EGOM
The Farmers Society of Equity is
spreading over this county and th
Courier is spreading with it. Its ad
vertising columns are good as gold.
Clackamai County Fair
September 24, 23, 26, 27
Canby, Oregon
30th YEAR.
OREGON CITY, ORE., FRIDAY, APR. 11 1913.
No. 48
OR
CITY
COURIER
T
OTHER
IESTIGAT1
MASS MEETING ASKS THAT
COUNTY AFFAIRS BE PROBED
500 VOTERS JAM THE HALL
Live Wires Join with Mass Meeting
in Appointing Committees
(Note. The Courier editor 19 one
of a committee of three appointed by
the taxpayers' mass meeting Satur-
day last, to investigate the charges
made against the County Court, and
until such investigation is made the
Courier editor will not make any
comments or editorial reference to the
matter. The following report of Sat
urday's mass meeting is as this paper
saw it and got it, and is intended to
be fair and impartial, and a condens
ed narrative of transactions Editor.)
Woodmanjiall was jammed to the
doors when the meeting was called,
Every available foot of standing room
was occupied, and men stood for three
hours with close attention, but full of
noise and questions, and heard the de
fense and charges. The general esti
mate is that 500 men were in the hall,
and there were many who could not
tret in. The men were from all parts
. of the county, some driving twenty
miles to attend the meeting. Farmers
were largely in the majority.
J. W. Smith, of Macksburg, was
made chairman of the meeting; Will'
iam Grisenthwaite, of Beaver Creek,
Secretary, and George Oglesby, If.
Casto Robert Schuebel Fred Hare and
Mr. Wright were named as committee
on resolutions
... Then the entertainment commenced.
Chairman Smith announced that he
would be glad to hear from Judge
Beaty and his explanations on the
matters the county court had been
criticised, and the matters which the
mass meeting had been called to in
vestigate.
Judge Beatie came to the front of
the hall and talked for an hour, and
answered many Questions asked of
him. He stated that every act of the
county, court was a matter of record;
that jiis action in' refusing the Equity
Society ' the court house was because
he considered it a private business or
ganization, and if one such was allow
ed the rooms, others must have the
same privilege.
Of the timber cruising contract he
said that usually it was only the cor
porations that objected: that the
cruise would result for the taxpayers'
good; that contract was entered into
in November; that Assessor J. E.
Jack advised and recommended the
cruise; that the cruiser, Mr. Nease,
was under $10,000 bond as security
for the county; that the cruiser got
eight cents per acre; that a second
man was employed at $5 per day to
check up the cruiser; the county
would find it a good investment as it
would bring more property under tax
ation; that the timber owners would
be glad to cruise it for nothing, but
that the cruises would be valueless; it
would be completed about July 1;
Judge McBride said that it was the
duty of each county to cruise its tim
ber and had recommended Nease;
that the court had the right to make
the contract, etc.
Questions were fired at the Judge
asking "Why didn't you give the boys
in this county a chance.?" Because
none of them asked. "How can a man
check up without instruments? "The
cruiser can answer that. "Wouldn't
the bond of the cruisers who offer to
do the work free free hold them as
well as Nease? " "Why doesn't the
assessor do the work? What is
the assessor for?" etc.
The questions and confusion became
general, and then Chairman Smith an-1
nounced that the meeting would not
get through by night if they contin
ued and then some wag yelled "time."
Coming to the bridge matters and
the explanation of why bids had not
been advertised for according to the
statutes, Judge Beatie asked that J. E
Hedges would talk on this mater
first
Mr. Hedges stated that he had been
to the Coast Bridge Co., and had been
shown its contracts; that contracts in
several counties were about the same;
quoted several contracts of similar
bridges to ours where contracts were
lower. "Was there any competition?"
asked S. L. Casto?
Mr. Beatie said bids were not in
vited because data had been secured
from other counties, Marion and Linn,
court had seen contracts; "bridges
were about the same as ours; we
bought as we thought best, from
other like bridges.
Then Mr. Beatie stated the bell
tower in Oregon City just completed
cost $l,080j. that cost of same was
$480, and wanted to know who got
the $600? He said all courts had fail
ed in the letter of the law, and this
county had followed precedent
After Judge Beatie's explanation
the resolution committee made the
following report:
""(1) "Whereas, charges have been
made that county bridges were built
t an excessive figure, and contracts
therefore let contrary to the law.
