Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-01-10

Prepares for
Hard Session
Harmony Attending.
Opening Moments is
Expected to Have
Short Life


without friction in the matter
of organization, and with Roy Ritz
ner and L. E. Beaon taking their
seats as president of the senate and
speaker Of the house, respectively,
as per schedule, the thirty first
Oregon legislature got under way
this morning with harmony as the
keynote of the opening session.
The harmony schedule is not ex-
pected to last, however, and sharp
friction. with a goodly display OF
oratorical fireworks are. promised
by those having an insight into the
legislative program which will face
the solons during the coming 40
days.
Smiling as the legislative sky
may seem just now, however, there
are hints of storm clouds to the
estward-sombre omens of i'm
pending political strife and legis-
lative battle--and there are grave
and serious questions to be met
and solved.
Soldering problems in state fl
nancing and taxation to meet the
ever growing cost of government
confront the appropriation and the
assess sment and taxation commit
tees.
Senator Patterson, who will lead
the senate committee, and Repre-
sentative Gordon, who will lead
the money finders of the house,
will start their crews to work
fronting deficiency appropriations
of approximately 100000 with
new demands reaching far beyond
the constitutional 6 per cent linz
itation.
Two years ago the total appro-
priations voted by the Legislature
were $S,72S,968. Since that time
the emergency board has author
ized deficiencies of $459,766, a to-
tai of $S,832,7S4. This year the
estimated appropriation budget
has mounted to $9.S10,350, with
out taking into consideration any
of the varied outside money de-
mands that always arise during
the course of the session.
Must Get the Coin
1t might seem hopeless to think
of putting such big foot in the
states financial sock, but it has
been done heretofore, and it will
have to be done again by the elm
ination of corns, bunions, maybe,
of a toe or two.
Yards could be written, and un-
doubtedly will be before the ses-
sion ends. on the varied angles and
the various aspirations incident to
the task of creating fourth con-
gressional district. The political
woods of western Oregon are full
of timber confident that it ought
to represent this state in the halls
of congress. And good deal of
that timber has been transplanted
temporarily in the senate and
house at Salem for purposes orna-
mental or otherwise. Each stick
and by that term no obloqIy is
ntended-would like to see the new
boundaries so drawn that he
would be particularly conducive
when the congressional lightning
of 1922 strikes in Oregon. Senator
Thomas of Medford, Senator Edd?
of Douglas, Senator Lachmund of
Marion. Representative Bean OF
Lane, Senator Norblad of Clatsop'
Senator Hare of Washington, Rep
resentative Sheldon of Jackson,
not to speak of various others the
light of whose aspiration is not so
visible, all want to go to Washing
ton. and they are all in the firs
district which is doomed to pe
carved up to make new stamping
ground for a fourth congressman
II is easy to see that there may be
some difference of opinion az +
where the new lines should be ru
Chance for Politics
And, also, the legislature faces
the task of redistricting the state
for Legislative purposes. which, re-
duced to practical terms, means
four or five new members for east
ern Oregon. with a senator or two
thrown in for good measure, while
western Oregon must Of necessity
see its proportional membership
shrink. The solution of this will
bring interesting contentious and
quite a little politics into the .ses-
sion.
Taxation will furnish one of the
ma ior studies of the 40 days. Mem
bers from every section are con-
tending that something must be
done to redistribute and justly
| edualize the growing burden OF
| governmental expense. Property
\ owners are bowling that they up
hold more of the load than their
reasonable share of the public ex-
pense. They want to see new sourc-
es of revenue discovered and har-
messed, and income tax bills 2G1
| other remedies are being polished
| uD and made ready Or introduc-
ton. Just what can or viii be done
to relieve the strain no one seems
to know, but the clamor of vox
populi is uplifted IN complaint
Road Question Looms
Road legislation. including and
centering about another bond is
sue of s1O.0OO.O0O will furnish a
focal point for discussion. and
possibly. for dissention. There are
those who would like to see the
highway commission changed.
with salaried commissioners ap-
pointed or elected. Eastern Ore
CONS big delegation is said to be
united in the contention that east
CContlnued on Page Seven.)