HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, OCT. 21, 1937 PAGE SIX NEWS Farley Appearance o Martin's Decision o Utility Valuations By A. L. LINDBECK SALEM Democrats of Oregon had their day again Saturday. Scores of the faithful spent the day bask ing in the reflected glory of James A. Farley, postmaster general and chairman of the Democratic national committee. Many limited their hom age to a single appearance at one of the banquets tendered the head of the postal service. Others accompan ied the party leader throughout the day on his tour of the Willamette valley all the way from Portland where he was "breakfasted" to Eu gene where he was "dined" that night. Included in the royal entourage were scores of postmasters and post mistresses all anxious to display their loyalty to the "king-maker," numerous party workers, holders of state and federal offices and patriot ic Democrats who are willing and anxious to sacrifice themselves on thi altar of public service. There was Goveror Charles H. Martin in whose own private automobile the guest of honor made the trip from Portland to Eugene, and Howard Latourette of Portland who is preparing to op pose Martin for the Democratic gu bernatorial nomination next May. There were also Willis Mahoney of Klamath Falls and Carl C. Donough and E. J. Griffith of Portland, all three recognized as aspirants for the seat in the United States senate now held by Fred Steiwer, republican. Donough in his capacity as United States district attorney was very much in the spot light on the pro gram but it could not help but be remarked by the observant that Ma honey came in for his full share of applause at times amounting al most to an ovation every time his name was mentioned at one or the other of the several "banquets." Of congressmen and would-be congressmen there were many in evidence. These included Nan Wood Honeyman, democratic incumbent from the third district and Ellis Barnes of Portland who would like to succeed Mrs. Honeyman, and An dy Burke, sheriff of Marion county, who is being prominently mentioned as the Democratic opponent of Con gressman James W. Mott in the first district, and Harry Boivin of Klam ath Falls who served as Speaker of the House in the last legislative ses sion but who would not be unwilling to succeed Walter Pierce as Ore gon's Congressman from the big sea ond district; and there was also Ver non D. Bull of La Grande whose po litical aspirations are said to center in the office of labor commissioner If and when the state police step in to preserve law and order it will be only after local authorities have shown their inability to cope with the situation, Governor Martin de clared this week in commenting on a press dispatch out of Portland to the effect that Mayor Carson had asked Chief of Police Pray to send in a few state troopers to help the Portland police in the strike situa tion. Furthermore, the govenror ex plained, when the state police step in it will be to take complete charge of the situation and not to merely as sist the local police. State Treasurer Holman's proposa! to "block" state school lands into sizeable areas has served at least one good purpose. It has aroused an interest among school people in the so-called irreducible school fund. Recent sessions of the land board at which the blocking problem has been up for consideration have been largely attended by teachers, schoo. board members and representatives of Parent-Teacher associations and women's organizations all bent on seeing that the school fund gets a square deal. However, it would ap pear that they are trying to lock the stable after the horse has been stol en. Revenues from the state's graz ing lands, it is generally admitted, would amount to only a drop in the bucket compared to the millions that were stolen from the school children through fraudulent land sales while STATE CAPITAL the friends of the schools were asleep on the job. Governor Martin will give his re ply to the demand for a special ses sion of the legislature to consider more adequate pensions for the needy aged within the next few days. Unless Townsend leaders who have been working on the problem the past week succeed in evolving a pro