Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-10-25
SIX O'CLOCK CLUB
DISCUSSES MEASURES
State Treasurer Kay Opposes
Two---Dr Doney for Sun
day Closing

The Land and Loan Tax amendment
to be voted on at the November 7 cleo
tion is 80 radical and 80 soeialistic, a
long the lines Of Henry George, that
it practically confiscates property.
This is the opinion held by state treas
urer Thos. B. Kay as expressed by him
in his talk before the Six CLOCK club
last evening at the First Methodist
church.
The bill provides that all lands in
Oregon be surveyed and rental value
placed, and from this estimate, the
state would collect taxes. II taxes are
not paid, the state would confiscate the
property. Mr.. Kay is also opposed to
the bill from the provisions in regard
to the borrowing of state money, no
man with a family and possessing prop.
erty valued at $2250, being allowed to
borrow of the state. ThoseS with less
than this amount of property, heads
of families, could borrow for five years
with no interest charge. He did not
believe the bill would receive serious
consideration.
| But the six per cent limitation tax
bill he regarded as a dangerous meas
urc, and one that had chance of pass
ing. The object of the bill is to prevent
the state or municipalities from bor-
rowing an addition of more than six
; per cent of the amount. raised the pre-
ceding year. This Mr.. Kay claimed,
would prevent state or municipal i'm
provement and would seriously cripple
the development of the state. The bill
would also penalize municipalities that
had been economical, as cities that
have levied low, would not be able to
raise money for improvements, while
those that had been extravagant, would
have the advantage.
| If the bill passes, Mr.. Kay pointed
out that should any of the state insti-
tutions be destroyed, there would be
no money to rebuild them, without
! holding a special election. Nor would
there be funds available for the build
| ing of roads. Taken as whole, Mr..
Kay declared the provisions of the bill
as dangerous for the general develop
ment of the state.
The repeating and abolishing of the
Sunday closing laws as proposed in an
amendment to come before the voters
at the coming election, was discussed
| by Dr. Doney. He said that the pres
ent law was enacted in 1865 and that
as the law now stands, all Sunday bus
mess activities are closed. with but a
few exceptions,
While the law is unsatisfactory now,
Mr.. Doney was in favor of retaining it
as q state law, rather than repeating
it and having no Sunday law whatev'
er. While he was not in favor of blue
laws, the president of Willamette Uni
versity expressed the opinion that there
is much more Sabbath laxity in Ore
gon than in the eastern states and that
lmuch more secular work is done here
on Sundays than in the east
"Some folks do not come here from
the east to make their home here or
account of the lax conditions of publ,
morals,' said Dr. Doney. AS it is,
think we had better keep the Sunday
laws we have until stricter ones ear
be secured. | am not in favor Of blu,
laws. All want is wholesome Sun
day.
As a means of rest, the Sunday picnic
and baseball game did not especially ap
peal to Dr. Doney. 1t is a question o.
morals and we should see that this pro
: Iposed repeal of the Sunday law is de
Heated, he said.