Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-11-20
THE LEGISLATURES PROBLEM


1t is condition not theory that ccnfronts the
ing legislature The passing Of the tax limiting amend
nent is the Joker in the legislative deck that is going to
cause much shufflng and entirely DEAL Hereto
fore all that required of the legislature was to ap
proprate whatever sums necessary for carrying on
the business Of the state regardless OF what the aggre
gate might be- 1t different for the next legislature 1t
must provide for running the state for two years at
cost exceed S66891S1.59 The 80 cents are not
overlooked for in the final arrangement they will prob
ably be needed The appropriation at the last legislature
for the two year period of 19l519l6 631O54867
and this presumably about the amount of tax raised
Six per cent added to this gives the figures first stated
the limit to which the legislature can go.
There are several items that will not figure IN the
year appropriations, among these two amounting TO
5000 for Papama Pacific Exposition display Another
item that under the national guard law may not be
required is that for maintaining the state militia which
for the last biennium $155O0O and for armores
$4,000.
Should the latter charge be removed from the state
there will be S86O00 velvet to be divided among other
things required This with the added six per cent would
give available over the last appropriation the sum OF
S564632.
Educational institutions received for the last two
years the o. A. c. $975000; the u of o. $6646O2 o. of
which $4,000 for buildings and which may be
eliminated if buildings are required during the
coming biennum; and the Monmouth Normal $128000 of
which 10000 for buildings Eliminating these build
ings would add another 100000 to the amount available
for other purposes, or a total of $664,632
Against this apparently available surplus there are
innumerabe demands that will literally eat 1t up II they
are granted 1t probable there will have to be pruning
in some quarters to make the blanket big enough to keep
some of the states affairs from getting cold feet The
report comes from A. c. that unless the state increases
the salaries of the professors most OF them will quit and
go elsewhere That would be sad but there others
who would gladly take the position at the old price
that need the legislator to lose any sleep The
number of designations will not be large enough to nte
fere with the education of the states young folks.
If the legislators take the usual course will be tough
those receiving the smallest salaries for that where
economy always begins in state affairs. The janitors
will get the first reduction if any is made and the care
takers of the lawns will be a close second Then will
come stenographers and clerks, and after that--wel
there is never any reduction of salaries above the
cerkships
At the same time the doing away with one useless
board would accomplish greater saving than can pos
sby be made by pairing the salary of every stenographer
and clerk in the states employ to the bone.
This is but slight incursion into the realms the leg
isatoIs will be forced to explore and those interested in
the problem find interesting information by ex
amnng the Blue Book issued by the secretary of state
for the years 1876 They get idea from that
where expenses should be cut.
The United State should take come steps to put an
end to the tong prevalent the coast The Chinese
have laws of their which they execute in this country
while paying attention to the laws of the country The
fact that none of them will testify in the courts as to
their troubles makes it almost impossible to do anything
with them OF to stop their murders in open daylight on