Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-02-14
PAVING CONCERNS
LOSE HARD FIGHT
IN SENATE TODAY
Law Providing FOR Fight On
Patented Road Materials
Passed
DIMCK, EDDY AND VINTON
BATTLE OLSON-HUST
House Passes Bill To Tax
Oregon & California
Grant Land

When the senate met this morning it
had 40 bills on its calendar for final
action. Up 10 noon il had gotten
through with three, passing all Of them
and had also taken up H. b. No. 500
and put through. S. B. No. $50 was
first on the calendar and its object
was to secure and retain title to beds
of lakes in the state. 1t passed with
out debate, but it was different when
s. B. No. 162, introduced by the 5udlc-
iary committee come up. 1t provided
for paying the expenses of the attor-
ney general in case he should be called
on to defend the state in caess of patent
infringement. 1t did not seem there was
a fight lurking behind il but there
was and the most bitter one of the ses-
sion. Senator Dimick explained the
purpose of the bin, calling attention to
the fact that there had been all kinds
of graft in connection with the things
this bill was calculated to do away with.
The bill applied only to paying bridge
construction and such had been lratlted
by Attorney General Brown who de-
sired its passage 1t provided abundant
safe guards, requiring that il could onIy
be employed after the board Of control
had consented TO il and at the request
of the attorney generaI5
Olsen to the Rescue.
Senator Olson, who apparently has a
tender spot in his heart for CORPORATIONS,
opposed the bill. ''It was aimed at one
company and one only. II was intro
duced with the idea Of "gettingD somc-
body. 1t was beneath the dignity Of the
committee and of the senate to take
part in private quarrel and to aid in
this attempt TO "getD somebody. He
called attention TO the great expense of
patent right litigation and told Of somc.
one who had invented a gasoline device
which had been used in defiance of the
patent, but which after a million dollars
spent in litigation was now settled and
royalties were being paid. The bill was
drawn at the instance Of the state en-
gineer in order to ''get one company
He really seemed worse hurt over this
attack than he did over that ON the com
pany whose sacred rights at the mouth
of the Tongue river were assailed in a
recent fishing bill.
He thought it was wrong to attack
companies coming to the state to do
business in it.
Vinton Defends Bill.
Vinton came to the defense of the
bill in redhot speech. No man with
an honest patent need fear investiga-
tion under this bill, bat the Warren
Construction company needed watch
ing.
Senator Eddy said Olson's position
was that of the Qnuakcr who got INTO
the war against his convictions and as
he was about TO shoot in his first battle
remarked that 1t is against my prin-
ciples to shoot man, but you have got
exactly in the place | am going to
shoot and / cam help it.
Huston Stands by Olson.
Senator Huston also got fearful was
afraid the state would be put to great
expense, and patent litigation was al
ways costly, he had patent hiInsele
and patent rights should be respected.
He could not understand why this bill
should be supported by anyone.
Garland thought the bill good, but
had dangerous feature and ON his mo-
ton the senate went into committee
Of the whole and made such changes as
he suggested. II was when il was re-
ported back that the fight got the hot
test.
Eddy said If 0lson's position was eor-
rect the state should stand for il if any
corporation came into the state and told
it it had patent on anything.
Dimiek roasted Olson for rushing to
the defense Of every corporation, and
piled it on pretty deep. Olson got mad
and rising asked if he, Dimick, had stat
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