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FORTLAD. MONDAY, KT. . Ml.
VOTIVCBOOTII LEGISl-ATIO'.
The official title of a single pro
posed amendment to the constitution
of the State of Oregon, under the. ini
tiative. Is as follows:
For amendment to article IV Conetl
tutlon of Oregon, tncreaairg Initiative, ref
erendum and recall p.wera of tha people:
ratrtcur.g dm of emerncm-y eUuae in l veto
pstwar oa ataie and muni.-lyal lrrt:.tlon :
requiring proportional auction of memoara
f tha Lagialatlv Aaeemblr from tha atata
St large, annual eea:or.a ard Increasing mem
bars aalariaa and terms of ofltca: pr-rrlrtlng
for elections of Bpeaker ol'lluun and l'r
t'taat of Saoata outetde of members: re
stricting corporate franchise to 20 years;
providing 110 penally for nneseused at
aaacaa from any ro.l-call. and changing tua
form of oath of oitir to provide agiinst so
called Lagu-ellve lsg-roi:ing.
The Oregonian has several times
called attention to the varied, complex,
radical and comprehensive character
of thl remarkable amendment and
has sought to enlighten lis readers as
to Its provisions, so that the people of
Oregon might be fully enlightened
and govern themselves accordingly.
The Oregonlan's purpose In reprinting
the official title of this single Initiative
measure (one of the thirty-two) is
chiefly to reassure the New York
Times that there Is no error about it
and that a solemn duty of the Oregon
electorate next month will be to de
clare, by simply making a mark at a
designated place on the "wagon-bed
ballot X). that they want (or do not
want) more Initiative powers, more
referendum powers, more recall pow
ers, fewer emergency clauses and ve
toes, proportional representation In
the Legisiature. annual legislative ses
sions, more pay for legislators, briefer
terms for corporation franchises and
other things too numerous to mention.
The Times had commented on previous
remarks by The Oregonian on this
ubject and had said that It "was
enough to make the ordinary man"s
head sw1m. The Chicago Public, a
Teform" publication, thereupon took
occasion to declare that The Orego
nlan'a statements -were "misleading"
and it sought tq comfort the Time by
the statement that ft was "not true"
that the Oregon plan worked out "in
this absurd fashion." as the Times bad
suggested.
The Public displays all the ignor
ance about the "Oregon plan" that
can be Imparted by a reading of the
lioume pamphlet, which It seems has
made Its wordy way into the Public
office. That paper also quotes np
provingly a letter by Supreme Court
Justice W. R. King, who said among
other things the following:
Wa daam tha Initiative and referendum
amaadmaat to tha cna;llution of Ihla elate
a auccaaa. Some ciittclam artere. bearing- on
tha fact that tha people are compelled to
Tola upon a larve number of mens a res. Ft
xamp.e. at the next electioa tha number
ta aomethlng like V Put this criticism le
not merltorloaa. pejora election a pamphlet
la sent out by and at tha expenae of the
state to erery voter, which containe a copy
of all the propoeed mcaeuree. Tha voters
ae a rule look It orer and are tereby pre
rerad to vote Intalllitently on election day.
The laws paaaed thua fr will compare favor
ably. If not more than favorably, with les
latatlva cnactmenta
If the only available Information
bout the various initiative and refer
endum measures before the people
were the pamphlet distributed at state
expense, not much would or could be
known. The pamphlet contains the
text of the proposed acts, and a sin
git argument pro and con on each
bill. Supposedly this valuable docu
ment Is eagerly sought and attentively
conned by every one of the 150.000
lawmakers of Oregon, but as a matter
cf fact. It receives Just about the same
consideration as all other matter ad
vertising quack nostrums, legislative
or physical, that goes through the
malls. The waste bosket and the ash
heap are too often the receptacles
for this precious compendium of the
peop!e"s laws. It should not be so,
and it Is deplorable that It Is so.
It Is no Impeachment of the public
Intelligence to say that they cannot
properly or considerately pass on mis
cellaneous legislation. We do not
rnean simple proposals or amend
ments that may be fitly and fully dis
posed of by a mere "yes" or "no."
The average voter Is doubtless as
capable and as well Informed as the
average legislator, but the voting
booth Is not the place to consider, dis
cuss, amend, revise and enact laws.
It Is not a safe or wise method: It Is
snapshot business that In the end will
result disastrously If there shall not
be restriction and regulation of the
entire scheme.
The Oregonian wi'.l freely confess
that It Is gravely concerned about this
problem, but It Is not more concerned
than every citizen of Oregon ought to
be. All other questions, or reforms,
or Innovations, such as we have been
discussing and quarreling over for
years, are of trifling moment In com
parison. Where it iwiil lead none can
say. but that it Is taking us In tew
and strange directions none will deny.
