Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-01-29
BILL CONSOuDATES
SIX Departments
Puts Them All Under Cover
nOr's Thumb, But Cuts
Out No Salaries

House bill No, l72, is one of the long
est so far introduced, requiring AZ pages
to tell all it proposes to do. 1t does
away with, or as it states, aboishes the
state fair board, the state livestock san
itary board, the board of sheep com
missioners, the stallion registration
board, the Oregon state board of horti-
culture, the Oregon dairy and food
commissioner, and the deputy state seal
er of weights and measures. Quite a
wholesale assassination of public of
fices.
An examination of the appropriations
I as shown in the blue book are for the
] livestock sanitary board $49,940, for
board of horticulture $4,000, for
/ dairy and food commissioner $4,000,
and for sealer of weights and measures
| $4,000. The total for the four boards
for which appropriations were made is
! $ll0,940. This of course includes all
expenses connected with these offices.
There are apparently under the pres
ert system six secretaries or offices UNI
der salary. The blue book shows the
salaries of but two of these, the deputy
sealer of weights and measures getting
$4,000 and the dairy and food commits
sioner $4,000. The other salaries are APP
parently fixed by the boards and it is
estimated will average about $2,400,
Under the present system there are
six drawing pay, while under the pro-
posed law there will be the same num-
ber, five directors and one commission
er each drawing $2,400 yearly salary,
and these "shall be allowed such ex-
penses as may be actually incurred in
the performance of their duties. - Ad.
visory boards are also provided whose
members shall be paid their actual ex-
penses," but no more. The governor
appoints these boards.
Under the proposed law there will be
created "The Oregon Department of
Agriculture, which shall be appointed
by and hold office at the pleasure of
the governor and he will be inFested
with all the powers and duties of the
officials whose offices are abolished by
the new law.
This department. shall be organized
into five divisions to be known as the
division of dairies and pure hood; di-
vision of livestock; division Of horti-
/, culture; division of agricultural fairs
division of grain and hay The directors
of these divisions win be appointed by
E the commissioner "for reasons of espe.
cial fitness, training and experience in
the division to which he is assigned. y
This is the substitute for the existing
? system. 1t will be seen that there arc
! Just as many officials as under the old
e plan, and they draw just as much salary
a Just whtrc any saving is to be mad,
3 does not appear. That it will reduce
the cost is possible, but if it is probabl,
0 there is nothing in the bill to indicate
. it.
$ Another feature of the bill is the Civ
ing to a commissioner, who is appointed
T. by the governor the power to appoint
the five directors This is the same az
] making the governor responsible fol
them. As all the officers are removable
at the pleasure of the governor who
could fire the commissioner if he failed
I to make such appointments as the gov
= ernor wished. On the face of the propo
sition it simply concentrates in the
f hands of the governor, power that he
= has not now. It creates an additiona
. office, that of commissioner, as sor'
e of boss over the directors, while hav
ing boss, the governor, over him. I
+ is a changing of the Officers, and ;
0 changing of their official titles but til,
salaries are about the same, or if any
d thing a trifle higher, The bill thel
provides that the director shall ap
= point all assistants, deputies, experts
s.; inspectors, clerks and other employe
y necessary for the administration of th
affairs Of his department, who shall b.
I paid such salaries as the director, will
5, the approval of the Board of Control
T. may approve.
n The bill then details the duties of tn
Officers and their powers. The com
= missioner is further empowered to ex
Il perd any appropriations made for an.
Il of the boards or commissions abolishe,
{ by this bill. This is, as briefly as ca
be stated the substance of the bill. Blu
It there are so many things in that ca
= be told only by reprinting the bill, tha
II those who would know more Of il shoul
IS read the bill.
/ They will find some things in it tina
will take their minds back to the day
e before these United States achieve
. their independence, and make ther
wonder what if wng achieved far