Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1917-01-30
SESSION IS HALF over
LEGISLATURE WILL PROBABLY
PASS BONE-DRY BILL SOON
Solons Are Making Record For Work
531 Bills Introduced, 1873 In
Senate, 348 In House.

bills have been signed by the COVE
nor and made law, out Of the 531 i
troduced. The work is further a
vanced than at any previous sessit
at the end of the first half. By ii
end of this week the biggest probe
of the present session will probab
be handed to the governor for si
nature that will make the state bon
dry.
The Anderson-Eddy prohibition 6i
was made special order of busines
in the house yesterday. 1t will Ill
doubtedly pass the house in short o
der, and will then be sent immediate
ly to the senate. AS this measu1
has already been considered by tn
joint house and senate committee,
will go on the senate calendar, in al
probability, without the formality o
again referring it to the committee
Thus there is every likelihood tha
by Thursday or Friday, at the latest
1t will be before the senate on fna
passage. No senator so far this ses-
sion has cast vote against any res
olution, memorial or bill even remote
ly having to do with the prohibition
issue, so it is safe to predict that
1t will speedily be passed by that
body. The chances are it will not
have dissenting vote.
Booze lovers are beginning to real
ize the truth of the maxim: "All
good things must come to an end. "
Nothing less than miracle or the
most effective boot-legging in the his
tory of the liquor traffic can keep the
thirsty throats moist with some form
Of the "beloved beverage" after next
week. There seems to be but few wet
days left. The bill carries an emer-
gency clause which will make it eff
fective as soon as it is signed by the
governor. The end of this week or
the first of next will probably find it
the law of Oregon.
There is no serious opposition in
the house to the emergency clause.
Two or three members are basing
their objections on that ground, but
have been utterly unable to get any
others to support them in their con-
tentions, Speaker Stanfield and lead
ers on the floor of the house have
favored the emergency clause from
the start. Governor Withycombe al
so has insisted on it. and has open
ly denounced the whisky lobbyists
who have opposed it. It is apparent
that if the emergency clause is not
retained, the whisky interests will
invoke the referendum. This either
would hold up the bill for two years
or force special election at cost
of 100000 to $4,000.
Other important legislation is
pending. The consolidation commit
tees of the senate and house, which
for several days have been sitting
Jointly to prepare consolidation meas
ures satisfactory to both, hope to in
troduce one or more consolidation
bills in the house this week.
1t had been the expectation toI
bring in the joint committee measure
consolidating the Industrial Accident
commission, Labor commission, Child
Labor commission and Industrial
Welfare commission by today.
The committees had tentatively APP
proved bill consolidating all these
bodies under two commissioners, but
now snag has poked its head above
water to disarrange this program.
This snag consists of vigorous OBJ
iections to interference with the In
dustrial Accident commission as now
constituted. The proposed bill would
lop off two or the three industrial ac-
cident commissioners. Governor
Withyeombe, as we'll as business men
and employees who are affected by the
work of the commission, say it has
proved eminently satisfactory as it is
and that it should not be changed.
The consolidation committee also
has before it two separate bills con-
solidating the Tax commission. The
senate committees bill, which has
passed the senate, would combine it
with the Public Service commission.
The house committees bilE which
follows the recommendation of Gov
ernor Withycombe, would consolidate
II under the Board of Control with
q tax expert to handle business now
handled by the Tax commission. An
effort will be made to reconcile these
conflicting views as soon as possible
in a bill that can be introduced joint
~ by the two committees.
Another problem is the new insur-
ance code which has been under con
Sderation by joint senate and house
committees since the opening Of the
session, several public hearings hav-
ing been held, is about ready for in
s-.l,.,t.o, II r,rnhahiv will he in /