Page 2
Portland
Thursday, October 21at. 1976
No - M easure #11
Expand coliseum
M easure No. 53 authorizes e xpansio n o f the
M e m o ria l C oliseum . The tw o-story a d d itio n w o u ld be
b u ilt on the side fa cin g B roadw ay, a nd w o u ld p ro
vide e x h ib it space, m e e tin g room s, office s and a
p u blic lobby. The added space w o u ld p e rm it larger
conventions, 45 o f w h ich have re je cte d Portland in
the last tw o years because o f in a d e q u a te space. Last
year conventio ns bro u g h t $26.5 m illio n in to the city.
V ote Yes, M easure No. 53.
We see the world
through Black eyes
Press has responsibility
This year m ore than ever before w e have seen the
candidates created by the press In the past it has
been the advertising m en w h o m ode the candidates
- but this year it is the d a ily new spaper.
W e read every day in nearly every page o f our
d a ily new spaper that Jim m y C arter is fuzzy, that he
w a ffle s , that his fo llo w e rs are not enthused, that his
support is soft. No m atter how specific and d e ta ile d
his position papers are, w e read every day th a t the
people d o n 't know h im . W e have seen no e ffo rt to
report on his positions or to in te rp re t them to the
voters
We ha «>«■ w o n d e r if this isn't a new e ffo rt to gain
a Ford victory. The fe w e r p e o p le vote, the better the
chance fo r Ford. Tell the p e o p le o fte n enough that
they ore apathe tic an d they w ill be. Tell thgm
everyday that the voters are not enthused, and
m aybe th e y 'll lose th e ir enthusiasm . Tell them Carter
is slip p in g and m aybe th e y 'll sw itch th e ” vote.
Ignore the issues a nd b lo w the in s ig n ifica n t d e tails
a ll out o f p ro p o rtio n , then say th e candidates a re n 't
discussing the issues.
The press has a g re a t re sp o n sib ility — a responsi
b ility to be fa ir and tru th fu l, to pro m o te the d e m o
cratic e le ctio n process, to encourag e p a rtic ip a tio n in
governm ent. W e have seen little o f this in recent
weeks.
Priestley - District #16
W ally Priestley is ru n n in g fo r re -e le c tio n to his seat
the Legislature fro m District 16. His votes have
proved him to be concerned a b o u t th e poor a nd the
oppressed. He has consistently voted against
the interests o f b ig business a nd fo r the interests o f
the w o rk in g class.
Priestley has had his share o f rid ic u le fro m the
w h ite press -- but this typ e o f rid ic u le o fte n fo llo w s
♦t»e person w h o attem pts to represent the com m on
people . Those w h o h ave w atched Priestley closely
fin d him not o n ly to be un u su a lly in te llig e n t, but w e ll
prepared and not a fra id to ask p e n e tra tin g and
em barrassing questions.
This is w h y b ig business interests brought in Bill
W yatt to attem pt to d e fe a t h im fn the p rim ary.
Priestley has served his district. It was he w ho
introduced b ills to honor M a rtin Luther King's b irth
day, to a ttem pt to stop the g e rry m a n d e rin g o f the
A lb in a district. He w as a m o n g the first to support the
U nited Farm W orkers a n d to oppose the V ietnam
War.
The Observer endorses Priestley fo r re -election.
Yes - M easure # 7
M easure #7 w o u ld a llo w taxpayers to indicate on
th e ir state tax form s w h e th e r they are w illin g to have
$1.50 o f tax paym ents placed in a special fu n d fo r
cam paigns. The m oney w o u ld be used to fu n d the
cam paigns o f the candidates fo r the six elected state
positions: G overnor, Secretary o f State, State Trea
surer, A ttorney G eneral, S uperintendent o f Public
I istruction, and Labor C om m issioner, w ith $90,000
go in g to each. C andidates fo r the State Senate w o u ld
get $4,900 and fo r the House, $2,450. The funds
w o u ld o n ly be a v a ila b le fo r th e g e neral e le ctio n .
C andidates w o u ld not have to take the m oney,
a nd if they d id not, th e ir spending w o u ld not be
lim ite d . Those w ho do choose to pa rticip a te w o u ld
be a llo w e d to raise an a d d itio n a l a m o u n t eq u a l to
w h a t they received.
It has becom e a fo ct o f life th a t big m oney is
necessary to w in on e le c tio n . Those w ho run on
re p u ta tio n alo n e , an d still w in , are fe w and fa r
betw een . The need fo r m oney adds the dange r o f
special interest groups c o n tro llin g the candidates
they buy.
This b ill does not go fa r enough and does not put a
lid on spending — but it is a step in the rig h t d ire ctio n .
