Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-01-09
ANNUAL MESSAGE READ
tContinued from page two.l

economical administration during the
last two years.
desire to commend highly the admin
is.ration of the state industrial accident
commission. There will be presented to
you some minor revisions in the laws
governing it which merit your approval.
Fish and Game.
The workings of the fish and game
commission, under the provisions of the
bill passed by the last legislature, have
been most gratifying. The commission
has conducted its affairs efficiently,
and, 1 believe, given satisfaction. Ger
tainly the publie-spirited attention to
their duties shown by the commissioners
deserve eommendation.
The commission itself is submitting a
report and recommendations to you.
Without going into details covered else
where, it seems desirable to mention
here two important points which should
be covered by legislation this session:
A new fish ladder is vitally needed at
Oregon City, and moderate appropria-
tion to meet this requirement would be
a wise investment.
1t is believed that the angler s license
fee, which is now 81, should be increased
to $3.50. There has been a decrease in
licenses paid during the last few years,
and, on the other hand, there is rapid
ly icreasing need for restocking of
our fishing streams upon generous
scale. 1t is my expectation that the in
creased revenue from this source would
be devoted almost exclusively to the
propagation of trout for the upbuild-
ing of our angling resources.
State Fair.
The state fair is recognized not only
as large event in Oregon life, but also
as one of real Importance from eduea-
tional and statewide development stand
points. The big need of the fair is a
coliseum, where stock shows and other
gatherings can be held in the night, or
during inclement weather. Such build
ing would, am sure, pay for itself in
a few years by attracting increased at
tendance. The exterior structure might
at least be undertaken now and the in
terror left more or less unfinished at the
outset, as / have suggested in connec-
tion with the budget figures.
To further irrigation development the
enactment Of an adequate and workable
irrigation district law is eminently de-
sirable. The interests of the sections
affected will be best served. l believe,
through the conduct of irrigation enter
prises by the settlers themselves, so far
as possible.
Local Economy.
The growing desire to keep down
taxes is to be commended, especially
because it surely indicates an increased
public interest in community affairs,
The very best way to get efficiency in
public administration whether it be dis
trict, municipal, county or state, is for
the citizens affected to take an active
hand i'll what is going on.
I welcome, therefore, these campaigns
for lower taxes and improved public ad-
ministration; the latter, in its best sense,
carries with it the former. But so far as
the state is concerned, We should real
ize that only about one dollar out of ev-
cry 10 paid in taxes, in an average coun-
ty, goes to state expenses, while the
other nine are devoted to the costs of
the county, school, district and city.
This is no apology for state extravag-
ance. Such as exists should be eradict-
ed. But it does mean that by far the
largest and most fruitful field FOR econ
omies lies nearer home. No doubt this
Legislature will devote serious attention
to economical reforms in some of the
laws affecting expenditure of this nine
tenths of our taxes.
Publications.
In smaller fields of possible economy
it seems well to mention the rather
abundant output of reports, which are
published from time to time by the va
rious departments. Occasionally there
is useless duplication in the subject mat
ter covered. Often editions are larger
than warranted, and the value of the re-
port itself, as well as the size of the
printers bill, would benefit if the sub
jeet matter was reduced. 1t is also oe-
casionally true that officials take ad-
vantage of their printing appropriation
for the issuance of matter designed pri-
marily for political purposes. suggest
that means be devised whereby all pub
hcations handled by the state printer be
supervised by the state printing board,
to the end, at least, that Implications