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


guide In whatever connection I ma!
have with the governmental expendi
lures.
Annual. or continuing, appropriate
ons have come to be regarded widelI
/ AZ unbuSinesslike. heartily aDpEoy'
tho sugssstisD that ths'policy Of max
Ing appropriations continuous cease
with the exception OF the states edu
cational institutions. whose Interest
can be served best where a stated an.
nual income is assured and construc.
tive plans adopted 10 the amount def.
nitely available. Further. our educa-
tional institutions should be relieved
OF the necessity OF biennial campaigns
for funds before the Legislature with
their attendant likelihood OF political
chickering's.
At present, state receipts from sew
eral sources are segregated under
special funds. and can only be paid
out for specific purposes. often no
cash Is on hand in certain funds, and
the state is Obliged TO issue warrants
bearing interest, even when large am
cunts are lying idle in the treasury
but are not applicable to the expen-
ditures involved. The simple remedy
for this waste in unnecessary interest
payment is to have all state receipts
placed in the general fund, to be used
as required This would be economi-
cal and buslnessiike. and would in
no wise disarrange the existing safe
guards Of the various funds. whose ac-
counts would be conducted separately
as at present
Reforms are Desirable.
Much has been said about the need
OF economy legislation directed at the
several departments OF state govern
ment l heartily concur in the feel
ing that reforms tending toward eco
nomy are desirable In state admins
tration, and no doubt these will re-
ceive wise consideration from you.
But venture 10 point 10 a field OF
endeavor even broader; namely. TO
county administration. During the
last few years OF each 500 paid I'm
taxes In an average county about
1880 has gone 20 the state and ap-
proximately $3.50 10 the county In
other words, county administration
costs the taxpayer three times as
much as state. Undeniably. there are
many leaks in county government that
we'll may be checked by adequate
legislation. and II is my hope that ef-
fort for economy and efficiency will
not stop with the state but Will pro-
ceed 20 the details OF county affairs.
With some hesitancy call your at
tention to another field for economy.
and one close at hand The clerical
and stenographlc force at the last leg
islative session cost the state S33.-
O32.s5. and in this detail showed an
Increase Of more than twenty per cent
over the 1911 session. The total cost |
In 1913. ts9,Ss2s5. was more than
thirty per cent higher than the 1911 |
sessions. So far as ! am able to de-
iermine. there is no sound reason why
this legislature. by commencing its
economy program at home, cannot
ave at least $4,000.
The people OF Oregon have decreed.
by n decisive vote that the liquor
rifle shall end in the state after
January first, 1916. They have i'm
'osed upon you the obligation OF put
Ing prohibition into effect. and II be-
'omes your duty to provide laws that
will actually prohibit the sale and
'arter OF intoxicants. These enact
nents must neither be so drastic as
o be non-enforceable. nor so lax as
o be ineffective. In short. your diff
icult task is TO devise ways and
Means for making. and keeping. Ore
on actually a prohibition state. so
'ng as the will Of the people shall de-
rec.
While II is for YOU to provide anti
quor legislation, II is perhaps well 10 1
emind you that in a great measure |
he enforcement Of the laws you en- I
ct will be the governors RESPONSE ]
ility or. | might better say. a gem /
raj supervision OF their enforcement q
i'll devolve upon the states execu- '
We, who ultimately will be held re- {
by the people for their sat I
factory administration. q
The Prohibition Laws. d
Therefore, YOU are earnestly urged q
provide the governor-or what {
yer official upon whom may be placed v
le responsibllity-wlth the means OF d
roperly enforcing the prohibition a
wa. To perform this duty adequate n
: In my opinion. II will be necessary 4.
amend the constitution. authoriz- b
& him to remove delinquent officers. 1,
Section ls of Article VII OF the ORE b
IN constitution provides that pub I,
c officers shall not be impeached; Il
II incompetency corruption, NAL. 81
asance or delinquency in office may W
tried In the same mapner as Grim
al offenses, and judgment may be
ven OF dismissal from office. ." b
In other words II officers are remiss q
their duties-say a sheriff in en- r,
rcing prohibition--he can be reach Il
only through criminal procedure, la
Id often by the time the tedious cure OF
effected the Ill has become historic. r,
, mend this situation l recommend p,
ferring to the people a constitution tc
amendment which would change the III
ctlon quoted above so as to conform c,
th Section 1 OF Article X of the b,
institution OF the state OF New York u,
iich provides that the governor may
move any sheriff or district attorney c,
thin the term for which he is elect W
, giving such officer a copy of the &,
argos against him and an oppor- m
nifty to he heard M
To make such supervision of law m
fnrrnp,nnt Nra a..