Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 23, 1939)
Page Six Heppner Gazette Times, Heppner, Oregon Thursday, February 23, 1939 STATE CAPITAL NEWS o No New Taxes o "Sit Downers" o Game Protection By A. L. LINDBECK Salem Although the legislative session still has at least another week or ten days to run, its pro gram is now sufficiently developed as to make it fairly safe to predict : that there will be no new taxes im posed upon the people of Oregon. There are a number of tax and revenue measures in the legislative ihopper, notably a sales tax, a gross income tax and a proposal to boost the price of liquor ten percent for the benefit of relief. None of these proposals, unless it is the liquor price increase, has attracted any ap preciable support. Oregon has swat ted the sales tax so hard and so of ten that the legislators do not take kindly to any proposal to submit another measure of this kind to the electorate, at least not just yet Then, too, the attitude of Governor . Sprague, who has turned thumbs down on new taxes, has not been conducive to any enthusiastic sup port of any tax program. The only demand for more rev enue has come from the better pen sion group whose spokesmen have agreed to support a gross income tax if the lawmakers will submit such a measure to the voters. The grange and organized labor, on the other hand, have warned that they will vigorously oppose such a meas ure' as they have in the past, so these i proposals will probably be permitted to die in committee. Senator Ellis' proposal to increase the price of liquor has attracted considerable interest and has some chance of enactment although the state liquor commission is opposing it. If enacted the additional revenue from this source would go to the counties to help finance relief costs. Ellis estimates this to amount to something in the neighborhood of $1,250,000 for the biennium. Administration advisors, too, have abandoned their plan to sock the small income tax payer in order to make up losses from the intangibles tax levy which it is proposed to re peal. Instead it is now proposed to make up these losses from a surtax on intangibles incomes and increased levies against corporation incomes. A sit-down strike by the legisla ture failed to materialize when mem bers who had agreed to support a sine die resolution closing the ses sion at midnight Friday got cold feet and refused to go through with the program. Senator Lyman Ross of Washington county who was pro moting the move as a gesture of pro test against the 40-day pay limit and the $3 per diem, claims to have had the promise of 18 votes in the upper house, more than enough to insure passage of his resolution, while at least 25 representatives were said to be ready to vote to go home. Rumors of the threatened ad journment with all of the big legis lation still untouched and none of the appropriations made brought a statement from Governor Sprague to the effect that he would not call a special session if the lawmakers quit and went home before finishing their job. Hopes of the League of Oregon Cities for a "cut" of the highway revenues were dashed when the House voted 42 to 16 against the proposal when it came out of the House highways committee on a "do not pass" report. It is now proposed to dissolve the Capitol reconstruction commission as of April 1 and turn its functions over to the state board of control. It had originally been planned to continue this commission in effect until August. It is estimated that overhead expenses of the commis sion amounting to approximately $1200 a month will be saved by its early dissolution. If the House follows the lead of the Senate the State Bakery board will soon be a thing of the past. The senators voted 20 to 8 for the Ellis Wipperman bill abolishing this board. Friends of the board charged that antagonism to the board was based on a misunderstanding of the facts that Al Rosser and his truck driv ers and not the bakery board were responsible for the high price of bread in Oregon. Governor Sprague in his inaugural message recom mended that the board be abolished. Civil service for state employees is a dead issue so far as this legis lative session is concerned. The measure proposing this government al reform was killed in the senate with only eight votes in its favor. The usual flood of salary increases are being approved by the lawmak ers. A measure increasing the sal ary of the deputy state treasurer from $3600 to $4800 a year has al ready been signed by the governor. Bills still pending provide for better salaries for the deputy secretary of state, state labor commissioner, cor poration commissioner and state printer. In addition there are nu merous salary increases for county officials. Sweeping changes in the state game protection set-up are proposed in a bill sponsored by Senator Wm, L. Dickson and Representatives Car ter and Kimberling. The measure would turn all the functions and du ties of the state game commission to a new wildlife conservation com mission. In addition this commission would be vested with authority to make rules and regulations for the protection and propagation of all wildlife. These rules and regulations would have the force and effect of law and any existing law that might conflict with the mandates of the commission would be automatically repealed. Public power advocates have ap parently given up all hope of put ting over their Bonneville-inspired program at this session and are now concentrating on a compromise measure which will permit the is suance of revenue bonds to finance development of peoples utility dis tricts, these bonds to be sold on bid and to the highest bidder. Chief point of controversy now appears to be the matter of taxes to be paid by these power districts. The proposal that the districts contribute six per cent of their gross revenue toward the support of governmental activ ities is meeting with much opposi tion. Private utilities in Oregon now pay out more than 13 per cent of their gross revenues in taxes. A smaller contribution by the power districts, it is pointed out, will neces sitate an increase in the levy 'against other property in the district. A bill to change the date