Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-01-18

PtVpoheo Dy thls measure 10 sterlhze
hose persons who are periodically in
'ane, epileptic, OF feeble minded. The
Dill provides that if the person, or his
Guardian does not give consent, il may
'e done on order of the county court
IN recommendation of board of exam
ming physicians.
This evening there viii be a special
meeting of the house judiciary commit
tee, Of which Representative Forbes is
.hairman, for the consideration of all
| initiative aud referendum bills that
have come up before the house. This
is TO give those interested in the bills
an opportunity to present the merits
OF the respective bills before the com
mittee.
Representative Bowman bill would
prohibit the circulation of initiative
and referendum bill by paid eireula-
tors; Representative Gordon's bin
changes the form of the petitions. and
Representative Brownell's measure is
to provide that any elector may have
an initiative or referendum measure
put on the ballot by sending a signed
copy to the secretary of state accom-
panied by $780,
The house and senate committees on
fish and game will recommend to the
Legislature that women may fish to
their heart s desire without having to
take out fishing license, but if they
wish to hunt for anything else than
en- they will have to take out a hunting
license the same as the men.
At the meeting of the joint ways and
means committee Tuesday evening to
consider the appropriations asked for
by Governor Withycombe for his de
partment, Secretary of State Olcott,
Treasurer Kay, and Attorney General
Brown for their respective departments
the committee cut the claims of the
governor in regard to the hiring of spe-
cial agents to be used in enforcing the
laws from $4,000 to $4,000, and allowed
practically everything the other depart
ments asked for.
The appropriation asked for by the
governor was $23, 700; that of Treas
urer Kay $4,000, from which $1,000 for
premium ON his bond was eliminated;
the full amount of Secretary Oleott re-
quest was granted.
Secretary Olcott was compared by SEN
ator LaFOllette with that of the Sec
retary of State of Washington, who !
he said asked only $4,000 of the Wash
ington legislature, and he wanted to
know why the Oregon office could not
be run as cheaply. The secretary point |
ed out that in Washington the auditing
department is not connected with the
secretary of state IS office, as it is here,
and that if that department was elm
mated it would bring his request below
even that of the Washington secretary.
A bill that has the backing of the
sportsmen of Grants Pass and vicinity
and which aims directly at the Roderick
Macleay fishing interests, which prac
tieally control the fishing on the Ro- |
que river, was introduced in the house |
yesterday by Representative Thomas
which will prohibit commercial fishing
in the waters of the Rogue river if
passed.
That it viii be bitterly opposed by
the Macleay interests is certain as Rod
erick MacleaY has arrived in the city
to lobby against the various measures
that have come up relating to fishing
on the Rogue river.
Next week it is exrectde q delega-
tion of sportsmen from Southern Ore
gon who are vitally interested in this
bill will arrive and when the measure
comes up for consideration it is antici-
pated there will be battle royal on
the floor of the house.
The word trout in this act is defined
as the rainbow, steelheads, cut-throats,
Dolly Warden, eastern brook, salmon
trout, and all species and varieties of
trout"
This bill prohibits all commercial fish
ing except with hook and line in anv
Of the waters of the river at any place
or time or within three miles outside
of the mouth. 1t provides also that it
shall be unlawful for any person, firm,
or corporation to purchase, sell, or Of
fer for sale any trout taken in the
waters Of the Rogue river, or to take
fish of any kind by use Of fish trap,
fish wheel, purse net, set net, or seine.
However, between the hours of six
0 clock on Monday morning and six
0 clock Saturday evening between June
l and August ! fish may be taken with
drift nets having a mesh not less than
eight and one half inches.
Fines up to $500 for violations of
the act and Imprisonment up to six
months are provided as punishment.
Columbus Day, or October ~, is pro-
posed to be made q legal holiday by ;
senate bill No. 49, which was introduc
ed by Senator Gill of Multnomah coun-
ty. This seems odd on account of the {
fact that Columbus never actually dis
covered America although he is gen
orally reputed to have done 50 by hist
orians. Why good Americans should
celebrate with a legal holiday the dis.
rovery of an island of the West Indies
by Columbus in 1892 when Lief Erick- k
son, Northman, actually discovered
America and set foot on it in the year :
1000 seems strange to any intelligent
American who is acquainted with the
facts.
The bill adds to the legal holidays the
first Monday in September, which is
Labor Day, and the twelfth of October,
which is Columbus Day. 1t seems there
is reason for the observance of Labor
Day with holiday but why Columbus
Day should come under the same head
appears to be without good foundation.