(2) "Whereas, the cost of repair
ing the court house was about double
what the contractor offered to do the
same work for but was turned down
the material being bought through
the Oregon Commission house, in
which it is claimed Mr. Beatie is a
partner;
(3) "Whereas Mr. Beatie and Mr.
Campbell object to the Farmers . Soc
iety of Equity using the courthouse
and allowed similar organizations ad
mission thereto, thus discriminating
against the same organization;
(4) "Whereas the contract has been
let to cruise the timber of Clackamas
county at a figure that appears ex
cessive;
"Therefore, we, your committee on
resolutions, recommend that a com
mittee of three be appointed to invest
igate the above charges and report
at the earliest possible date to J. W.
Smith, that Mr. Smith may be author
ized to call another meeting by pub'
lication of the call in the Oregon' City
Courier. '
These resolutions had a fifth deny
ing the county was out of debt, but
O. D. Eby asked that it be eliminated
as the denials were not backed up.
Robert Schuebel presented figures
showing that in March 1910, taxes
collected were $239,811, and in March
County Clerk Mulvy to verify the
1913 $267,915. Mr. Schuebel called on
figures of 1910, which he did and the
published statement of Sheriff Mass
in the Enterprise for 1913, but Mr.
Eby objected to this being embodied
in the resolutions, and Mr. Oglesby
withdrew the paragraph.
Ihen M. J. Lee wanted to know
who were making the charges and
asked them to come out. Robert
Schuebel said he was one, and then
E. D. Olds took the floor and for
two straight hours told them he was
another.
Mr. Olds said he was making charg
es and he would back them; that he
had the documents to back with and
would present facts and figures. The
Fisher bridge cost $29,000 and the
contract said completed but the court
built the foundations and furnished
the planking.
For the reasons noted at the head
of this article, we clip from the Port
land Journal the statements of Mr.
Olds.
"Mr. Olds openly and bitterly de
nounced the court and its meathods.
He charged that the court had violat
ed the statutes in not filing a record
of the cost of the county bridges com
plete; and more definitely he read ex
tensive affidavits and certified copies
of data which he had obtained show
ing that the court paid for the Aurora
Eagle Creek, and Clear Creek, and
one other small bridge the sum of
$17,965. Mr. Olds declared and back
ed his statements with experts' opin
ions, that a price of $11,962.92
would have allowed a profit of $2000
or the usual 20 per cent profit on the
four bridges. He hotly went after
those who he . declared had "lain
down" to the court, and was bitter in
his denunciation of the Pacific Bridge
company of Portland. He declared
that County Judge Beatie had drawn
the $2,900 personally to pay the Coast
Bridge Company for the Fisher
bridge. Beatie interrupted: "You'll
have to prove that, Olds."
"Your own signature proves it."
answered Ulds, and then continued
his fearless accusations. He went the
deep into the "competitive" system
which he claimed the court carried on,
and which, in short, according to Mr.
Ulds, amounted to the exclusion of
all small bidders in favor of certain
Portland concerns, the alleged exorb
itant prices paid resulting, He went
even further and alleged that a rep
resentative of one of the big Portland
Bridge Companies had told him:
"We've got the county court of
Uackamas county tied up and you
know it"
"Olds himself is a bridge man, but
he backed up his accusations with the
affidavits of competent engineers as
to the cost of steel and construction.
and personally measured the four
bridges with the help of . the expert.
Mr. Uid s speech was given close at
tention and great applause greeted
his concluding remarks, as he poured
his hot shots into the taxpayers as
sembled, for tolerating such business.
He disclaimed any knowledge of the
lght or wrong of the cruising con
tract, and based his charges wholly
upon the bridge matters, and referred
to himself as the "Ook Grove disturb-
who was ready at all times to
back up his statements."
Concluding his remarks Mr. Obis
showed an illustration of how "com
petition" worked. He said the county
court advertised for bids on an 18
foot bridge on Kellog Creek and bids
were to have been opened April 6,
but for some reason unknown to the
public, they were not opened but
were returned 'to the bidders. Mr.
Olds stated that he had two blue
prints made of the plans of the bridge
he submitted; one he sent to the
Northwest Steel Co, of Portland (who
furnish the Coast Bridge Co.,' and
asked for prices of the steel, and the
other to Scovis & Co., of Milwaukie,
Wis., that both called for prices f. o.
b. Portland; that price quoted by
Portland Co. was $2,261 and Milwauk
ie, Wis., $1,410, a difference of $851
in favor of Wisconsin.