MTXTXO ajrlAKKS ANT SHlVrSG MARKS
From figures and estimates sup
plied by Postofflce Inspector Dickin
son, of Xew York, it is reported that
$200,000 per day is pouring Into the
coffers of fraudulent mining brokers
In New York City alone. In the three
years following the panic of 1907. It
is estimated that these harpies se
cured 1100.000.000. Practically all of
this vast sum came from the pockets
of small-salaried people, who were
seeking to Increase the very meager
Incomes which their labor produced.
It Is perhaps a very uncomplimentary
reflection on the intelligence of our
small Investors that the bunco men
who deal In fake mining properties
should find them such easy victims.
Naturally these modern pirates can
secure no victims among men who are
at all familiar with Investments and
their earning powers, and their field
Is accordingly limited to those whose
environment precludes a thorough
understanding of the game that has
been worked for generations.
The evil of these crimes and they
may properly be termed crimes, for
they leave In their wake nothing but
ml.aev an mffartnr and destrOV all
faith and confidence which mankind
should have in human nature does
not end with the ruin wrought on the
mall investors. It has a blighting
.fft xn nil hnnrhfj of legitimate
mining, and retards the growth of
good mining districts and prevents
development of mines which would In
the aggregate yield up vast treasure.
Throughout Oregon and other North
Pacific States, and thence north
through British Columbia and into
Alaska, are large numbers of excel
lent mining prospects. Scores, per
haps hundreds, of these mines have
been developed to a point where the
Investment of capital "would soon
place them In the list of producers.
But the market for mining stocks
has for years been flooded with so
much 'absolutely worthless stock that
It Is almost Impossible to interest
capital In a good, legitimate proposi
tion. The fake mines can offer the
fake promoters so much greater ln
Inflated stock
than can be offered by those who have
strictly legitimate propositions that the
latter must see tholr own prospects,
which possess actual merit, lie unde
veloped for lack of capital, wruie tne
fnica stock finds a ready market. As
a means 'for extracting money from
poor people who are lea to Deneve
they will receive enormous returns on
their Investments, the New York min
ing stock swindle Is worse than the
now extinct Louisiana lottery.
PRO WISE A.VD Pr.RTOR-M.UfCE.
There is nothing ambiguous or
doubtful about the letter of Acting
Governor Bowerman printed today.
Ha will let the primary law. Including
Statement One. alone as Governor, as
he has not in any way attempted as
legislator to Interfere with or Impede
It eom-nlete and successful 'opera
tion. Moreover, he calls on all legis
lative candidates to suDscriDe to a
pledge which he himself makes that
as legislators they will not disturb any
enactment of the people.
We suppose all this Is called out by
t n A erroun dless outcry from his politi
cal enemies that Mr. Bowerman, .as
Governor, would attempt to destroy
the primary law and all Its works. It
really would seem that Bowerman's
legislative record ought to have been
a sufficient answer to these calumnies.
As Senator and as President of the
SonntA ha has consistently supported
the primary law and all the people's
laws. He even votea ior oenaior
Bourne in 1907 because that was hjs
internretation of the desires of his
constituents. Could there have been
a more absolute test of his good laltn
and correct and honorable purposes?
BrSESESS GAINS.
If the financial lull reflected by
commercial statistics In other cities
has any intention of getting In .its
work on Portland, this year, it will be
obliged to hurry. Nine months of the
year have already passed into history
and every month was a record break
er. As a reflection of financial condi
tions In the Northwest, bank clearings
for the week ending Saturday are In
teresting. Portland, with total clear
ings of $11,278,184, showed a gain of
$4.S8:.:0S. Seattle with clearings of
$11. $54,137 showed a decrease of $S1.
623. Tacoma. with clearings of
$6,261. 690 was $460,243 under the
figures for the same week last year.
This showing was made by Portland
with a much lighter grain movement
than that of a year ago, and the heavy
shipments of grain, fruit, hops, etc,
still to come forward, assure a con
tinuation of the present ratio of gain
for the remainder of the year.
SPIRIT OF .THE OLD WEST.
That the new West still has a deep
and growing Interest In the spirit of
the old West Is shown In the remark
able success of the Wild West show
which closed a three days' exhibition
at Pendleton Saturday. This "round
up" was a reproduction on a some
what smaller scale of an annual event
which for the past few years has
drawn crowds of excitement-loving
sightseers from the Atlantic and the
Pacific and intervening territory to
the little frontier city of Cheyenne.
Wyoming. The cowboy and the Indian
with their ponies have loomed large
In the history of the West, and as the
Centaur-like combination Is moving
rapidly toward the purpling shades of
the past, there Is an increasing inter
est in them and their performances.