gram that will finance more gener ous pensions without adding to the present tax burden, it is a pretty safe bet that his answer will be "no." The demand for the special ses sion was presented to the governor in the form of petitions containing more than 75,000 signatures- Pres entation of the petitions was made by a large delegation of Townsend leaders who prevailed upon the gov ernor to withhold any immediate decision and give them an oppor tunity to work out a program that might meet with his approval. In an address before 500 Town sendites in Salem that night Govern or Martin expressed himself as in entire sympathy with the old age pension movement. Declaring that present pensions were entirely in adequate to meet the needs of the aged the governor promised to go along with the sponsors of the more adequate pension program "to the limit that the traffic will bear." The governor, however, expressed his doubt as to the ability to enact a revenue measure to finance more generous pensions without running counter to a referendum which would tie the whole program up un til the next election. Townsend leaders who are spon soring the move for a special session ar confident that a "transaction tax" would meet with the approval of the voters although to the layman it is difficult to distinguish between this tax and the sales tax which has been defeated by decisive majorities on three occasions in Oregon. Approximately $1,100,000 a year is being saved by Oregon utility pa trons as the result of voluntary re ductions in rates filed by the util ities during the past two years after a series of "friendly conferences" with the utilities department, ac cording to N. G- Wallace, public util ities commissioner. The most recent of these voluntary rate reductions were announced this week by the Northwestern Electric company and the Portland General Electric com pany. The new rates filed by these utilities and applying only to resi- lential and commercial lighting, it is said, will result in savings of approx- mately $330,000 a year to patrons of these companies which serve the city of Portland and a large slice of the lower Willamette valley as far south as Salem. Valuations of railroads operating in Oregon have been increased by nearly $4,000,000 over 1936 figures while valuations of Oregon power utilities have been "upped" by $4, 289,037.15 the state tax commission announced this week. Valuation in creases among the power utilities ranged as high as 66 percent in the case of the Port Orford Light and Power company. Hearings held by the tax commission, it was shown, revealed that the greatest improve ment in earnings during the past year was made by utilities operating in eastern and southern Oregon rath' er than by the larger utilities oper ating in the vicinity of Bonneville dam. It was also developed at these hearings, the commissioners ex plained, that while gross earnings of the utilities generally have in' creased net revenues would be little if any higher than for 1936 because of increased operating costs includ ine higher wages and increased prices of materials and supplies. Railroads generally reported serious reductions in their net earnings the commission said. In case there may be some who have not been apprised of the fact it should be mentioned that this is "Be Kind to People" week. That's a new one for the "weeks" calendar. a strictly Oregon product. Governor Martin has requested that all citizens of Oregon observe the week "in a general spirit of kindly interest and old-fashioned neighboruness. a ' Chas. H. Gram, state labor com missioner, has called a meeting of beauty parlor operators and beauty college operators for Portland on October 29 to discuss hours of em ployment and wages. The operators have filed complaint against the 44 hour week imposed by the State Welfare commission which they claim to be impractical. One out of every five persons killed in traffic accidents, is a child of school age according to Secretary of State Snell who urges greater care on the part of drivers now that schools are again in session. Snell calls particular attention to the pro vision in the traffic laws requiring motorsits to give right-of-way to pedestrians