Vote Yes on M easure 7.
Cease - District 18
Jane Cease is seeking e le ctio n to the House o f
Representatives, District 18. M n . Cease w ants to
b rin g the p e o p le back in to the le g is la tiv e process
and if e lected w ill ke e p close contact w ith her
constituents. W h ile seeking votes, she has taken the
tim e to p o ll the voters, asking the issues they are
most concerned about. Her o w n interests have been
in the fie ld s o f consum er p ro te ctio n , e n viro n m e n t,
w o m e n 's and m in o rity 's rights, e d u ca tio n , urban
problem s, etc.
Mrs. Cease not o n ly speaks to the issues that
concern us, but gives evid e n ce that she w ill not just
reappea r at e le ctio n tim e but w ill seek o u t the
opin io n s and w ishes o f the voters o f her district.
No - M easure #12
This m easure w o u ld re p e a l le g is la tio n w h ich
a llo w s local governm ents to enter into agreem en ts
to cooperate to gethe r in specific issues. It would
e lim in a te the C o lu m b ia Region Association o f
G overnm ents (CRAG), an o rg a n iza tio n m ade up o f
Clockam as, W ashington and M u ltn o m a h C ounties
fo r p la n n in g o f com m on problem s the M e tro p o lita n
area. The CRAG board is m ade up o f e lected o ffic ia ls
re p resentin g the three counties and is supported by
assessments on the counties.
There o re m any issues w h ich e ffe c t the tri-co u n ty
area and need to be addressed jo in tly — mass
transportatio n, sew age, solid waste disposal, p o llu
tio n , h ighw ays, etc. M any a d d itio n a l c o o p e ra tive
e ffo rts w o u ld be jeo p a rd ize d in clu d in g m utual a id o f
p o lic e a nd fire departm ents, jo in t purchasing, etc.
V ote N o on M easure 12.
Save land planning
S
M easure No. 10 w o u ld re p e a l O regon's la n d use
p la n n in g la w , w h ic h pro vid e s fo r local p a rtic ip a tio n
in w ritin g goals a nd plans fo r land use.
Land use p la n n in g protects the state's fa rm lands
and forests, w h ic h a re so essential to the econom y,
against encroachm e nt by urban spraw l. It protects
n e ig hb orhoods against h igh-rise apartm ents, indus
try, or other uses that the residents b e lie v e to be
d e trim e n ta l.
If M easure 10 is passed, O regon cities and counties
w ill no lo n g e r be re q u ire d to w rite com prehensive
la n d use plans a nd fe d e ra l m oney w ill no lo n g e r be
a v a ila b le to those w h o do.
W e have seen p la n n in g in a ction as the M odel
N e ig h b o rh o o d w ro te plans to locate parks, re a lig n
streets, zone fo r s in g le -d w e llin g a nd m u ltip le
d w e llin g housing, restrict business or industrial
d e ve lo p m e n ts, etc. Do w e w a n t to go back to the hit
d nd miss era, w h e n the p e o p le have no control over
th e ir n e ig hb orhoods and w h e n the neighbors hear
a b o u t the n e w m otel next do o r w h e n the w re ckin g
b a ll arrives?
V ote N o on M easure 10.
No - M easure # 5 2
M easure 52 w o u ld a llo w the Exposition-R ecreation
C om m ission to exp a n d its fa c iltie s to the west side
and ads re striction o f E-R C om m ission m em bers.
C om m issioners are a p p o in te d *b y the M ayor and
there is no p rovision fo r re m o vin g them . M easure
No. 52 w o u ld p ro vid e fo r re m o va l o f Com m issioners
by a m a jo rity vote o f the council and p ro vid e that a ll
E-R C om m ission resolutions can be change d or re
p e a le d by th e C ouncil.
The E-R C om m ission is an in d e p e n d e n t body under
the city charter and should not be subjected to day by
day re v ie w by the C ity C ouncil. W e w o n d e r w hy
these calls fo r restrictions a lw a ys com e o n ly a fte r a
Black appears on the scene.
Vote N o on M easure 52.
1st Place
Portland O bserver
Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company, 2201
North Killingsworth. Portland. Oregon 97217 Mailing address:
P .0. Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208. Telephone: 283-2486.
Subscriptions: $7.50 per year in the Tri-County area, $8.00 per
year outside Portland.
Community Service
ONPA 1973
1st Place
Best Ad Results
ONPA 1973
5th Place
Best Editorial
Second Class Postage Paid at Portland. Oregon
NNPA 1973
The Portland Observer's official position is expressed only in
its Publisher's column IWe See The World Through Black Eyesl.
Any other material throughout the paper is the opinion of the
individual writer or submitter and does not necessarily reflect
the opinion of the Portland Observer.