"You can't go back on the figures
and affidavits I have shown," said
Mr. Olds, "and it's time to call a halt"
All through the three and a half
hours' session there were questions
fired from all parts of the audience
which a two-magazine stenographer
couldn't keep up with, and at times
the meeting was a babel of noise and
exclamations.
When Mr. Eby asked that the mat
ter of County indebtedness be
stricken out of the resolutions, W. W.
Myers said it was not a time to split
hairs; "let's have facts. If commiss
ions are right let us know it and ex
onerate them; if wrong let's know it."
The motion that the chair appoint
committee of three to make an in
vestigation of the charges prevailed,
and after the meeting adjourned the
chair made th following appoint-
CURIOUS
COURIER
FRIDAY, MAY 2
WOMEN OF CLACKAMAS COUN
TY WILL ISSUE THIS PAPER
KEEN INTEREST IN PROJECT
Outline of the Edition as Given by
Ladies in Charge
Probably the most interesting
newspaper ever printed in Oregon
City will be the Courier's edition of
Friday May 2, which will be in every
line the work of the women of Clack
amas county.
What if Dr. John McLoughlin could
look in on this city for an hour on this
date? What would he think of the
wonderful changes in this .historic old
city from the days when the tepee
and the red men covered the bluffs,
to the today, with women voters of
the old Molalla country editing and
publishing an up-to-the minute news-
paper x
This issue of the Courier isn't go
ing to be any joke issue, nor just a
day's "fad." Its going to be a news
paper along the lines of a woman's
idea of what one should be. It will be
filled with the brightest and best of
woman's views. Every line of it will
be interesting and it will be a paper
that will be kept and long treasured.
Ihe ladies have given us an outline
of what, they want their helpers to do,
but the editor puts this into his own
words and says what the ladies want
said only different.
They want any woman in Clacka
mas county who does her own think
ing, to take any topic she is interest
ed in and write on it. And they ask
you to sign your name for a signed
article carries double the weight, and
shows courage.
They want you to make them short
and snappy, to use a newspaper ex
pression "have a punch behind them."
You may stretch a rubber band to
three times its length, but there is no
more rubber in it. The article of 500
words will find its chances a hundred
times better to get in this Woman's
Courier than the 1,500 word one. And
the signed article will also be apt to
crowd its weak (unsigned) sister
out. Boil them down, but keep the
snap in.
Come early. The one who avoids the
i i id the rush won I be crowded over
to the next week's man edition. Just
imagine the first in gots double trad
ing stamps. Don't wait until next
week or the week after. Letters on
current topics won't spoil by May 2.
They want the Grange ladies and
Equity ladies, and of the farms gener
ally to give the readers some new
ideas on the many matters the farm
ers are trying to work out. You lad
ies can make these topics shine if you
will use the polish. The Equity page
this week extends to you an invitat
ion. They want to know what you ladies
think of the pure water question in
this city; what do you think of Gov
ernor West's administration do you
approve ? What suggestions have you
on the city government? Is the pres
ent legislative system satisfactory
if not what is it's remedy? Who do
you want for governor and . why ?
What new legislation do we need and
what present laws repealed?
And so on these are only suggest-1
ions w lead you to others.
They also want a well filled depart
ment of tested recipes, house-hold
hints and suggestions of interest to
women in their homes and daily work
They want a bunch of these and want
them signed.
One lady has phoned this office
that she wants to set one of the dis
play ads in this edition of the Cour
ier. She was formerly a printer.
One of the fellows has already
named this edition the "Curious Cour
ier." You who want any extra numbers
of this edition let the ladies know
early for only one edition will be
printed.
One lady asks if a writer must be a
voter. The ladies say no.
- A dentist has asked for the "Rules
and Regulations" of the office for this
seven , days. The reauest has heen
filed.
But all nonsense aside, von will
find this edition of the Courier a gem.
Absolutely everything on the paper,
except the press-work, make-UD and
ads, will be woman's work.
They will edit it, run the linntvne
read the proofs, set the heads, man.
age the business office in short will
De the whole works of this edition.
And they say they will make it. th.
brightest paper in Oregon.
r onowing is the city staff:
Editor in Chief Mrs. A. E. Frost
Assistant Editor Mrs. Leon n.
Larzes.
Local Editor Mra. W. C. Green.