on a crosswalk. High school principals from all sections of Oregon are meeting in Salem this week (Wednesday and Thursday) for their annual confer-j ence. Subjects under discussion in clude experimental schools, visual aids in instruction and the place of an honor society in high schools. Speakers on the two-day prgoram include Governor Martin and Sec retary of State Snell, both members of the State Board of Education; Rex Putnam, superintendent of pub lic instruction, and Thomas R. Fow ler, president of the Oregon High School Principals' association. The supreme court's opinion in the case involving salary increases for Portland school teachers is of in terest to every city and county as well as every school district in the state. In the opinion the high court held that the Portland school dis trict could not grant salary increases to its teachers in excess of the bud get estimate. The opinion also held that the ruling applied with equal force to city and county govern ments. While the learned justices held that monies might be tempor arily transferred from one fund to another they also pointed out that these "loans" must be repaid to their rightful funds before the end of the fiscal year. Governor Martin struck out at critics of his stand on Bonneville power again this week. "Self seeking politicians and dem agogues have tried to becloud the Bonneville issue for their own ends and at the expense of the people," the governor declared in what is in terpreted here a reply to Howard Latourette, Democratic national committeeman who last week had charged the governor with attempt ing to find a place for himself in the Roosevelt band wagon under false pretenses. "Every cheap trick in the bag of rabble rousers has been used but I am convinced that the people of this state will not be hoodwinked," the governor continued. "In this modern day and age our people will be prone to accept with greater confidence and assurance the unbiased and sound calculations of trained en. gineers rather than the mouthings of pundits whose specialty is in us ing words to conceal rather than reveal." Although LeRoy Herschel McCar- ty, convicted slayer of a Portland service station employee, is under sentence of death Warden Lewis of the state prison is not going to be in any hurry about the construction of the recently authorized lethal gas chamber. The warden recalls that it has been nearly six years since murderer paid the supreme penalty for his crime in this state and that in the interim two convicted slayers have been snatched from the gallows by eleventh hour commutations of their sentences to life imprisonment The warden has been investigating gas chambers in use in other states and is of the opinion that Oregon's chamber can be constructed in less than a month if and when the need for one is definitely established. Voters of Oregon will be asked to support a measure creating a sanl tary board for the purpose of clear ing streams ot pollution, ine pro posed measure is being sponsored by the Oregon Stream Purification League of which State Treasurer Holman is president and Frank Franciscovich, president of the state senate, is vice-president. Frank Tierney, executive secre' tary of the Democratic state central committee during the last campaign, has just taken a position as permit clerk in the Portland office of the Public Utilities commission. NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that there will be a meeting of the LEVYING BOARD OF MORROW COUNTY, OREGON, at the Court House in ' Heppnen .o.l j v,a- io97 Krhon and whnm the estimates arrived at by the budget committee of Morrow County, Oregon hereinafter set .forth, may be discussed with the Levying Board and when d where any person who shali be subject to such tax levy, shall be heard In favor of or against said tax levy or any part thereof. . . . . ,no Dated at Heppner, Oregon, this 19th day of October. 1937. ESTIMATES i i.. a i mriianA witi phnntor 118. General Laws of Oregon for 1921, and amendments thereto, 1938 Expen ditures COUNTY JUDGE Salary l.eoo.uo COUNTY COURT Expense, mileage l.ouu.uu SHERIFF Salary - Deputies 2,700.00 Books, blanks, incidentals, travel 850.00 Tax Collections .... 