Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-08-15
MAKING THE GOVERNOR 'TT."

The consolidation commission appointed by Governor
Wthycombe at least recognized the authority that ap-
pointed it. 1t has made its report suggesting that the
state be turned to the governor and that
officers now elected by the people be appointed by him.
The only elective officers left the governor the state
treasurer and the secretary of state These left pre-
smaby because the constitution provides for their cleo
ton and was beyond the power of the commission to
make any change The commission also reports that it
will make great saving the cost of running the state
but the savings all supposition and the commits
sion does the suppOsng 1t simply says there will be
certain amount saved giving the items but as it has no
of knowing what salaries Will be paid the gentle
men appointed by the governor to the state there is
nothing which to base any estimates as to what the
saving, if any, would be.
It is safe bet though that the people will not consent
to having the right to elect their officers such left
them to elect taken away from them and the naming of
practically every officer the state turned to the
governor 1t is wonder the governor wanted con-
SOdation commission for makes him the supreme boss
politician of the state if its recommendations are accept
ed: The governor manipulated the last legislature so
that the management of the state prison taken out
of the hands of the board of control and turned to-
him.
The history of that institution since it came under
his sole control is such that the part OF wisdom would
suggest that he be not given control OF anything else The
flax business at the prison has simply gone to pieces un
der his management and the prison place Of deten-
tiOn is a statewide joke.
There will have to be a much more closely itemized
statement to savings and benefits TO be derived from
Professor Matthews plan than has been made, before
the people will consider accepting it. About the only
changes suggested is calling what now commissions,
departments" and these arranged in the plan
suggested that there is end to the subdivisions and
minor departments that can be attached to each Appar
emily the gentleman from Illinois was more interested
in completing some plan that would please the governor
and increase his power than in getting sensible work
ing plan of government 1t is safe to say that when the
people tire of their present form of state government
they will call constitutional convention and form some
other and it will not be along the lines of turning the
state to the governor either This is democracy not
q monarchy, and the people will insist having some
thing say about who shall represent them in the most
important offices When they want little twobit-king
they import from Of the German states for
there likely to be job lot of them available and anx
ious for boss position in the very future However,
not ready for that kind Of petty monarchy yet
The drive in Picardy well as that on the Scissors
Marne salient has slowed up but is not yet halted 1t has
not yet been disclosed just what Crown Prince Rupprecht
intends doing whether the stiff resistance he putting
up for the purpose of assisting in getting guns and m
ntons back to the Hndenburg ine or has concluded to
take issue with Foch on this ne The former seems to
be the general opinion in military circles The allied
advance making his tenure of many important positions
dangerous and dispatches intimate that several of these
positions will soon fall into the hands of the allies.
General March says there are now 81 complete Amer
ican divisions in France, about 900 men, These
should help make it lively for both the crown princes and
at the time give Ludendorf and Hindenburg some
IL.