of pri mary elections from the third Mon day in May to the first Wednesday in September has the backing of at least 20 senators and is believed to have enough support in the House to insure its passage. Governor Spra gue has also endorsed the measure as one designed for the relief of of fice seekers as well as the voters in asmuch as it will materially shorten the time of political campaigns. While there does not appear to be any likelihood that the lawmak ers will attempt to wipe out the milk control board there is much sentiment for some changes in the milk control act. One measure which has already passed the House would confine the operation of the act to the larger cities of the state. Senators Mahoney and Chaney who are sponsoring a bill to abolish the board have announced that they will carry their fight to the people if the legislature turns them down. Increasing Film Use Shown by Report Educational motion picture films covering 702 different subjects were distributed last year by the depart ment of visual instruction in . the general extension service through the office maintained on the campus of Oregon State college, U. S. Burt, head of the department, has report ed. These were shown at 5557 differ ent meetings or classes and were viewed by 1,640,787 persons. The department also distributed numer our charts and many sets of stere opticon slides from the 907 sets now available. These visual materials are exten sively used by the grade and high schools of the state, as well as by va rious community organizations. Land, Forests Are "Meat and Potatoes" Say State Planners Oregon's agricultural and forest products provide the "meat and po tatoes" of the state's economical ex istence, and the substantial but variable income brought in by out door recreation seekers and tourists should be considered more as "gra vy," it is pointed out in one of the latest reports of the Oregon state planning board, "Oregon Looks Ahead." The state should continue to in vite people from everywhere to come here to enjoy its unique rec reational features such as matchless scenery, unequalled fishing and hunting grounds, beaches and oth er attractions, but should not make the mistake of depending on rev enue from this "crop" to a large ex tent, the report says. Recreational habits and demands fluctuate with economic conditions and are rela tively unpredictable. Economic structures founded on such a base may suddenly topple. Although warning that agricul ture and stable industry should be given first consideration in the state development, the report points out that public expenditures for con serving and developing recreational areas are sound investments. Preser vation of native scenic beauty, es pecially along roadsides, is as im-. portant as development of recrea tional projects. Conservation of game fish and wild life will bring substantial re turns from tourists as well as be of great value to residents, the report points out. The report especially urges that immediate action be taken to pre serve timber along Oregon high-1 ways. At present 250,000 acres of magnificent standing timber along 1,000 miles of highway is unpro tected. The report, "Oregon Looks Ahead" was edited by V. B. Stanbery, ex ecutive secretary of the board. Cop ies may be obtained at the planning board office in the Spalding build ing in Portland. Famous Printer Publishes Book at U.O. University of Oregon, Eugene, Feb. 22. Publication of "Religio Medici" by Sir Thomas Browne, the first volume of major importance to be printed since he established his press here, was announced at the University of Oregon this week by John Henry Nash, internationally famous printer. The book, which is expected1 to take its place with the foremost ex amples of modern printing, was pub lished for the Limited Editions club, and its 1500 signed and numbered copies will be delivered only to members of this organization. For the first time a volume by the for mer San Francisco printer bears the designation, "Eugene: , University of Oregon," thus making this institu tion one of the centers for the world's finest book printing, it is pointed out by Eric W. Allen, dean of the school of journalism. Dr. Nash, who moved here last fall, set every line of the book by hand, and designed and executed borders and decorations for what he considers one of his best works. The paper, a light India in tone, is Broadcaster Text, one of the best made by Strathmore. Type is beau tiful light face Cloister. Cover stock, in mottled dark India, blue and cream tones, came from Germany. Weed Leaflet Series Issued by College Eight illustrated leaflets, first in a series dealing with perennial weeds found in Oregon, have just been issued as extension bulletins at Ore gon State college, and are now ready for free distribution. Each leaflet carries an accurate reproduction of one weed in various stages, such as the mature plant, the root system, leaves, blossom, and seed's. A description of each weed and its distribution in the state is discussed, as well as the latest rec ommendations on control methods. Weeds covered so far by the series are Canada thistle, white top, morn ing glory, quack grass, plantains, leafy spurge, Russian knapweed, and St. John's wort. All are written by Lawrence Jenkins and E. R. Jackman, extension specialists in farm crops. FALL, WINTER TERMS EQUAL Oregon State College Registration at Oregon State college for the win ter term has come within 25 of equalling the total for the fall term, according to reports issued by E. B. Lemon, registrar. Although enroll ment for the winter term is usually smaller than the fall term, 4381 are now enrolled compared with a total of 4406 in the fall term. This repre sents an increase of 8 per cent compared with a year ago. EXAMINER COMING C. M. Bentley, examiner of oper ators and chauffeurs, will be in Heppner Thursday, March 2, at the city hall between the hours of 1 and 4 p. m. All those wishing li censes or permits to drive cars are asked to get in touch with Mr Bentley at that time. fTtTWKY - Ml . -A cot n-- UVttMHKS Mr' gF Im MGISTRAT,ON "GURI8 m f jmjjtwfl CHEVROLET. 513,11 6 FH fffBTuS NEXT MAKE . 464,647 HSX FERGUSON MOTOR COMPANY Heppner Oregon
