Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-02-10
Consolidation Again Fails

Every effort in the legislature for the past several
sons, aimed at cutting down expense by consolidation OF
boards and elimination of duplication of effort by bureaus
whose work overlap has met with failure The bureaus
affected launched effective campaign against ntefer
send forth strong obbes usually from Portland and
succeed in killing the consolidation through personal
upon Legislators.
The Kay bill consolidating the chd welfare work with
Fhe state labor commissioners department instance
in point At present the welfare bureau does not function
outside of Portland and its work done by the labor
missioner BY putting all the work his charge the legs
ature would effect saving of $4,000 year without injury
to service renderedand probably without the storms of
scandal that constantly break the Portland administered
bureau Yet the legislature refused to act
The fate attended the effort to consolidate the
department of seaer of weights and with the dairy
and food commission thereby effectng material saving in
salary expenditures decrease in employees and dimnuon
in travelling expense and overhead similar doom in
store for every similar bill.
material reduction could be effected in expenses and
material gain in efficiency secured by reorganization of the
state administration to consolidate and concentrate
bureaus and departments This done under Governor
Lowden in Illinois, and the saving effected in taxation
so great that it almost made him president.
Washington has recently followed suit, some seventy
bureaus being consolidated into ten departments, with
great saving expense But the Oregon legislature
interested in creating bureaus than in merging existing
concerned about spending money than in saving
it, soctous for bureaucracy than for efficiency
The Oregonan suggests that the lack of state conven
ton is to blame because every legislator writes his plat
form and there is nothing to provide concerted action
Every legislator pledges himself to economy in his own plat
form but is careful not to stpuate program to carry out
his promises he does there are 80 other platforms to be
considered The governor is also elected personal
platform and is accorded support leader Of party nor
other officials AS matter of fact party in state sense
only label in Oregon and nothing because there IS
no responsibility.
Whatever the cause the result is apparent Inasfar as
elective officials CO. their personal administrations all
could be asked but concerted action and unanmy OF
purpose necessary to achieve constructive legislative pro-
grams lacking is the personal leadership which In the
absence of party program alone accomplish legislative
'eforms.
If the democratic party would revive itself in Oregon let
call state convention and adopt platform providing
efne program of bureau consolidation and elimination and
educton in taxation and if it does not name the
anddaes which could be left to the primaries it
ide winning platform for them to stand upon II it does
he republicans will probably follow the procedure or
under handicap Only by such methods reforms be
ecured the taxpayers results and parties mean
lore than