Buffalo Bill, with his Indians and
his cowboys, has entertained millions
of people on tooth continents, and has
In a degree given a very faithful por
trayal of frontier life. But riding
around the country in Pullman cars,
crossing the ocean In palace-like
steamers, and doing their stunts in
the crowded cities of the East and of
Europe, has knocked most of the
rough but distinctive "bark" off the
"play actors" who perform in' the
traveling shows. The participants in
the Cheyenne and Pendleton shows
are the real thing. They have Just
ridden in from the reservation or the
range to indulge in the exhilarating
pastimes which amused them before
there was any audience of conse
quence to applaud. The march of
civilization has enabled their city
neighbors to ride out to these exhibi
tions In palace cars and enjoy the
comforts of modern life while they are
entertained by stirring scenes of the
old life on the frontier.
The success of these shows at Chey
enne and Pendleton suggests that
some of the minor attractions that In
the past have drawn people to Port
land's Rose Carnival or livestock
show might be replaced by a few
features such as prove drawing cards
at the Interior cities mentioned. The
Rose Carnival comes at a bad time
of year to take cowboys off the range,
but a Wild West exhibition, in con
nection with the livestock show and
Fall racing meet, would prove a heavy
drawing card. It would show la the
most striking manner the Immensity
of the state and its resources and the
great possibilities of the future. It
would show that, within a few hours'
ride of Portland, a strictly modern
city of more than 200.000 people,
there still remains much of the old
West with all of Its opportunities, and
the picturesque characters that have
made it famous In sonar-and story.
More than 60.000 people visited
Buffalo Bill's Wild West show during
its two days' stay In Portland. With
in the confines of the state is an abun
dance of cowboy and Indian talent
to put up as good a show with real
characters just off the range and
reservation. The time Is approaching
when these characters will no longer
be available. It Is for that reason
that Cheyenne is annually invaded by
thousands of Eastern people who
wish to see and feel the spirit of the
old West before it vanishes forever.
PRESIDENT TAFT, PROGRESSIVE.
A concise and well-worded sum
mary of political problems was that
contained In the Saturday speech of
President Taft In New York City, be
fore the National Republican League.
It was not plumed with platitudes nor
fired with catch words of roaring radi
calism. . The President at Intervals
makes speeches .which show him a
man of clearest thinking and aptest
expression, as that last Saturday; or
the one at the St. Paul 'Sonservation
congress a month ago, or as that at
Rochester. N. Y., last March.
No public man states pqlltlcal ques
tions more clearly from time to time
than has President Taft. Not all citi
zens agree with all his opinions. Yet
as a straightforward, simple-speaking
man he belongs to the first rank of
our statesmen.
It Is worthy achievement, now-a-days,
to hold popular attention with a
political address that does not Incite
unreasoning retaliation upon political
abuses. "Progressive" statesmen too
often lack specific, concrete expression.
"A party of true progress is not a
party of radicalism." the President
said Saturday which is true and
sound. "Yet." he continued, "It Is not
a party of ultra conservatism. A pro
gressive Republican is one who recog
nizes existing and concrete evils and
who is in favor of practical and defi
nite steps to eradicate them." Yet
few so-called progressives know the
practical and definite steps. They
are more familiar with a lot of gen
eralizing rhetoric. That Is the big
fault of Pinchot and his fellow con
servationists. The President scored
them roundly for it in his conservation
address at St. Paul.
The New York speech shows plainly
that wage-earners have more to lose
than wealthy citizens from extreme
corrective measures. "Hence it is the
legitimate ofHce of those charged with
governmental responsibility to do iwhat
they can to prevent the spreading of
fears which will drive capital to Its
hoarding place and prevent the In
vestments necessary to carry on the
widely expanded business of the coun
try from which our people derive their
llve'ihood." These are sober words,
uttered in a tru'iy progressive spirit.
Corrupt control of governmental
agencies and greedy combinations of
capital present evils of glaring kind.
They must be abated through enforce
ment of restrictive and corrective
laws. But the laws need to be of
practical and definite sort. Radical
Ism is not progress! veness. For ex
ample, it is absurd to harangue the
people that "interests" must be turned
out of politics. For, obviously, the
so-called interests have good and bad
purposes in politics. It is wholly
proper and also necessary that Inter
ests should use their influence In poli
tics . In open and honest manner to
protect property and capital.
President Taft's speech has refresh
ing sound, amid the boisterous oratory
of people-flattering politicians. His
Atnii rf mojuvures enacted by Con
gress and of further issues to be
worked out has the merit ot unusual
directness and clearness. His renewed
praise of the Payne tariff touches the
loudest note of discord. Yet that is a
subject on which the country never
will agree and never has. Even Col
onel Roosevelt is unable to cope with
the difficulty.
THE RECORD.
