Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-05-28
EMERGENCY BOARD
PLAYS Strong HAND
Grants $1,000 to Child Wei
fare Commission So Still
Wrestling with Business

y
With Governor Withycombe, Speaker
Stanfield of the house of representa-
tives, President Gus Mosher of the SEN
ate;- Chairman Kubli of the house ways
and means committee, DR.. Wood of the
senate ways and means committee,
Treasurer Kay, and Secretary of State
Olcott present, the state emergency
board, which was convened to consider
the appropriation of money to continue
investigations of the alleged land fraud
cases of the Pacific Livestock company
Of Harvey county, met this morning in
the public hearing room in the state
house at ten thirty o'clock.
Attorney General Brown and G. G..
Brown were also present. Edward
Treadwell, of San Francisco, of the
Miller and Lux land corporation, repre-
sented the Pacific Livestock company.
c. b. Mcconnell, in whose name the
case has been brought, was present.
The first business that came before
the emergency board was the letter of
Secretary Trumbull, of the child well
fare commission, who asked for 81 900
with which to conduct the office ac-
cording to the plans mapped out. The
claim arose over misprint or clerical
error in printing the session laws in
that the appropriation read $4,000 in
! stead of the $4,000 as authorized by
the legislature.
Representative Kubli stated that the
statements of Secretary Trumbull re-
garding the finances of the commission,
were correct and that while there is no
deficiency existing at present there
will be within short time. He moved
that the request be granted, and it was
unanimously carried.
The Governor Talked.
Governor Withycombe then addressed
the board on the matter of national
crisis end how the state of Oregon was
prepared to meet it, He said the ma
ton at this time was in a serious con
flict and that many emergencies might
arise.
He said the, legislature, either fortu-
nately or unfortunately, had adjourned
before the crisis became so serious as
to demand attention. He stated that
as the legislatures of other states are
in session and have made provision
for meeting emergencies as they may
arise by appropriations which are under
the direction of the chief executive.
Oregon has not a dollar appropriated
for meeting any emergency, according
to the governors IS statement.
On advice of the federal authorities
he said the state council of defense
had been organized. But it has nc
| funds The governor suggested that
| if the board saw fit, he thought ii
would be a good thing to authorize th(
state executive to incur reasonable ex
penditures. He said the attorney gen
eral was of the opinion that in wal
time the constitutional provisions
i would be elastic enough to allow such
authorization.
Speaker Stanfield, as a member OF Of
tho State Council of Defense, stated
thew had met and organized but they
were without funds. He said they de-
cided to contribute funds from their
own nockets to maintain an ott1ce ana
secretary. However, he thought IT.
would be wise to have some financial
hacking from official sources.
He declared they were all eager to
do all thew can to coordinate ana
harmonize all efforts. He declared
there was an astounding field open ana
that it was necessary to have some
head. some clearinghouse for con
serving effort.
A Question Of Law.
- Ty.u- so;1 fhora was no
question but that every member there
was in favor Of granting authority TOR
the expenditures, but he questioned the
legality of the board to grant sueh
authority. President Moser said the
matter was such as to deserve serious
consideration and moved that a com
| m;ttee of three be appointed to draft
a suitable resolution. The motion was
| carried and the governor appointed
Sneaker Stanfield, President Moser,
and Representative Kubli on the com
mittee. They are to report this after
| noon.
! Following this business, the matter
of the Pacific Livestock company waI
brought up and Edward Treadwell, OF
San Francisco, presented its case. he
said there were three things that were
fairsto the company and they were!
| First that the state of Oregon shoulC
not allow c. B. Mcconnell to use th'
| state as a means of furnishing his per
sonal enemies; second, that the state
sbonld come into court with the cast
and not spend money for inveshga
tions. and third, that money should MOI
he asked merely for investigating th'
pacific Livestock company but ina
the attorney general should 60 to tn
LEGISLATURE and ask for a sum suftielehl
70 cover all the litigation of his office
| He took up the charges made, agains,
tho company by Mcconnell and denieC
them and declared that they were mad'
as campaign of hate against th'
company. Regarding the statement
that the company spent little money II
Oregon he said that in 1916 the com
nan1 spent 1921 900 in Oregon, $ls IN
California. and $4,000 in eastern
states for products that could not d.
purchased in the state.
His arguments were interrupted oy
the noon hour.
and attention.
She declares she was confined IN
coll NTH insane patients and was de