Honorable Mention
Herrick Editorial Award
NNA 1973
ALFRED L HENDERSON
Editor/Pubhsber
National Advertising Representative
I Publishers. Inc.
New York
»aco sare
Oregon
Newspaper
Publishers
Association
2nd Place
Best Editorial
3rd Place
(o m m u n itv Leadership
ONPA 1975
MEMBER
N e GÍ p A p ER
Association - founded tSSS
Save Edgefild Manor
This m easure requires the o p e ra tio n o f E dgefield
M anor N ursing H om e by the county u n til July 1982,
and pro vid e s a tax levy o f $1 m illio n per year fo r its
o p e ra tio n .
This m easure stems fro m the effo rts o f the Board of
C ounty Com m issioners to close E d g efield AAanor in
fa v o r o f supporting the in d e g e n t aged in p riva te
nursing hom es. The "m a in stre a m c a re " approach of
the Board, the in te n tio n to care fo r the poor w h o are
ill or a g e d through the re g u la r channels ra th e r than
iso la tin g them in clinics or hom es fo r the poor is an
h o n o ra b le one and w e b e lie v e it is a p ro p e r one.
H ow ever, a t the present tim e, there are not enough
B allot m easure No. 11 prohibits a d d in g flu o rid e to
co m m u ity w ater systems. Due to on error in d ro v in g
up this m easure, it w ill a p p ly to o n ly a fe w w ater
supplies, those le g a lly described as "c o m m u n ity — a
w ater supply that serves three or m ore households
but is not a m u n icip a l system (city, county, special
district or p u b lic co rp o ra tio n ) or a pu b lic u tility
system.
This m easure w o u ld d eny the rig h t of persons
using co m m u n ity w a te r supplies to flu o rid a te their
w a te r if th a t is th e ir desire.
Vote No. on M easure #11.
su ita b le nursing hom es and hom es fo r the aged
w h ich g iv e a d e q u a te care. It is a w e ll kn o w n foct
that the care p ro vid e d at E dgefield tops most hom es
in the a rea, and c e rta in ly is fa r superior to most. In
this case "m a in s tre a m in g " the po o r w o u ld put them
in in fe rio r fa c ilitie s.
Rather than close E dgefield, the county should
expand it to becom e a com prehensive ge ria tric
center, p ro v id in g the best care not o n ly fo r the poor
but fo r a ll o f those w h o pre fe r to liv e there. This not
only w o u ld p ro vid e a center fo r in and o u j-p a tie n t
core, research and social services, but w o u ld erase
the stigm a of the " p o o r fa m ily ."
Vote Yes on M easure 26-14.
Black self-government
degrees.
In contrast, the present lan Smith
Are Blacks in Rhodesia ready to white cabinet does not have one person
govern themselves? This was a question with a second degree.
The large Black middle class in
on a talk show last week.
Most people said that self-government Rhodesia, comparatively, has a superior
and majority rule are inherent rights of standard of living, high qualifications and
positions of some responsiblity. They are
any government.
Of course some said. “No, Black experienced in a wide variety of employ
Africans can't govern themselves. They ment. Considering the legal limitations.
aren't ready." I suspect these are the Blacks have had ample job experience in
same people who say the people of Wash education, health, private business and
ington. D.C.. aren’t ready to govern industry. They have, however, met with
difficulty in breaking into the armed
themselves, either.
Actual facts show that the Rhodesian forces, police and technical amd mechan
majority is prepared, and all indications ical jobs.
Few Blacks have had a chance for
point to an economically sound transfer of
promotion to top positions. This lack of
governmental control.
top management experience may will be
When Zambia (old Northern Rhodesia) filled by Rhodesian Blacks with education
gained independence in 1962. in the whole and training who have gone to work
country there were only 100 college abroad or in other African countries
graduates and about 1.000 high school es|»ecially in Malawi, Botswana and
graduates. Zambia had really been little Zambia.
more than a company-run province. Such
When a minority of 270.000 whites
is not the case today in Rhodesia.
have denied the rights of six million
In Zimbabwe, now known to us as Blacks to education, voting, property
Rhodesia, there are over 4.000 African ownership and governing, then surely it
college graduates, 80 per cent of whom is unfair to allow that minority to use the
received their degrees from foreign ed
argument that 4 C 4 W W 1».
ucational institutes. The illiteracy rate is prepared.
50 per cent, one of the lowest in all Africa.
One of the reasons moat people have a
The cabinet that is proposed to take warped view of African leadership is the
over the interim Black government has undue publicity given Idi Amin, the
two members with PH.D. degrees. A president of Uganda. There are over 100
dentist, three medical doctors and oppressive dictatorships in the world.
several who hold two or more university
Yet, we hear more about Amin than all
bv lv o n n e B rath w a itr Burke
the others put together.
