by
voting for this kind of a bill"
Although an overwhelming major
ity had voted in favor of the consoli-
dation bill. the speakers remarks
We're applauded.
The only other consolidation bill
that came TO a vote in the house was
the insurance-corporat bill. The
house consolidation committee was
split in three different ways Repre-
sentatives Hare and Wentworth IA
vored it. Representatives Hunt and
Eaton opposed it, Speaker Selling
made no recommendation. BY unani.
nous consent the house allowed the
bills to go to third reading without
acting on any Of the committee re-
ports.
Eaton Calls Bill Politics.
Representative Hare made a per-
functory argument in support of the
Dill. He presented figures from the
two different departments to show
that the plan might result in a saving
of from $4,000 to $4,000 a year Rep.
resentative Eaton opposed the bill on
the ground that it consisted of moth
Ing more nor less than politics.
Representative Stewart attacked the
measure saying that the people de-
feated similar bill on the election
ballot last fall by vote Of two to one.
The bill then went down to defeat via
the rollcall route.
Other consolidation bills rejected
were
H. B. 92, by Pierce, of Coos and
Curry. to combine the Desert land
board with the state land board.
II. b. 1O7, by Thomas, to combine
state water board, state engineer and
superintendent OF water divisions into
department of public works.
S. b. 4. by Barrett. to consolidate
the state labor commissioner industri-
al welfare commission, industrial ac-
cident commission and inspectors OF
child labor into a department OF la
Dor.