550.00 CLERK ' Salary - z.uuu.uu Deputy 1,020.00 Books, incidentals 400.00 TREASURER Salary lzuu.uu Books, incidentals 100.00 ASSESSOR Salary - i,tuu.uu Deputy 1,200.00 Books, incidentals 3o0.00 Field Work 650.00 Tax Extension 100.00 Reclassification and Value Adjustment 400.00 SUPERINTENDENT Salary l.bw.uu Travel Expense 400.00 Books, incidentals 300.00 Assistant 100.00 4-H Club Work 100.00 Checking Tests 81.00 CORONER Mileage. Fees io.w ACCOUNTANTS Audits CURRENT EXPENSE Postage, telephones, sta tionery, telegrams 750.00 JAU. Board and Expense d&u.uu ELECTION Expense l.wu.uu INDIGENT SOLDIER Expense loo.uo COURT HOUSE Janitor Fuel Light and Power Incidentals 900.00 250.00 500.00 700.00 3,750.00 120.00 1,000.00 300.00 200.00 100.00 GENERAL ASSISTANCE BLIND ASSISTANCE MOTHERS' AID .. PHYSICIAN'S SALARY COUNTY NURSE INSANE EXPENSE CIRCUIT COURT Witnesses, jurors, baiims and incidentals 1,700.00 702.02 200.00 115.85 220.00 56.70 2,300.00 2,200.00 85.00 28.70 6,000.00 1,813.40 130.00 88.50 430.00 250.00 200.00 100.00 500.00 17L77 500.00 500.00 50.00 350.00 223.25 50.00 250.00 5,000.00 726.83 10,000.00 3,775.07 40,000.00 27,111.94 , 27,500.00 , 20,875.00 . 12,200.00 . 35,000.00 194,886.00 JUSTICE COURT DISTRICT ATTORNEY COUNTY AGENT SEALER APPROPRIATION OLD AGE ASSISTANCE .... MISCELLANEOUS Insurance - Bonds LIBRARY APPROPRIA TION INSTITUTE APPROPRIA TION OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS and Tax Foreclosures PUBLICITY AND ADVER TISING LOUISE HOME APPRO PRIATION WATER MASTER Traveling expense ana in cidentals WIND EROSION CON TROL - WEED CONTROL EMERGENCY MARKET ROAD ROADS AND BRIDGES Repairs, Labor, Materials, Equipment, Incidentals.. ROAD BONDS Sinking Fund COUNTY SCHOOL Appropriation STATE TAX The following amounts are not Included within the 6 per cent limitation and are authorized by law: State Tax Sinking Fund Interest Fund ESTIMATED RECEIPTS OTHER THAN Cash on Hand (General Fund) $ 7,600.00 Sheriff s Fees: ,nnn Mileage $350.00 Auto Sticker Sales -. 150.00 500.00 25 per cent Forest Rentals 400.00 Clerk's Fees 2,000.00 Motor Licenses from State 9,000.00 Land Leases - From Delinquent Taxes 12'595 S2 Miscellaneous - - 2,000.00 $ 34,400.00 RECAPITULATION Total estimated expenditures for 1938 subject to 6 per cent limitation ....$111,511.00 Total estimated receipts not Including proposed tax 25,400.00 Balance; amount to be raised by taxation tion Dated this 19th day of October, 1937. MORROW COUNTY BUDGET COMMITTEE, By BERT JOHNSON, Chairman. By E. H. MILLER, Secretary. I certify that the amount of outstanding Morrow County Indebtedness la the sum of $415,000.00 In serial road bonds. (County Seal) C. W. BARLOW, County Clerk. BERT JOHNSON, Juage. GEORGE N. PECK. Commissioner. L. D. NEILL, Commissioner. and shows the several services, mater- 1st 6 mo. 1937 1934 1935 1936 1,250.00 $ 1,600.00 $ 1,600.00 1,094.17 1,777.47 1,272.80 1,600.00 2,000.00 2,000.00 2,093.00 2,400.00 940.56 846.25 3,799.09 550.00 611.50 1,600.00 2,000.00 2,000.00 939.26 900.00 1,629.95 296.72 319.94 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 175.99 89.16 75.33 1,250.00 1,600.00 1,600.00 900.00 900.00 232.36 498.26 693.51 601.74 1.968.50 227.50 120.00 1,500.00 1,600.00 1,600.00 380.59 339.68 330.56 448.47 567.10 100.00 100.00 81.00 102.00 37.60 40.00 2,966.32 770.00 500.00 873.24 919.34 798.91 228.03, 157.73 272.41 1392.61 2,088.40 50.00 50.00 24.20 900.00 900.00 142.00 293.52 474.91 534.06 1.909.51 793.62 636.93 3,781.67 4,148.75 2,282.85 1,466.87 1,714.60 2,260.00 300.00 300.00 , 300.00 2,106.98 19.00 151.59 2,042.35 1,016.44 2,172.46 257.60 150.33 114.32 157.97 77.95 66.85 2,300.00 2,150.00 2,150.00 84.48 74.24 64.75 2,429.58 5,000.00 4,223.66 165.00 82.74 388.70 187.00 545.00 425.00 163.65 198.49 200.00 75.00 100.00 100.00 $ 800.00 $ 508.65 1,000.00 1,200.00 476.71 514.80 1,000.00 450.00 221.63 513.33 13.60 758.65 450.00 527.42 181.45 45.00 800.00 163.93 157.41 100.00 57.34 54.00 285.21 284.67 190.39 46.50 450.00 213.58 204.96 905.05 1,629.45 1,080.42 150.00 10.00 584.20 600.00 50.00 150.00 2,808.75 19,558.72 4,493.71 11,598.90 43,288.65 44,804.02 K'Sx-ffi 27,500.00 20,875.00 $ 83,375.00 TAXATION FOR THE YEAR 1838 subject to 6 per cent limita $ 86,111.00