Page Six
STATE M rYC
CAPITAL
VY O
By 1 L LINDBECK
o Lucrative Post
o Bigger Tax Bill
o Liquor Expenditures
Salem. At long last Governor
Sprague has moved to fill the lucra
tive post of Insurance Commissioner
with a Republican. Seth B. Thomp
son of Portland is slated to succeed
Hugh H. Earle as head of the insur
ance department on March 1.
This appointment leaves Dan Fry,
state purchasing agent as the lone
surviving member of the old Martin
regime. While rumors continue as
to Fry's pending replacement- with
a Republican appointee both Gov
ernor Sprague and Secretary of
State Snell insist that they have
never discussed the matter.
Governor Sprague let it be known
this week that he has under con
sideration a plan for dividing the
work of the department, shifting
more of the purchasing work to the
shoulders of a subordinate so as to
leave the secretary to the Board of
Control free to devote all of his
time to supervision of the state in
stitutions. The excuse for such a
plan is not clear to capitol observers
unless it is designed to pave the
way for the appointment of some
Republican with little or no capacity
for service as a purchasing agent
Certainly there is no need for a full
time secretary to the Board of Con
trol.
Reports that Fry is planning to
resign to accept some more lucrative
private post are emphatically denied
by the board secretary who insists
that he has so far received no inti
mation as to what the Board intends
to do about his job.
The State Land Board has decid
ed to accept an offer from the U. S.
Biological Survey of $2 an acre for
school lands located within the Hart
Mountain antelope refuge in Lake
county. The 14,165 acres involved
in the deal will yield the school
fund $28,330 which the Board ex
pects to invest in bonds of first
mortgage loans at a substantial in
crease in yield over the three cents
per acre now received for the use
of this land for grazing purposes.
An emergency appropriation to
finance Oregon's participation in the
San Francisco fair this year is en
tirely up to the State Emergency
Board, according to Attorney Gen
eral Van Winkle. The attorney gen
eral in an opinion to Governor Spra
gue this week ruled that it was en
tirely within the authority of the
Emergency Board to determine whe
ther the situation represented an
emergency justifying the expend!
ture of state funds.
Residents of Oregon spent a total
of $8,380,515.93 for alcoholic liquors
during the year ending June 30, last,
according to the annual report of
the Oregon Liquor Control CommiS'
sion. That amount represented an
increase of $303,588.83 over the bus
iness of the state's liquor monopoly
during the previous year. The in
crease is accounted for by higher
liquor prices rather than a larger
volume of business. Net revenues
of the Liquor commission for the
year amounted to $2,804,801.03.
Oregon utilities including rail
roads, trucks and buses paid fees
totalling $1,336,576 into the coffers
of the state during 1939, it was re
ported this week by O. R. Bean,
public utilities commissioner. The
growth of this department as a rev
enue proucing agency is shown in
a comparison with fees collected
during 1933, totalling only $313,080
14
Striking at all games of chance
as well as dog racing the Oregon
Civic Welfare association with head
quarters in Portland has filed a pre
liminary initiative petition with Sec
retary of State Snell providing for
a proposed constitutional amend
ment to be voted on next November,
The proposed amendment would ban
slot machines, punch boards, pin
ball games, art and beano games.
Henry M. Hanzen, state budget di
rector under Governor Meier is
president of the sponsoring organ
ization.
. In order to attract business back
Heppner
to the streams of Oregon the state
land board this week decided to re
duce sand and gravel royalties from
ten to eight cents a cubic yard.
Lewis Griffith, clerk of the board,
explained, that because of the high
royalty charge many companies have
been buying land and opening up
gravel pits from which no royalty is
realized by the state.
Oregon's state park system lured
a total of 1,715,357 visitors into the
great outdoors during 1939, accord
ing to figures just released by the
state highway department. Check
ers employed in the parks counted
a total of 557,054 automobiles during
the year. Coast parks, particularly
those in Lincoln county within easy
access of the residents of Portland
and the populous Willamette valley,
entertained the most visitors. Use
of state parks by the public has
almost trebled in the past two
years, highway department records
show.
While the operating incomes of
Oregon utilities are on the decline
taxes paid by those same utilities
are on the increase, it was revealed
in a report filed with Governor
Sprague this week by the public
utilities commission. This report
shows that gross revenues of Oregon
utilities declined from $77,126,916
in 1937 to $73,138,108 in 1939. In the
same years taxes paid by the util
ities increased from $8,060,239 to $8,
630,726. The greatest decrease in
revenues was shown by electric
railroads and water utilities. This
is accounted for by abandonment
of many electric lines and the con
version of water utilities to public
ownership.
