Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-01-14

The text of Governor Withycombe q
biennial message, follows:
To the members Of the Thirtieth Ore
gon Legislative Assembly:
In extending warm greeting to yos
all l can assure you that / approach
this pleasant opportunity with fuil
heart and with a candid desire fol
wholesome cooperation.
Situation Without Precedent.
1t is your responsibility to lay the
foundation for a partnership betwesn
state rnd nation in the matter Of re.
srranging public affai,s and ms ita
iions to meet a situation that has
borne no parallel since the birth Of
this commonwealth. In many CT the
,cr;ous quer!i'n. which WI be put for
ward during the next forty days. you
will have no precedents to guide you
Though living in the present day and
participating in contemporary events
you will, ir certain positive sense
be pioneers, and you WILL therefore, ne
obliged to face your work colrageously
and with vision that carries vou
above partisanship and beyond the re
stricted limits of sectional antagonisn
and personal ambition. | have no hesi
tation in expressing full confidence in
your integrity, honesty of purpose, wis
dom and farsightedness.
vision Is Needed.
This message was prepared in har-
mony with custom and in accordance
with my constitutional duty as chief
executive Of this state. II will deal
only with those matters which appear
to me, after retrospection of a -four
years administration, as affecting the
best interests of the whole state at a
time when many large developments
are in the process of incubation. lie!
US endeavor to look ahead with VISION
that will detect all possibilities, mob
ilizing our best thoughts and energies
in the hope of rendering the maximum
degree of service As architects plax.
ming for the future through legislaf
tive enactments> = it is your task TO
draw up such specifications as will
represent the true sentiment of Oregon
citizenship.
Patriotic Record.
It is not necessary for me- to remind
you of Oregon 8 preeminent patriotic
record and of the Importance Of pre-
serving her prestige by reconstruction
legislation that will ring true to the
Oregon standard of excellence. Surely
no living Oregonian worthy of the
name can be unconscious Of pride in the
past and ambition for the future
Oregon, blessed with generous, pat
riotic people, contributed far more than
her proportionate share to the great
trinity of war necessities-men, money
and materials She responded with alac-
rity to every call for patriotic endeavpr
and time after time was first of all
states in support Of the country :
cause.
II will never be said of Oregon that
she thought more highly Of her doll
lars than of the destiny of her noblest
sons. Therefore, every effort possible
will be made to provide proper care
for the boys returning from the ser.
vice. This general subject should not be
approached in a spirit Of common char.
ity. 1t docs not involve charity but
rather duty and debt.
Land Settlement Problems.
Probably the most important prob
lem confronting the people Of Oregon
today is the question of land settle
ment, especially as it affects the re
turning soldiers and sailors who are
entitled TO every encouragement as thsy
return to- oscivil life. Whatever plan may
be adopted by this legislature must
offer something tengible and must be
practical. Fortunately you have an op.
portunity to develop Oregon on a busi.
nesslikc basis at the same time you
are furnishing assistance to returning
service men and to citizens generally.
There are four phases Of land set.
tlement work to he considered: the
clearing Of loggcd-off lands, the reclaim.
alton Of irrigated lands, the drainage
VI swamp ihiubg anu thc buuui'ioiOh "
farms in humid sections.
Congress will undoubtedly make some
provision for federal assistance in this
work, bat it will probably be eondi'
tionsi upon state cooperation. This will
Of course, involve new system of fin
aneiHg. Under our present six per cent
limitation there is only one way, as
view 10, that we could undertake thss
enterprise, and that would be through
a rational bonding system which would
meet with the approval of the electori
ate Of the state.
We have approximately 100000
acres Of privately owned logged.ofi
land in Oregon, much Of il being ex'
eellent agricultural soil This land
should be purchased by the federal gov.
ernment or the state, divided into or
ganized districts, improved and allot
ted in units to prospective settlers
These settlers should be required 70
make reasonable initial payment and
to meet the unpaid balance on long
term iHstallments at low rate Of in.
terest following the amortization plan.
Oregon logged.off land will cost about
$4,000 per acre to be cleared. This
would offer splendid field for cooper
ative work between the federal ant
state governments. Large numbers oi