On the other hand, little has been said
about the suceessful transition to inde
pendence and majority rule that Lis
taken place in Kenya. Thirteen years
after it won its independence from
Britain, Kenya's economy is expanding.
British or American technicians are
being brought in to set up computer
programs, lay out new plants and set up
new departments. Most big African
owned farms have European managers.
There are as many whites in Kenya today
as there were at independence, and the
number is growing.
In 1962, ’he year before independence,
the white population of Kenya was
55.000. The number dropped approxi
mately 15.000 in the vear immediately
following. Many of the old settler families
sold out and m o\ed to South Africa or
Rhodesia. But many stayed and ins <-sted
their money in Kenya's booming free
enterprise economy.
In recent years Rhodesia built its own
factories to furnish goods that it could not
import because of economic sanctions.
As a consequence, Black ruled Rhode
sis will be launched with even a better in
« a , 4 » a « c w w tn >
strength of Kenya will be duplicated and
surpassed. That is, if widsom and sense
prevail.
Majority rule is at least 12 years
behind schedule. The Black Rhodesians
are capable and ready. There is no reason
for delay.
Methodist Bishop opposes gam blin g m easure
To the editor:
Jack M. TueU, bishop of The United
Methodist Church of Oregon, has made
the following statement concerning State
Measure No. 6. which would amend the
constitution to allow charitable, fraternal
and religious organizations to conduct
bingo games for profit:
“I was surprised to bear this measure
was on the ballot, and I strongly oppose it
for three basic reasons:
1. Such an exemption opens the door
wide to commercial gambling interests
coming into Oregon on a wide scale under
the guise of alleged "charitable" organi
cations. The destructive influence of such
professional gambling activity is well
known, and almost universally opposed
by law enforcement officials.
2. Such an exemption contravenes a
basic constitutional principle - that of
equal justice before the law. Why on
earth should certain organizations be al
lowed to do an act which is criminal for all
other organizations and people? We have
just come through W atergate which re
affirmed the idea ’.hat "no person is above
the law," and now comes this amendment
which proposes to do just that - put
certain groups above the law.
3. Such an exemption is not desired by
many of the groups that would receive it,
namely the great bulk of the churches. If
an organization can be maintained only
by use of an activity which is illegal for
everyone else, and which appeals solely
to the desire to get something for
nothing, then one has to question wheth
er such a group deserves to exist. To put
it another way, if the members of an
organization believe in it. they should be
willing to pay for it.
I would urge Oregonians to vote
against State Measure 6."
Jack M. Tuell. Bishop
The Portland Area,
The United Methodist Church
Reform state election
T a the Editor:
Representative Glenn Otto and I and
26.000 residents of Multnomah County
initiated a proposed amendment to Mutt
nomah County's charter which wiil be on
the ballot November 2nd as Measure
26 13.
This amendment would make substan
tial changes in the way we elect our
county commissioners and our commis
sion chairman. We believe they would
then be more responsive, more reapon
sible and of better calibre. Here’s why:
All five commissioners would be elect
ed from five single member districts of
approximately 110,000 residents each.
This would make it possible for people to
really get to know their commissioner.
Commissioners would spend more time
with their constituents and could main
tain regular contact with a much higher
percentage of those they would represent
since they would only represent one fifth
as many people as they do now. It would
coat the candidates for commissioner only
one fifth as much money to run district
wide as it now costs which would reduce
the influence of special interest grops.
There would be more competition for
the commission posts by good candidates,
since a challenger would have better
chance, and we would have better com
miasoners
All commissioners would serve for two
year terms. A commissioner would have
to be responsive all the time instead of
just during the 4th year of hit term when
he is running for reelection. We could
replace a bad egg with a good person
sooner, without a recall. Perhaps he'd
have to campaign more but that would
keep him closer to the people.
The chairman of the commission would
continue to be elected county wide but he
would have to also win election in his own
single member district.
If a commissioners neighbors and close
associates reject him why should a candi
date for chairman of the commission be
foisted upon the unsuspecting people of
the rest of the county? A candidate for
attorney general, who lost in th general
election, once said of hia opponent whom
he defeated in the primary election, "my
opponent won where they knew her best
and where they knew me best ". In all
three cases the voters probably came out
with the right dicision and the same
would be true here in Multnomah County.
We urge the people of Multnomah County
to Vote Yes For County Reform and vote
to approve of Ballot Measure 26-13 on
November 2nd.
Sincerely.
Senator Vern Cook and
Representative Glenn Otto
Co-Sponsors
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