May 1926
THE UNITED AMERICAN
THE COMMONWEALTH OF OREGON.
(Continued from Page Nine)
the power to veto single items in appropriation bills.
It has long been a practice in legislative bodies for
its members to embody in bills appropriating money
for very necessary purposes, clauses providing that
state funds shall be used for some purpose of which
most of the members do not approve. Such clauses
often merely provide jobs for party workers or bring
about the spending of some of the state money in
counties where politicians are seeking to build up a
personal following. This appropriation brings money
into the county and gives work to many and the legis
lator who claims the credit for getting it will stand a
better chance of re-election or of election to some
better office. Yet other legislators, although they
know that the appropriation is not a wise use of state
money, cannot vote against this clause in the bill with
out defeating the entire bill which is, in large part,
very necessary. Money appropriated for political pur
poses is often called “pork.” To do away with “pork”
appropriations, the governor of Oregon is allowed to
veto single items in appropriation bills and is thus
made responsible for the proper use or waste of pub
lic money. How important it is that brave, strong
men, men who are able to stand against political pres
sure, be chosen for the office!
There is also a department of the state govern
ment called the administrative department. The chief
officers are the secretary of state, Sam Kozer, and the
state treasurer, Thomas B. Kay. Like the governor
these officers serve four year terms and are allowed
to hold their offices only two terms in any period of
twelve years. The secretary of state keeps the record
of the acts of the legislative and executive depart
ments, audits the public accounts, and is responsible
for stamping the seal of the state upon all state offi
cial documents. The treasurer is the custodian of all
state funds. Other state administrative officers pro
vided for by law rather than by the Constitution are
the attorney general, who is the legal adviser of state
officials and the legal protector of the state’s interests,
Page Thirteen
and the superintendent of the public instruction, who
is the head of the public schools. I. H. Van Winkle
is attorney general; J. A. Churchill state superin
tendent.
There are also many other administrative officers
who are responsible for a great variety of duties.
These are such as the labor commissioner,the land com
missioner, the adjutant general, the state fire mar
shal, the highway commissioners, etc. All have duties
which are of great importance to the people of the
state. There are about forty of these officers, some
of whom are appointed by the governor, others elected
by the people. Upon their faithful and efficient per
formance of their duties depends in large degree the
effectiveness of Oregon’s state government.
In my next letter, I shall write of our judiciary
system.
WE THANK THEE
By Ralph Waldo Emerson
For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!
For blue of stream and blue of sky;
For pleasant shade of branches high;
For fragrant air and cooling breeze;
For beauty of the blooming trees,
Father in heaven, we Thank Thee!
STRIVING FOR BETTER THINGS
By Frank O. Lowden, in the Christian Herald.
I F THE spirit of the Bible were to enter and to hold the
hearts of men for a single day, a divine restfulness
would succeed the unrest which now menaces civilization.
In the presence of eternal verities strife and discord dis
appear. Without faith in the fatherhood of God, the brother
hood of man is an idle dream. Humanity is about to enter
upon the fairest, brightest day it has ever known, or to lose
the gains which it, with infinite pains, has made during
the Christian centuries which have come and gone. Which
it shall be will depend largely upon whether we place our
dependence upon the God of our fathers or upon the ma
terialism which now seeks to rule all things.
RE-ELECT CRUMPACKER
“THE OREGONIAN” of April 29th says editorially:
“In the third district Mr. Crumpacker has shown
in his first term a marked adaptability to the work of
representative and has been active and successful in
the promotion and the protection of the interests of his
district. The Oregonian sees no reason why he should
not be re-nominated and re-elected.”
“THE PORTLAND NEWS” of April 27th says
editorially: . .
“You see, Crumpacker works, even when he is
playing. He has introduced 26 bills and seven of them
have passed. Five more will likely pass this session.
Seven have received unfavorable reports from depart
ments and will not pass.”
“COLLIER’S WEEKLY” says of him:
‘It usually takes four or five years, for anyone to
know that a new congressman has arrived in Washing
ton. “Stub” Crumpacker arrived in Washington the
first Monday in December and is already the boon
companion of the men who run the house.”
Mr. Crumpacker is a member of the important
Rivers and Harbors Committee where he can and .will
protect Portland’s interests in the Longview bridge
controversy.
Service men know that in him they have a friend
in Washington who can and will work for their in
terests. Mr. Crumpacker’s was . the most potent in
fluence in getting a veterans hospital for Portland. He
was the co-author of the Oregon soldier’s bonus law.
CRUMPACKER IS GIVING GOOD SERVICE.
KEEP HIM IN CONGRESS
Vote 21 X Crumpacker Republican for Congress
Paid Adv.