Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-01-28
ACTIVITIES IN HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES

~F%Nf
Roads and highways will come in
for another public meeting this week,
when the outsider who may be won
dering what it is all about, viii have
another chance to learn more of the
big read problems of Oregon.
/ AL sorts of statements are being
made as to the cost of paving, what
the state highway commission is pay
ing END what counties are paying.
At the meeting Thursday evening any
J one who has anything to say will be
welcome to say it, but it is pretty
wen understood that statement must
be backed up with positive proof.
There must be proof of a statement
and no talking just for the sake of
Igetting some one in bad.
As State Highway Engineer Her
bert Mum has been attacked, he along
with tthe highway commission have
been invited to take part in the dis
eussionS
| There is a feeling among members
of both the senate and house ways
and means committees that the testi-
mony presented at this Thursday night
meeting should be in the way of ex-
pert testimony and not by any one
who might take fling at general con-
ditions or any one party and have no
figures of an expert nature to back
lit. 1t is thought that members of the
highway commission will attend the
meeting.
A soldiers land and settlement bill
was introduced in the house by Rep
resentative Sheldon providing for a
fund of $4,000 with which to ac-
quire land for homes of returning sol
diers and sailors. Also to afford use
full employment for soldiers and to
give them an opportunity to acquire
homes in Oregon. The bill provides
that an Oregon Land Settlement com
mission of five members be appointed
by the governor.
Representative Idleman Of Portland
presented bills calling for two com
missions and one special board. One
commission is to be known as the state
board of immigration and the other
the Oregon conservation commission.
The board that he asks to be created
| is to be known as the State Board Of
Examiners for voting machines.
Union labor came to the front again
in the house when +. E. Smith OF |
Portland, the labor delegate, intro
duced bill declaring that labor un-
ions are lawful organizations, and al
SO providing that courts shall issue
no restraining order prohibiting
strikes.
Bills passed by the house late yes
terday afternoon were. Giving lands in
irrigation districts not adjacent to a
district but receiving water from a
common source, the right to be in
cluded in district. Giving the state
highway commission the legal right
to sell obsolete equipment and place
the proceeds with the state treasurer
to the credit of the highway depart
ment. Right of the o. A. G. and U. OF
o. to sell worn out equipment. Pro
viding that when plats are vacated in
any town or city, that record of
same shall be recorded in the deed OF
records under special filing.
To prevent the claiming Of home
stead of excessive value, the house
passed bill introduced by Hare, max
ing the homestead exemption amount
to $4,000. As the general understand
ing of the law now is, a homestead
NAV be not less than one city lot nor
less than q 90 acre farm. The propos-
ed law is to prevent a somestead claim
in amount exceeding $4,000.
Two small salary raises managed to
pass the house, but it just happened
that each were special county bills
and as long as the county was to pay
the extra raise, members we're Willing.
Mr.. Gallagher managed. to have the
county school superintendent of NAL
heur county get in on a raise Of from
$1,000 a year to $500. Mr.. Stewart
of Wheeler county succeeded in get
ting his bill through for the final
reading raising the salary of the
county clerk of Wheeler county from
$1,000 to $500 a year. He said the
salary was. fixed 20 years ago and
conditions were different now.
The Portland bakeries are appar-
emily behind bill introduced in the
house by Hosford Of Portland. The |
bin provides first that the weight OF
loaves of bread shall run from 1h
pounds to five pounds and then the
provision that no bakery shall accept
bread or other baking products re-
turned as unsold, nor allow credits for
bread returned unsold. If the bill fin
ally goes through, no retailer can re-
turn old bread to the bakeries in the
state and get credit for same.
Visiting day at the University Of
Oregon will be Saturday Feb. l and
at the Oregon Agricultural college,
Saturday Feb. s. The two invitations
were extended to members Of the
house.
Mayor Baker of Portland submit
ted to the house a letter showing that
the state highway commission had of
fered soldiers work at $3.50 day and
that q captain in charge of employ
ment in Portland had advised the
boys not to accept the offer. There is