The purpose of the New York ad
dress of President Taft was clearly to
summarize completely for the current
campaign the achievements of the
National Republican Administration
during the eighteen months of its
troubled existence. They are In many
respects noteworthy and valuable, and
there is little disposition anywhere to
deny to the President credit for what
he has really done. Yet the public
Is apathetic in Its commendation of
the President and for the most part
becomes enthusiastic only when the
name of his predecessor and the ac
complishments he would possibly
record If he were President are men
tioned. The schedule of things done
never appeals to the popular mind
with the same force as the things
promised.
The cardinal mistake by President
Taft was in his emphatic Indorsement
of the Payne-Aldrlch tariff. The
Amerioan people will not forgive him
that blunder, though they readily con
doned many faults in the Roosevelt
Administration. Nor will- they excuse
Balllnger poor Balllnger! though
they never thought the worse of
Roosevelt for boldly carrying the load
of Paul Morton. Many other grievous
errors were freely overlooked in
Roosevelt, while every fault, real or
supposed, with Taft Is harshly
Judged.
Why is it? The only explanation
appears to be that the one is Roose
velt and the other Taft.
BIKDMEX OF THE FCTOtK.
The mission of the aeroplane Is not
one of war, according to a suggestion
by Leslie's Weekly, but of peace; not
far the annihilation of armies, but
for the upbuilding of mountain
homes: not for the encouragement of
road building, but for superiority over
all roads. It Is cited that the trolley
car has made suburban life popular
with the masses and opened cheap
homes for wage-earners, while the au
tomobile has Tirade the luxurious
country place popular for the wealthy
city dweller. But the trolley and the
automobile flourish best where no
heavy grades are to be overcome. The
delights of the hillsides and mountain
slopes have been practically Inacces
sible because of the toll that is re
quired to reach them.
The aeroplane, to which grades are
no obstacle. Is hailed by this optimist
as the agency that will cause these
high places of earth to be dotted with
homes. It makes Us own pathway
through the air regardless of grades
and ail mundane obstacles. Continu
ing, the Journal quoted says: "When
It has become as it undoubtedly will
a safe and convenient vehicle of
transportation, city dwellers can fly
off to the hills and enjoy the cool and
healthful atmosphere, the wide sweep
of vision and all the picturesque
charms of the mountain top."-
Thls is Indeed a breezy prophecy,
but who shall say that In the swift
coming years it will not be fulfilled?
Few of us can hark back to the days
wherein the Idea that a Ipcomotlve
would ever be able to move a railroad
train was scouted, but the records
show that this theory was looked upon
as chimerical, and the attempt to re
duce It to practice as foolhardy in the
extreme, dangerous to human life and
distinctly detrimental to the farmers'
Interests. All this is so distinctly of
the past that reference to it excites
amazement. Conditions that confront
the development of the aeroplane are
different yet similar, In view of the
fact that development along this line
as upon that depends upon the inven
tive genius and mechanical skill of
man. It is asserted, and has practi
cally been proven, that the key to the
mystery of sustained aerial navigation
has been discovered. It only remains
to perfect, by experiment, the meth
ods whereby it can be used to the
fullest advantage.
While there Is no reason to discredit
the statement that a Dayton, Wash.,
orchardlst harvested $62 worth of ap
ples from one tree, there Is every rea
son not to use these figures for ex
ploitation purposes. An apple crop of
nearly $4000 an acre is nqt believed.
The hard-headed Easterner sets t
down as fiction; he doesn't wish to
believe it. It Is hard enough strain
on his reason, to say nothing of his
Imagination, to accept authentic rec
ords of $300 an acre for the best apples
when prices are high. In more than
one favored district of Oregon and
Washington the average yield of good
orchards, ten years old or older, has
been greater than $300 an acre. Any
number of apple orchards will do bet
ter than $500 an acre this year. Isn't
that figure high enough for publicity
use? It never pays to talk too big.
even when you keep within the truth.
Besides that has never been .Oregon's
way of doing things. Let's tell in
quirers and homeeeekers of fair aver
age crops. Don't stagger them with
stories of occasional extraordinary
productivity
Frequent collisions at sea demon
strate that the ocean la not roomy
enough for some of the men who nav
igate thereon. On land we are con
tinually reminded by railway accidents
that two trains cannot pass each other
en th mm track without disaster.
With both land and water displaying
limitations in this respect, it was, ot
course, reasonable to expect some
thing of the kind In the air, and It is
not surprising to read in yesterday's
news items that at Milan "the avia
tors Dickson and Thomas collided
while circling the aerodrome here at a
rapid pace today. Dickson was prob
ably fatally hurt internally. Thomas
inlured about the legs and head."
There Is more air than there is land
and water, and at first glance these
aviators might seem to be censurable
for this initial aerial collision. In ex
cuse, however, It might be stated that
railroad trains and steamships are sup
posed to be operated under rules re
garding right of way, and as yet the
airship men have no established code.