Oregon motorists, including vis
itors temporarily touring the state,
contributed $12,058,499 in gasoline
taxes to the coffers of the state dur
ing 1939, according to figures com
piled by Secretary of State Snell.
This was an increase of $760,280
over the 1938 gasoline tax receipts.
According to Snell's figures the gas
oline taxes covered purchases of
241,169,975 gallons of gasoline rep
resenting 2,758,984 miles of travel.
So-called social clubs in which
"members" gather to mix and im
bibe drinks constitute the greatest
problem in Oregon s attempt to reg
ulate the sale and use of hard li
quor, according to the report of the
Oregon Liquor Control commission.
Under existing laws the commission
has no jurisdiction over these clubs
and is urging support of the club
control bill" passed by the 1939
legislature but sidetracked to the
1940 election through the referen
dum.
A total of 2676 motorists have
had their drivers' licenses revoked
in this state since the safety respon
sibility act was made operative in
July,'1935, it was revealed this week
bv Secretary of State Snell. Driv
ing while drunk accounted for 2498
of these revocations.
Van Marter Named
Alumni Director
University of Oregon, Eugene,
Jan. 30-(Special to Heppner Gaz
ette Times) La Verne Van Marter,
Heppner, was named today as a
member of the board of directors
of the Oregon Alumni association
to represent Morrow county. He
will serve a three-year term.
Mr. Van Marter is a member of
the class of 1912 at the university
and has maintained his interest in
university affairs. He is a resident
of Heppner.
MAKES SOLO FLIGHT
University of Oregon, Eugene,
Jan. 31 (Special ) Nick Dallas,
Heppner, recently completed his
first solo flight in the University of
Oregon's student flight training
program. A total of thirteen stu
dents have thus far completed their
initial lone flight. Dallas is a grad
uate of Long Beach polytechnic
school and is a freshman majoring
in arts and letters at the university.
He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. E. M.
Dallas and is affiliated with Beta
Theta Pi.
Be at Penney's early Monday to
see the new Spring Dresses. Adv.
Gazette Times, Heppner,
LEXINGTON NEWS'
Benefit Dance Set
for Saturday Night
By MARGARET SCOTT
Plan to attend the benefit dance
for Erma Scott at the Lexington
grange hall, Saturday, Feb. 2.
The George Helms house is being
remodeled and will be occupied by
Perry Leach.
The local high school basketball
team was defeated by the Boardman
squad on the home floor Sunday
evening by a score of 19-16. The
second team was defeated 12-8.
Lewis Allyn has returned home
from Gaston where he has been em
ployed. Mr. and Mrs. Moffatt Dennis spent
last week visiting in Portland.
Claire Daugherty has returned to
his work in Connell, Wash. Mrs.
Daugherty and son Gary will re
main here for a while before join
ing him.
Mrs. Ralph Scott spent the week
end here with her family. She has
been staying in The Dalles with
her daughter Erma, who showed
a marked improvement the last few
days.
Mr, and Mrs. Ralph Phillips mo
tored to Ritzville, Wash., Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. Callie Duncan were
called to Wamic Friday by the
death of Mr. Duncan's father.
The Home Economics club will
hold an all-day meeting Thursday,
Feb. 8, at the home of Gladys Cuts
forth.
The monthly grange meeting will
be held Saturday, Feb. 10.
Mrs. Harvey Bauman and Mrs.
Grace Turner returned home Sun
day after spending a week in Port
land where they received dental
treatment.
The P. T. A. study club will meet
Monday, Feb. 5, at 7:30 p. m. in the
schoolhouse. Everyone, is invited
to come and join in the discussion.
Mr. and Mrs. Hershal Talbot en
tertained a group of friends with
a card party at their home Satur
day evening. Refreshments were
served.
Smith Thompson of Connell, Wn.,
is visiting his sisters, Mrs. Vester
Lane, Mrs. Claire Daugherty and
Mrs. Ralph Phillips.
Vester Thornburg has returned
home from Salem.
Ralph Jackson is spending a few
days back east and is planning to
bring home a new car.
Mrs. Elmer Hunt was confined to
her home by flu several days last
week.
Sam McMillan and Kenneth War
ner left Tuesday for a visit with
friends and relatives in Portland
and vicinity.
Merritt Grey has purchased a
new car.
Bob Campbell returned home
from Forest Grove Friday and is
driving the Social Ridge school bus,
Doris Klinger was hostess for the
Merry Thimblers club at the home
of Helen Breshears Thursday. Re
freshments were served.