Financial Manager Mrs. C. S.h.
bel.
Society Editors Mrs. F. Mi-tn r.
Chairman, Mrs. George Ely, Mrs.
Matheson.
Reporters Mrs. A. McDonald,
ments:
M. J. Brown, Oregon Citv. S T.
Casto of Cams and Robert Schneh.1
of Eldorado.
Tuesday noon the committee w.nt
before the Live Wires and asked that
tody to appoint a committee of three
to co-operate with them in this in
vestigation, which was done.
chairman, Mrs. Edwards, Miss Alma
Moore, Mrs. Pfingston, Mrs. Rayburn,
Advertising ' Comm. Mrs. W. J.
Wilson, chairman, Mrs. M. McGee-
han, Mrs. W. A. Long, Mrs. J. Morris
Woman's Department Page Mrs,
N. W. Bowland, chairman, Mrs. Gar
Howell, Mrs. F. Tooze, Mrs. A. Mathe
son, Mrs. J. O. Staats.
Would He?
A school teacher at Oregon City
sent a number of students home be
cause the boys came attired in loud
socks generously displayed and the
girls in extremely long aprons. We
presume if the order had been revers
ed he would have kept them over
time. Amity Standard.
Who Knows of Him?
G. W. Small, of Greenville, Tex.,
wants to find a lost brother who was
last heard of in' Oregon. His name is
Jim Small. If anyone knows of him
they will do a great service by not
ifying G. W. Small at Greenville, Tex,
Rt 4, or by notifying the Courier of
fice.
LET US BE CAREFUL
Keep the Live Wires a Power for Get
ting for This County
Here is a little comment and the
hope goes with it that those who do
not agree will at least believe that it
is written with only the intent of the
best good of the Live Wires.
This bunch of fifty representative
men, meeting at weekly luncheons,
and discussing timely topics are a
power to do things for Oregon City
if sore spots are not developed.
And if irritation and discord arise
there goes your Live Wires.
There is a letter of criticism on 4th
page. The Courier is not defending or
criticising it. The opportunity for
criticism is the point.
In the past few months the Live
Wires have endorsed, if our recollect
ion is correct, a proposition for a
school of mines, a candidate for se
cretary of the interior, a candidate
for U. S. marshall and a candidate for
president of a railroad corporation.
And are not these matters far be
yond the length of the cabletow of
the Live Wires, and do they not place
the organization in a position for
criticism and is there not danger of
internal irritation and differences if
we take on and pass on these matt
ers? As we understand the Live Wires'
mission is to go after things, get
things and boom things for Oregon
Uty and Clackamas County and
when we go outside we are beyond
our. latitude.
If we can keep politics and outside
matters out of this organization, we
have a body that can deliver goods. If
we mix up in in these matters that do
not effect us, just so certain will
come dissension, and we will see the
rocks.
Let's stay in our own backyard. .
In Explanation
As an "open paper" for its readers
the Courier has many letters of sug
gestions, criticism, on many different
topics.
Some time a criticism will come in
that is entirely truthful as to facts
and intended for the best good of the
community, yet it may do an injustice
at the same time.
And when this paper knows of such
an instance it will gladly try to make
it good.
Last week there was a letter of
criticism concerning county matters
and in it was stated that girls in the
recorder's office were allowed pay for
time when they were absent from
duty.
We heard considerable protest ag
ainst this article and we went to the
employees of this department and
heads of other departments in the
courthouse to endeavor to pet unnrerl.
judiced evidence concerning the mat-
ter,
And the Courier believes that the
criticism, while -no doubt true, unwitt
ingly did Mr. Deadman an injustice.
We found an instance of where an
employee of the recorder's office was
unable to work for one or two days
during a month because of an afflict
ion of an eye that needed medical care
and that the employee was given full
pay for the month, but we could not
get away from the question a clerk
asked in justification "If a girl in
the Courier office should be ill for a
day or two would you cut her pay?"
The answer was we would not.
A clerk explained that each one had
his or her work to do in the court
house, and that in the recorder's office
each clerk did the work, and if sick
ness put one behind it was caught up
by harder work.