With a desire to beat 'the Seattle
Times in the circulation of the news,
we are pained to state that the dimi
nutive lighthouse tender Heather is
aground In the Columbia River about
half a mile out of the channel near
Warrior Rock. The accident happened
Saturday, the same day that the new
steel steamship Kulshan ran aground
on Strawberry Island, near Deception
Pass, while en route from Seattle to
Belllngham. It was also on Saturday
that' the Canadian Pacific steamer
Princess Beatrice ran aground in Van
couver Narrows, and the tug Albion
went ashore at Black Point, near
Scow Bay. These accidents are mod
ern demonstrations of an experiment
that Noah conducted some years ago,
when the staunch, well-found Ark
grounded at Ararat for no other reason
than that there was Insufficient water
to float her further. There Is no great
difference in the specific gravity of
water on Puget Sound and that of the
Columbia River. In neither port will
ships float If they get too far out of
the channel.
The football season opens a month
later than the deer hunting season, but
each manages to score on the opening
day with at least one -death and a
number injured. The football death
roll for the 1910-11 season is headed
this year by Melville Waters, a 17-year-old
boy In the Carlisle, Kansas,
high school, who was kicked in the
head in a game Saturday, and died an
hour later. At Middleton, Conn., an
other Btudeht Is in a serious condition
as a result of injuries received during
a game between college elevens. Mod
ern education carries the youth of the
present day along at a pretty rapid
gait, but does not seem to be able to
reduce the fatalities of football. A
college course that would Insure the
parent against death of their offspring
on the football field ought to be very
attractive. The ninety students taking the
"long-felt want" course in the Uni
versity of Washington will graduate
with knowledge to steer clear of
Journalism
-What" a libel on the Kansas farmer
to say the luxury of Joyriding Is a
cause of race suicide! Is it for this the
land of the Kaw and soft corn?
Lotteries being barred, the fake
mine Is the natural pure food for the
"sucker." By the way, that title to a
libel on a good fish
Idaho Jurists will have a nice point
of law to determine in finding guilty
of manslaughter the man who scared
a woman to death.
Evidently more Insurgency is In de
mand; else why would son-in-law be
defending the Payne-Aldrlch tariff?
The proposed location of the Post
office will add a burden to flirtation
patrons of the general delivery.
Nobody is going to find fault with
plain Bill Harney's platform of more
railroads for Eastern Oregon.
After a score of years people again
"Keep their eye on Pasco." The pion
eer slogan is long-lived.
The Santiam triplets, transplanted
to Washington, swept the stakes at
the Vancouver fair.
If there be a milk trust in Portland
It has not yet dared water its stock.
Poor old St. Joe has lost a quarter
of Its padding of ten years ago.
Before there are any more fatalities,
let the new football rules be amended.
The Beavers might have lost yester
day If It had, not rained. t
WHAT MR BOWERMAJ WILL DO.
Supports the People's Laws, Including;
Primary I.vr.
PORTLAND, Dr.. Oct. 2. (To the
Editor.) In the Portland evening pa
pers of September 30 there appeared an
interview credited to Senator Bourne,
In which he endeavors, to deceive the
people Into the belief that I am a reac
tionary and am not In favor of progres
sive legislation and favor returning to
the old system of electing United States
Senators.
In answer fo this communication and
other false and misleading articles re
cently published, I wish to say: State
ment No. 1 Is a part of the direct pri
mary law and I have heretofore pub
licly stated, and now state again, that
I will oppose by every means within
my power any effort to amend, modify
or repeal, or in any other manner ren
der less useful or less satisfactory, any
part of the direct primary law. includ
ing Statement No. l, or any other law
written on the statute books by the
people of this state under the initia
tive and referendum.
If I am elected Governor I will veto
any and every measure which attempts
or undertakes to amend, change or
repeal the direct primary law. State
ment No. 1, or any other law adopted by
the people, or any part of any of them.
As a member of the Senate and Presi
dent of that body. I have never endeav
ored In any way, manner or form to
Induce any other member to violate his
obligation or pledge under Statement
No. 1. and if I am elected Governor I
shall pursue the same course and shall
not in any manner or by any means
Interfere or attempt to interfere with
the conduct of any member in this par
ticular or Induce him to violate his
pledge, a
It is Impossible for the Governor
alone to prevent the passage of any law,
for the Legislature has it within Its
power to pass a bill over the veto of
the Governor. In order to prevent the
possibility of any attempt being made
to amend, modify or repeal any of these
statutes I would suggest that the can
didates for the Legislature be Invited
to subscribe to the same obligation I
have heretofore taken and now take,
namely, that they will oppose in every
way any attempt to amend, modify or
repeal any law made by the people.
