Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-02-04
Free School
Book Bill Is
Fight Center
Hot Debate Features
Morning Session of
Senate; Roosevelt
Road Revived

Free text books for students ii
the elementary schools of Oregon
furnished material for a lengthy
debate in the senate this morning
action on the question being de.
terred until this afternoon when al
members of the house will be pres.
ent to record their sentiments.
The question came up on a di.
Vlded report on senate bill mum
oer 19 by Senator Banks. A ma
Jorlty report signed by Senators
Hume, Eberhard and Edwards
tavors passage of the bill. A minor
ity report signed by Senators Sta
pies and Gill opposes the move.
Material increase in taxes thru
the free text book proviso was ad-
vanced by Staples and Gill in op-
position to the bill.
Oregon had a chance to try out
free text books under an optional
law in effect from 1918 to 1915
and not six school districts elect
ed to avail themselves of the priv
ilege, Gill declared.
Banks, in urging support of his
measure, asked the senate to COM
plete the job of free education. If
free schools and free teachers arc
proper then free text books arc
proper, he insisted. Pride prevent
ed many poor families from avail
ing themselves of county aid in OBJ
tanning necessary text books un-
der the present law, he declared,
and as a result many children were
denied the right of an education.
Free text books were now in eff
feet in twenty states, Banks stat
ed. and in no case was there any
demand for repeal of the law.
The cost of text books when
purchased by the school district
had been found to be twenty per
cent less than when purchased by
the various families in the dis
trict, he insisted in answering the
argument of higher costs.
That the Roosevelt coast high
way which met with such hearty
approval of the senate in it's action
on the Norblad- Hall bill Wednes-
day is by no means an assured
fact as yet was indicated this morn
ing when a motion for the recall
| of the bill from the house was Of
fered by Senator Vinton. Action on
Vinton's motion was deferred pend
and a bitter fight over the road
program in general ard the coast
highway in particular is expected
before the day is ended.
The first visible ripple on the
apparently peaceful waters on
which the coast highway was
launched Wednesday appeared
Thursday afternoon when Senator
Thomas made bid for recognition
of the highway needs of the south
ern oregon country with a bill
providing for the construction of
the Crater Lake highway and max
ing available $1,O0O,O0O from state
highway funds for that purpose.
The proposed coast highway is
known to be anything but pleasing
to the highway commissioners
who regard the move as an at
tempt to interfere with the state
highway program.
Bills passed by the senate this
morning include: 1sM
S. b. 205 by Hare-Amending
section 1925, oregon laws, relat-
ing % wills.
S. B. Els by Banks-Relating to
amendment of carriage contracts.
S. B. 2O2 by Yamhill delegation
Authorizing county court of
Yamhill county to sell and convey
to the state certain land in Nc
Minnvllle for armory purposes.
s. b. POI by Eberhard-Award-
ing costs to defendant in Grimm
al action upon success of defend
ant on appeal to supreme court.
S. B. 212 by Nickelsen-Requir-
ing that notaries public shall ad-
minister oaths in verification ot
claims against state without charge
S. 3. 161 by Hume ard Thomas
Providing for appointment Of
trustee during delinquency Of do
mestic or foreign corporation
which has become disqualified
from right to transact business.
:. &. 22s by committee on coun-
tv and state salaries Substitute
for S. B. 147-Providing for trav-
cling and hotel expenses of cir
cult judges in districts of more
than one county.
s. r. 1877 by Moser-Providing |
for attachment of foreign corpora
tions or firms.
S. B. 16S by Hare-Providlng |
for employment of paroled con-
victs in state prison wood camp
s. B. 191 by Staples-Providing
for regulation Of sale of dairy bulls
and creating a dairy bull registra-
ton board.