Mr. Deadman is a new county offic
ial. He is starting well and the Cour
ier would not knowingly do him an
injustice. He is himself a worker; he
is courteous, obliging and is making
his department many . friends. And
this paper has charity to extend to
any public man who will extend sym
pathy to an employee that almost any
private business will extend. -
The Weekly Story
Twenty-nine subscribers,
them cash in advance, went
28 of
on the
mailing list this week, and every week
we add from 20 to 50 new names,
every last one of which comes unsolic
ited. '
Eggs Took a Drop Wednesday
They were in an auto truck of the
Townsend Creamery Co., of Portland,
and the car was coming down Center
street loaded with butter, eggs and
produce. The jump of the car jumped
a box of eggs out and ten dozen of
them went to replace Center street of
the crushed stone that it has just been
robbed of.
HOT OLD TIME AT
LIVE WIRE SES5
MASS MEETING COMMITTEE
ASKS WIRES TO AID
HEDGES TRIED TO NAME AID
And Wires Would not Permit. Hot
Discussion Follows
The matter of county investigation
bobbed up at the Live Wire session
Tuesday and furnished a topic for
decidedly interesting session a ses
sion that forgot cme o'clock and talk
ed overtime,
The committee appointed by the
Live Wires to attend the Saturday
mass meeting, O. D. Eby, W. A. Dim-
ick, j George Randall, H. E. Cross
and M. J. Brown, simply reported that
meeting was held, the committee
appointed and the resolutions that
were adopted.
George Randall then made a short
talk. He said the people were not
satisfied with the way the county is
run; that about a year ago a Port
land expert was put to work in the
court house to investigate the system,
but for some reason was discharged;
that things should not be covered up;
that most people think the rebuilding
of the court house was not done as
low as it might have been and the
timber cruising was extravagant.
M. J. Brown, chairman of the com
mittee appointed by the mass meet
ing to investigate the charges against
the county, asked that the chair ap
point a committee of three from the
Live Wires to work with them on in
vestigation. He said the committee
had been personally charged that the
county court would not get a square
deal; that the Morning Enterprise had
editorially stated the committee had
already made its findings, in advance
of any mvesigation, and the commit
tee wanted the Live Wires to take a
hand in this investigation.
In the meantime Livy Stipp, head of
the Live Wires, had to leave to attend
a trial, and Dr. van Brakle, next in
office, was in the chair. Then G. L.
Hedges appointed M. D. Latourette,
B. T. McBain and Theodore Osmund
as the committee and made it a mo
tion. -
W. A. Dimick was on his feet in a
second. He said the Main Trunk
should name the committee and not
G. L. Hedges; for this action was a
most unusual procedure; that the
matter before the Live Wires was one
of simple honesty and a matter of
business; the mass meeting was not
the Live Wire meeting; the voters
called it and a committee had been
named to investigate. "The commit
tee has asked us to aid them, let us
do it, and do it right. Let the chair
appoint."
H. E.Cross followed Senator Dim
ick and argued along the same lines.
He said it would be a mistake to name
this committee and the Live Wires
ought not to do it; that the result
would be a mistrial; that men should
be appointed who were absolutely un
biased and unprejudiced. These three
men appointed cannot say they are
not. If the three men are named the
Live Wires will be in an extremely
embarassing position and the result
will not bring credit on the organiza
tion. Let us have a committee that
will do absolute justice.'
Then W. S. U'Ren offered an
amendment that the appointments be
left to the chair; it was carried and
Mr. Hedges lost his mition.
Mr. Hazel asked how he committee
was going to do justice without funds.
"If the charges are correct, prove
them; if not, exonerate the officials,
and without funds for the work a full
investigation cannot be made."
Mr. Osmund said the committee
named by Mr. Hedges was too much
tied up with their own work to take
this up and advised that a public ac
countant be secured.
Senator Diinitk said it was not a
matter of txperting books; that no
doubt evt;r dollar can be accounted
for; that Mr. l'ackett was exporting
them for the county court and no man
would question his ability or honesty;
that the mass riveting had put up
the matter's to investigate: The court
house addition, the timber cruising,
the bridge lettings. "These are the
matters we have to consider and not
expert book accountants."
H. E. Cross suggested that rather
than to hurt the Live Wire organiza
tion, he would wish that the mattei
be dropped entirely, and tha motion
for a committee be withdrawn,
M. J. Brown said that aftur the
charges of a ''fixed" committae had
been nw!e ho would insist that the
motion be acted upon.
M. D. watoirette said the constitu
lion of the rider did not pn-imt y the
Wires tu to itjo these maU.'s.