This will be an effectual guaranty to
the people that these men, when elected,
will not undertake to tamper with these
laws, and I respectfully call upon the
nominees to define :heir position upon
this question.
I do not anticipate that Senator
Bourne has any fear whatever that
Statement No. 1 will be repealed or
changed, or that I will violate any of
the moral or legal obligations I would
owe to the people as Governor of this
state, but I do believe he is simply In
dulging In a few cheap heroics for the
two-fold purpose: first, of endeavoring
to lnduec the people to forget Jiis own
shortcomings in the recent past as a
Benator, and second, in the further
hope that he may create a false issue
under which he might be returned to
this high office. He evidently feels
that he will need the office of Gover
nor to assist him in his primary cam
paign two years hence, and perhaps has
many doubts as to his ability to coerce,
or otherwise Induce me to favor him
over other candidates in that primary
nomination. JAY BOWERMAN.
Kew Railroad Regrolation.
' New York Times.
Heretofore it has been thought that
the function of government was mere
ly to assure that rates were reason
able and Just, that is, neither extortion
ate nor discriminatory, toward either
persons or places. If the position as
sumed on behalf of the shippers is
sustained there is no detail of the man
agement of the railways too trivial for
examination and control. It is not
enough for the railways to sustain
their claim that they need more money.
They cannot Justify on totals, but must
prove in detail Just how much they
want for terminals. Just how much they
want for wages, how much for Inter
est, and so on indefinitely.
The railways pleaded that they can
not do it, and that nobody could. How
ever, that may be. It is evident that the
success of the contention would estab
lish a new definition of railway regu
lation, and one not in accord with the
present law.
New York's "Ing-roavina;" Flats.
Morning Telegraph.
Smaller and smaller grow the flats
ofi New York. Now you can get an
apartment consisting of one room, a
kitchenette,, a bathroom, and a closet,
big enough for two persons to live in
if they don't mind being crowded,
enough, but strangely enough many of
them cost as much as a six-room flat,
sometimes more. In Eighty-sixth street,
near Broadway, stands a fourteen-story
apartment-house which makes a spe
cialty of two-room and kitchenette
apartments. They rent for $1000 a year,
and on the next street one' can rent a
six-room apartment for $900. Rents
have gone up all over the city, and it's
a wonder to me where so many hun
dred thousands of persons get the
money.
Qualifications for Voters.
PORTLAND, Sept 30. (To the Edi
tor.) Will The Oregonian kindly in
form the voting public as to the quali
fications required of a legal voter in
Oregon? A. M. H.
He must be a citizen of the United
States, native born or naturalized, and
a resident of Oregon for six months.
Aliens, also, who declared their Inten
tions (took out their first papers) one
year prior to the election, may vote.
Change of -Proaratnane.
Washington Star.
Soon, as tha mild, warm days depart
To other tasks we'll turn us.
We'll pass the ice box by- and start
On filling up tha furnace.
CURRENT NEWSPAPER JESTS.
Tha Caller Time pasaes quickly in com
pany, doesn't it? Tha Victim Does it?
Tuck.
"All tha world loves a lover." "So Iva
heard." "But why?" "Because everybody
enjoys a joke." Cleveland Leader.
"Wa are maklnr great strides." says an
English suffragette. It la evident that they
don't wear the hobble skirt over there.
Buffalo Express.
"What has become of our poets?" asked
the literary editor, sadly. "Those that
haven't starved to death are working for
the advertising agencies," remarked the
sporting editor. Philadelphia Record.
Little Willie Say, pa, what Is a book
worm? Pa A bookworm, my son, is either
a peraon who would rather read a book than
eat. or a worm that would rather eat a
book than read Chicago Ual.'y Neat
What was the trouble between Swinton
and his wife? Was it his fault or hers that
they were unable to get along together?"
"It's rather hard to decide. It appears
that whenever one of them had an Irresisti
ble impulse the other had an unalterable
objection." Chicago Record-Herald.
"What did your husband think of your
crullers?" asked the cooking-school teacher.
"He was very much interested' replied
young Mrs. Torkins. "He says that If I
can only make them large enough they rr.ay
do a lot toward cutting down his automobile
tire bills. ' Washington star.
Initiative and Referendum Measures
Three ConfHc-ttns- Amendments to the Orearom Constitution Relating to Tax
ation A Jumble of Proposed Laws Would Follow Their Adoption It la
Sale to Vote Sa"
Article 'o. 1.
Two organizations working with dif
ferent purposes In view have succeeded
in securing presentation to the voters in
the November election of three amend
ments to the state constitution relating
to taxation.
One organisation, the State Grange, I
induced the Legislature to propose two
of them, and the State Federation of
Labor proposes the third by initiative
petition.
