Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-02-19
Railroading
Charges Made
By Opponents
Absence of Senator
Smith Results Tn
Allegations of Shady
Dealing

days has been swelling to head
burst in the senate just before ad
JOurnment yesterday to spray IL
virus of political contention angei
and dissension throughout the sen
ate.
All day long and for several days
the senate has been working under
the hidden strain of the reappor.
tionment fight. For weeks the spe-
cial committee has been drawing
maps and shifting the pawns Of les
islative membership hither and
yon until the alignment was finally
perfected and the bill brought in
February Ii.
ThOiras Endangered.
Yesterday afternoon Dennis
chairman of the e-apportionment
committee, asked that the bill be
sent back to the committee and the
committee excused to make newly
desired amendment to the bill.
Senator Eddy objected, charging
that the committee had never mot
In the open and no opportunity had
ever been given for any one inter
ested to appear Before ii or make
suggestion.
Thomas, who is scheduled TO be
legisiated out of his district undo,
the terms of the bill as drawn, an
Dcaled to the senate for fair play.
He read letter from Representa-
tive Carter which said that Carter
had attempted to attend meetings
of the committee and had been
there on time only to find the meet
ing over, and he had been given no
opportunity to meet either with the
house conmittee or the Joint com
mittee. Thomas said he had been
promised that they "would take
care or him If he would stand pat
Bill Is Amended.
Dennis denied Carters charges,
and Thomas came into the fray
again by charging that Senator
Hall was perfectly willing to cruci-
~ his own community in exchange
for other faVors"
Vinton said that il the committee
was excused, "it would lust crawl
off into a little room some place
and adjust the matter to suit it,
solf."
Laehmund charged that tho
gang did not have enough votes to
put At over yesterday, did not have
today and was pussyfooting around
trying to trade any old thing"
The bill was given to the commit
tee and IL retired. Shortly before
adjournment 1t came back with
amendmenrs. Ihe bIi as introduced
put Lane and Benton counties into
a joint district and gave them one
senator The amendment put Lane
into a district by Itself with one
senator
Polk and Benton Joined. d
Where the original bin put Polk
into a senatorial district by itself
the amendment put Polk and Ben
ton into joint district. Another
amendment cut Linn county's rep
resentation in the house from three
TO two members. Another provided
that Polk and Lincoln should con-
stitute a Joint representative dis
trict instead Of Tlllamook and Lin
coin as originally written.
Still another amendment put Til
lamook into a representative DIS
trlct by Itself and gave it one repre-
ser
When this report came in it "
taD'V~, a-... a".,. ,aheu up on the
motion of Senator Eddy. who at
once moved to amend the report by
changing the JOINT senatorial dis
trict of Jackson and Josephine. car
ried in the original bill, to single
district, consisting OF Jackson coun-
ty only the form which il now ex-
lists.
Secret System Charged.
This motion was ruled out of or
der by Senator banks. who was
presiding at the request OF Presi-
dent Ritncr who had taken the
floor TO sustain the committee. Ed
dy appealed from the decision of
the chair and was defeated.
Senator Smith who is to be the
beneficiary of the bill as it is now
written because as holdoyer sena
tor he will retain his office in thel
proposed Joint district of Jackson
and Josephine, while Thomas.
whose term expires viii have moth
ing TO run for, had been excused
from further attendance during
the afternoon by President Ritner |
Eddy protested against being
forced TO go 20 a vote in the absence
of Smith, saying 1t was unfair: that
Ritner had excused a man whose
vote was pivotal; that Banks rul-
ing was contrary To parliamentary +,
law and unjust, and that the peo-
pie should know what the commit
tee was trying to do and the secret
way in which il had been carried
on.
Thomas Shouts Defiance.
Upton called Eddy's attention to
the fact that he had called the bill
off the tabe knowing smith had
been excused.
Thomas. his face white with
anger and his hands shaking so
that he could hardly read the state
ment he had written. howled down
Banks attempt to put the motion
on adoption OF the report without
giving him the floor. lie said he
had prepared a statement which hel
spread on the journal OF the
senate. IL read:
II charge that senator Smith. In
.reachery 20 his own constituents.l
aAs been asked to be excused forl
he purpose of permitting the pass
Lge Of senate bill s45. and betray-
ng his own county and people. II
Use charge that Senator Smith OIL
Josephine county betrayed Jose
shine county and Jackson county
n voting for reference to n com
nittee OF senate bill 3s5 when. AL
le hac voted against said motion.
/ would have lost. no referencst