Rober Schuebel said the reports
were false that the commiMei ap
pointed by he mass meeting waited
to get the county court in bad. "I
would defend Judge Beaie when he is
right as quick as I would my mother.
and I will fight the whole bunch of
Live Wires unless they now take a
part in a thorough investigation,"
O. D. Eby said he could not under
stand why men should hedge on a
matter of this importance. "Let the
committee go to the bottom, let the
farmers get in, here is something
wrong somewhere let's find it'
Chairman van Brakle appointed 0.
D- Eby- w- S. U'Ren and J. W. Loder
s a committee to work with the mass
meeting committee, who are M. J.
Brown, S. L. Casto and Robert Schue
bel. Address all letters for this edition
to "Woman's Edition", Oregon City
Courier.
If you want extra copies send in
your requisition early.
In The Air. '
At the Live Wires session M. D.
Latourette stated the Main street
paving matter was s.-n to the council
for action, when Councilman Tooze
answered that it was not up to the
council but to the people; as that
committee of Main street business
men had asked that the street be not
re-paved at present
A Good Move.
The Estacada Progress says: Judge
Campbell very properly ordered that
minors be excluded from the court
room during the taking of testimony
in the Everest trial and the snenff
saw the order obeyed. When the eter
nal fitness of things is considered, it
seemed a pity that the trial could not
be conducted behind closed doors and
the mass of filth brought out kept
from becoming public property.
W. A. Shewman Seriously 111
W .A. Shewman, editor of the West
ern Stock Journal, who returned last
week from a trip to southern Califor
nia, is critically ill in a Portland hos
pital, and it is expected that an oper
ation of the bowels will be ordered to
day.
Mr. Shewman, Mrs. Shewman and
Alon went to Southern California two
months ago, in hopes that the change
would better his health, but bad
weather and severe colds worked
against him and he came home ser
iously ill. Dr . Mount examined him
Sunday and advised him to put him
self under the care of Portland
specialists.
Will has a lot of friends in Oregon
City who eagerly watch for hoped-
for good news.
FORCING THE PHONE ISSUE
City Council Is Going to See If Com
mission Will Give Us Fair Deal
The city council is after this mat
ter of discrimination in telephone
rates and we will now know whether
the public utilities commission is
simply a name or whether it will car
ry out the orders of Oregon voters.
Chairman joozc of the committee
ha a signed a complaint against the
I'ucific Telephone Co., and armed
with any nmotnt of Information and
proof the case nil) now be taken to
the public utilities and put squarely
up to them to i ct on.
There are ar.y number of discrim
inations in i rice of phones in - this
city for exactly the same service. One
man is paying $1.50 for a two-party
line, and his neighbor $1.75; and so
on with a proportionate discrimina
tion in four-party lines.
And not alone is the discrimination
ttvt'en cit"e:.s t ihn Vy, but be
tween cties of the valley, where the
widest range of rates are made, ani
it would look ss if the rates were
based on whatber the Pacific had
competition r rot whether the
company coulu exact it or not.
For instance in Pendleton a four-
party line is $1.50 and in Newberg
and Forest Grove $1.00, while in Ore
gon City the rates are $1.25 and $1.50,
depending on which rate you will
stand for.
Mr. Tooze has facts and figures on
these rates from all over the state,
and now the utilities commission
must face the matter and take a hand
in.
GRIFFITH TO BE HEAD.
Former City Resident Will be Presi-
denTorpTR. L k P. Co.
There are few men of the age of
Franklin T. Griffith who climb the
ladder as fast as he has climbed, and
it must be admitted that ability and
brains have put him there, for poli
tics and favoritism doesn't count for
much in big corporation like th
R. L. & P. Co. The goods are
what count.
Mr. Griffith's rise from a book
keeper to the head of this big corpor
ation has been fast, and July 1, he
will be made president of this great
system of electric lines.
He was a former resident of Ore
gon City and he has a big bunch of
friends here who are glad to see him
get up on top. He Is a man who
makes friends and keeps them. He
has that peculiar, pleasing way that
is a gift to but few.
The Live Wires have invited him
to be present at its next week's ses
sion, and if he can come, he will be
given a most cordial and enthusias
tic welcome.
Meldrum Files Answer.
Henry Meldrum, former city engi
neer, in the name of the state, is
plaintiff in an action to have George
C, Yale removed, as city engineer and
in his filings, he charges that C. S.
Noble, now city engineer, and George
C. Yale, entered into a conspiracy
with Mayor Jones and the members
of the city council for the purpose of
giving Yale an opportunity to hold
position unlawfull.