And now. although the last-mentioned
amendment conflicts vitally with one
of the other two, from two distinct
sources have come appeals for the ap
proval by the people of all three. One
of these appeals is found in the state
pamphlet giving the text of measures
submitted to the people and arguments
thereon, and was prepared by officers
of labor organizations. The other ap
peal appears In a recently published
pamphlet sent generally to voters
throughout the state and prepared un
der the alleged auspices of the Fels
Commission Fund, but which is more
familiarly known as the Bourne pam
phlet. The most important of,the three pro
posed amendments is the one proposed
by Initiative petition and numbered "Yes
$26" and "No 327," and is most impor
tant because of the far-reaching, and by
some asserted to be, dangerous conse
quences that would follow Its adoption.
Not only this, but in one of' its pro
visions, it is unhesitatingly pronounced
by a competent lawyer to whom It has
been referred by The Oregonian, to be
repugnant to the Constitution of the
United Sin tea.
In brief, the amendment submitted
seeks to withdraw from the Legislative
Assembly Its power and authority to
regulate taxation and vest that power
wholly in the people at large, by whom
It may be exercised by means of the in
itiative. In addition it seeks to remove
all restrictions of the constitution on
measures approved by the people, de
claring what property shall be taxed
or exempted and how it shall be taxed
and exempted; proposes to authorize
counties to regulate taxation and ex
emptions within their own borders and
prohibits the levying of poll tax.
a a a
It is in the attempted restriction of
the powers of the Legislature that the
Federal Constitution becomes involved.
Section 4, article 4 of the United States
Constitution guarantees to every state
in the Union a Republican form of gov
ernment. Eminent authorities have fre
quently discussed this section of the
Constitution and almost without excep
tion declare that a Republican form ot
government 1 one governed by a rep
resentative Legislature chosen by the
people and leaving an elective non-hereditary
executive. A distinction is
drawn between a Republican and a
Democratic form of government. A pure
democracy is held to be a common
wealth in which all the people make
the laws and elect the officers directly.
This is the question raised by the in
itiative tax amendment: "Would not the
withdrawal from the legislative as
sembly of so Important a function as
the regulation of taxation be a depar
ture from a Republican form of govers
mentT Prominent members of the Ore
gon bar, who approve of the initiative
as a principle of government, express
the view that Oregon has skated to the
edge of thin Ice In enacting the present
initiative and referendum law, and is
probably still safe, but that to go so
far as is proposed by the initiative tax
amendment would take It over the
brink.
Eliminating the element of conform
ity with the United States Constitu
tion, which in the absence of a court
decision must remain a doubtful fea
ture, the dangers in th proposed
amendment are enhanced.
As heretofore pointed out, under the
workings of such an amendment, all
changes or reforms In the exemptions
from and regulation of taxation would
have to be accomplished through the
initiative, either by petition or through
proposal by the legislative assembly.
Through the revoking of an Important
power now held by the legislative as
sembly, all means of adopting emerg
ency legislation In the event of fatal
error in the laws adopted are obliter
ated. The Legislature may be sum
moned In special session, but the In
itiative may be exercised only at gen
eral elections, which occur every two
years.
Again, no perfect method of taxation
has ever been put Into operation and
as a consequence dissatisfaction by a
considerable portion of the taxpaying
community is found with every method
now in practice.
a a a
Some 25 years ago the State of New
Jersey created a central body empow
ered to assess all railroad property.
Two years ago- Oregon centralized the
railroad assessing power in the State
Tax Commission. In the last five
years the general effort in the State
of New Jersey has been to dispose of
the centralization of railroad assess
ment, which it was so desirous of creat
ing 25 years ago. It is said to be a
general rule that those states which
have had the centralization method in
use for a number of years are endeavor
ing to return to the old distributive or
local assessment method, while those
states which have the local assessment
method are clamoring for centraliza
tion. The point in this is that there are
all manner of taxation theories that
certain individuals are anxious to see
put Into practice, and without doubt
they would take form under the oper
ation of the proposed amendment in
the presentation of numerous conflict
ing; tax bills at every general election,
a a a
There Is the land tax method pro
posed In the Bourne or Fels pamphlet,
which has been in operation in Aus
tralian and New Zealand towns. Tax
ation students are familiar with the
discussion of this question in Great
Britain and the attempt made to work
out the results In the exemption of
improvements on real estate In Austra
lian and New Zealand cities, and with
the way this discussion brought out a
great diversity of opinion from both
provinces as to whether it was a good
or bad thing.
There is the business tax method as
a substitute for the personal property
tax In use In some parts of Canada
There is the land tax with an im
provement tax. added on. a basis of -floor.
space measurement tried in Wlnnepeg.
There Is the method of applying a
very low rate on Intangible property
In order to bring It from hiding, and
which is In operation in several East
ern states.
There is the general plan of divorc
ing state and local taxation generally .
worked out by taxing public corpora
tion property exclusively for state .
revenue.