This action is the outgrowth of
Mr. Yale's appointment in January,
when it was charged he was not eli
gible to the office by reason of being
a non-resident Mr. Yale resigned,
C. S. Noble was appointed in his
place and Mrs. Yale was made assist
ant It is alleged this was a plan to
gst around the provisions of the law.
Miss Ida Inkley, of Portland, was In
this city Monday and left by stags for
Molalla, wher she will visit friends.
THE STATE
AS OUTLINED BY REPRESENTA
TITE F. M. GILL
ARE INTERESTING ARGUMENTS
He Presents the Weak Points and
Points Out Remedies.
Estacada, Ore., 4-6-1913
Editor Courier:
A large number of people are ad
vocating the ab6lishment of the entire
legislature. This they have a right to
do if they desire. The Oregon consti
tution declares that it is trie inherent
right of the people to alter or abolish
the form of their government at their
pleasure. The people have that right
without its expression in the consti
tution, but it is well that it is recog
nized in that instrument, as it shows
that our forbears recognized this
principle even before the days of the
initiative, referendum and Statement
No. 1. But when you tear down or de
stroy you must have something bet
ter to put in its place if you are to
be justified in tearing down. None of
you have yet offered anything that
would be much better. If some of the
time is spent in storming against
the legislature were expended In try
ing to find a workable substitute for
it, more would be accomplished.
Some of our ablest and most earn
est and honest men who have had leg
islative experience are advocating the
abolition of the legislature. Hon. S. A
Bigelow of Portland, who served in
the 1911 session and whom I person
ally know to be able and absolutely
honest is advocating It He suggests
a commission of the governor and
two members from each congression
al district to take the place of the leg
islature. Senator Dan Kellaher , "Fighting
Dan," who always fights for the
plain people and who is a leading Bull
Mooser, a candidate for the nominat
ion for mayor of Portland, is openly
advocating the abolition.
The late Judge John B. Waldo, one
time member of Oregon's supreme
court, told me some years before his
death, that he expected the people of
Oregon to do away with the legislat
ive assembly and make all of their
own laws. In another conversation he
told me that there were many good
reasons for having but one house in
the legislative assembly and called
the attention that some of the most
celebrated members of the constitut
ional convention which framed the
constitution of the United States, had
argued against having any senate of
the United States.
We have a senate of , the United
States because England has a House
of Lords. The government of Oregon
has a senate because there is a sen
ate in the national government The
national House of Representatives is
will greatly reduce the expense of liv
ing. It would seem that.no other re
sult could come of it
a copy of the English House of Com
mons. Oregon's House of Represents,
tives is a copy of the national house.
We have been a nation of imitators,
lol these more than a hundred years.
The people of Oregon have tired of
imitating. We are setting copies of
government for for other states and
nations to imitate. We shall set still
more government copies.
There are a number of objections
to delegates or representative govern
ment In the 600 roll-calls in the last
House of Representatives probably
the members had been directed by
their constituents how they desired
the member to vote on about a dozen
bills. On the 488 other roll calls the
member voted as his conscience dic
tated, if he was honest and un
trammeled, or to the best of his ad
vantage if he was a log-roller or a
member of the steam roller.
We had no way of finding out how
our people felt about a great mass of
legislation. We no doubt voted many
times as our people would not have
voted if the matter had been left to
them. We were not at fault because
we were fallible human beings and did
not have the mind of a seer to read
the minds of the electorate. Here
there is a weakness and a serious one,
of delegated government
There are always men in every leg
islative assembly who are deliberately
misrepresentative. Sometimes they
are in the majority. Or they may im
agine their first duty is to the party
which elected them. This was the idea
that possessed the majority of the
members of the last legislative as
sembly and most of the sins of that
assembly were chargeable to this
false idea of the duties of a legislat
or. It made possible the steam roller
It caused the assembly at times to
look like an assemblage of 13 year
old school boys. Representatives for
got that they were making laws for
Republicans, Democrats, Progressiv
es, Socialists and Prohibitionists, and
that they were under just as much ob
ligation t o one party as to another,
for they were the representatives of
all the people.
Another fault of the delegated gov
ernment system of making laws is
that the member is so busy in the lim
ited time given that he must often
vote for or against bill that he has
not read, taking some other member's
word for what it is.
During on day of th last session
(Pag 8. Fourth Column.)
IT
OF OREGON