There is the platv proposed by the
Oregon State Federation of Labor, per
mitting counties to regulate taxation
within their borders and which could -not
be put into practice without the
passage of a general statute.
There is the so-called Purdy system
of taxing public service corporations,
which provides for the levying of a
rate upon the profit declarations of the
company, both stocks and bonds,
whether they be in the form of divi
dends or Interest. And so on ad in
finitum. a a e
This proposed constitutional amend
ment. In conjunction with the free dis
cussion pamphlet proposed in the Ore
gon Gazette bill, also to be voted on
this year, would almost without ques
tion promote the submission of several
of the foregoing theories and probably
others In the form of numerous con
flicting bills. If Oregon wants tax
reformation it would have to adopt
some of the bills presented through the
initiative or do without. It is not only
possible, but probable that two more
conflicting bills would carry. The one
that received the greatest number of
affirmative votes would become oper
ative and such portions of the other
bills approved that were not in conflict
with the first bill or with each other,
would also become operative. That a
Jumble of taxation laws would be
placed on the statute books la not a
groundless fear, but almost in Inevi
table result of the adoption of the .
amendment.
a a
Added to this Jumble of general stat
utes Is the further conglomeration of
tax laws that would be permitted In
each county. In the absence of a gen
eral statute exempting livestock one
county might exempt livestock and all
other counties refuse zo do so. Dis
tributive or local assessment of sheep
Is now one of the serious problems con
fronting the counties of Eastern Oregon.
In some counties a sheep Is assessed at
double what it is in others and the great
roving bands of sheep are taxed in the
counties where they happen to be on
March 1. With one county exempting
livestock and others not doing so, the
great trek of sheep to the one county
would begin early in the year and over
run it by March L This is only one of
the numerous consequences that may
readily be foretold and many others may
be Imagined when the many classes
of movable property are taken into,
consideration. Neither would the dream
of experimenting In small ways in
each county with taxation theories
likely he realized, for the counties must
necessarily be subservient to the state
law and with constitutional restrictions
removed, state-wide exemptions and
new methods ,of taxation would un
doubtedly curb the counties in their
efforts to experiment.
see
"Why any men or set of men should .
favor all three of the proposed taxation
amendments Is difficult to conceive.
The labor amendment. If adopted by
the greatest number of affirmative
votes, would nullify in part and make
wholly useless In all other features the
two remaining amendments even if
they, also carried, for it specif ically.
provides that "none of the restrictions
of the Constitution shall apply to meas
ures approved by the people declaring
what shall be subject to taxation or ex
empted." This provision would ' stand
even though that portion depriving the
legislative assembly of the power to
regulate taxation were declared re
pugnant tb the Federal Constitution,
see
The Grange amendment submitted
under House Joint resolution No. 17
Is apparently designed principally to
permit the divorcing of state and local
taxation. This amendment empowers
the Legislature to provide for the levy
and collection of taxes for state pur
poses and for county and for other
municipal purposes upon different
classes of property and to provide for
the ascertainment, determination and
application of an average rate of levy
and taxation upon property for state
purposes. But the labor amendment
declares that the Legislature may not
have any part in the regulation of tax
ation other than to propose laws for
submission to the people.
In this conflict the one of the two
amendments that received the greater
number of affirmative votes would pre
vail if both carried. The Grange
amendment would also permit the levy
ing of a very light tax on intangible
property. A similar amendment was
overwhelmingly defeated two years ago
In the State of Waihington, and one
like it was defeated by the people three
times In the State of Ohio. The princl- '
pal objection to the removal of the
constitutional provision that taxes shall
be 'equal and uniform lies in the fact
that it permits the levjing of a small
tax on property most able to pay. Op
ponents of the plan prefer the adoption
of methods that will force Intangible
property from its hiding places and
with this end in view Oregon two
years ago gave broad authority and
power to the State Tax Commission,
which has not yet had a full oppor
tunity to work out a feasible plan for
relieving the burdens of taxation from
those who now pay more than their
share of state and municipal revenues,
a a a
Of the tax amendments proposed the
two offered by the Grange are the less
objectionable of the three, and the
chief danger has been accomplished by
throwing into the pot the amendment
presented by initiative petition. Taxa
tion Is an abstruse subject. It is safe
to say that not one In ten voters in
Oregon has made a study of the ques
tion or has more than a cursory knowl
edge of the taxation methods now in
operation in this state. Not one In ten
has time to give the three amendments
the consideration and study necessary .
for him to vote intelligently thereon,
and with three proposed, two conflict
ing, and arguments presented favoring
the approval of all three, confusion at
the polls as to the separate character
of each is certain. The Oregonian has
advised those who do not understand
the purport of an Initiative measure to
vote "no" thereon.
A
A