Future Farmers Vie
for Speech Honors
Five Future Farmers of America
competed in the annual public
speaking contest held at the high
school last Friday evening under
sponsorship of the national FFA
Prize money of $10, posted by the
local branch, First National Bank
of Portland, was divided three ways,
$6, $3 and $1.
Speaking on the subject, "Feeding
of Surplus Wheat to Livestock in
the Pacific Northwest, Lura Ste
phens won first place. Second place
went to Bernard Doherty, whose
subject was "The Value of the Tay
lor Grazing Act to Western Ranges,"
and third place was won by James
Kenny, speaking on "Cooperative
Livestock Shipping. Jackson Cant
well, "High Prices of Meat" and
Dick Edmondson, "Swine Produc
tion in Eastern Oregon," were the
other competitors.
Robert Weir of the Soil Conserva
tion service acted as questioner, and
judges were A. H. Blankenship,
Norbert Peavy and Miss McElhinny,
substitute for J. O. Turner who was
unable to be present.
Lura Stephens will go to The
Dalles to compete for higher hon
ors in the sectional meet.
Oregon
Dewey Scheduled
to Speak at Portland
The 20th annual meeting of the
Multnomah county Republican cen
tral committee commemorating the
131st anniversary of the birth of
Abraham Lincoln will be held at
the Municipal auditorium in Port
land the evening of February 12.
Guest speaker for the evening will
be Hon. Thomas E. Dewey of New
York, active candidate for the Re
publican nomination for president
of the United States.
Invitations have been extended to
county central committees through
out the state and responses indicate
a large attendance to hear the fa
mous New York prosecutor.
Butter Improvement
Program Makes Hit
California department of agricul
ture representatives, attending a
recent conference at Medford with
the Oregon department of agricul
ture dairy division and members of
the industry, were surprised and
pleased to learn of the stress that
is being placed on a quality cream
and butter in Oregon.
The program is of special signifi
cance to Califomians, for around 10
million pounds of Oregon's butter
is marketed in that state annually,
The conference, called to correlate
butter scoring between the two
states, developed the fact that there
is, practically speaking, little dif
ference in the methods of scoring
used by the two departments.
Nearly 57 per cent of the incom
ing wheat inspected during the last
six months of 1939 by the state de
partment of agriculture was ship'
ped in bulk, the records show. Of
the 6,383,215 bushels inspected as
incoming, 6 per cent grade smutty
and 15.6 per cent carried foul dock
age. '
Professional
Directory
Phelps Funeral Home
Ambulance Service
Trained Lady Assistant
Phone 133
Heppner, Ore.
NEW AUTO POLICY
Bodily Injury & Property Damage
Class A $13.60 Class B $17.00
See us before financing your
next automobile.
F. W. TURNER & CO.
Heppner City Council
Meets First Monday Each Month
Citizens having matters for dis
cussion, please bring before
the CounciL
G. A. BLEAKMAN, Mayor.
Heppner Blacksmith
& Machine Shop
Expert Welding and Repairing
L. H. HARLOW, Mgr.
GLENN Y. WELLS
ATTORNEY AT LAW
ATwater 4884
535 MEAD BUILDING
5th at Washington
PORTLAND, OREGON
A. D. McMurdo, M. D.
PHYSICIAN & SURGEON
Trained Nurse Assistant
Office In Masonic Building
Heppner, Oregon
Morrow County
Abstract & Title Co.
INC.
ABSTRACTS OP TITLE
TITLE INSURANCE
Office in New Peters Building
Thursday, Feb. 1, 1940
J. 0. Turner
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Phone 173
Hotel Heppner Building
HEPPNER, ORE.
Dr. Raymond Rice
PHYSICIAN & SURGEON
Office f
First National Bank Building
Office Phone 523 House Phone I
Heppner
Abstract Co.
J. LOGIE RICHARDSON, Mgr.
BATES REASONABLE
Roberts Building Heppner, Ore.
P. W. Mahoney
ATTORNEY AT LAW
GENERAL INSURANCE
Heppner Hotel Building
Willow St. Entrance
J. 0. Peterson
Latest Jewelry and Gift Goods
Watches Clocks - Diamonds
Expert Watch and Jewelry
Repairing
Heppner, Oregon
Vawter Parker
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
First National Bank Building
Dr. Richard C. Lawrence
DENTIST
X-Ray and Extraction by Gas
First National Bank Bldg.
Phone 562 Heppner, Oregon
Dr. L. D. Tibbies
OSTEOPATHIC
Fhysioian ft Surgeon
FIRST NATIONAL BANK BLDG.
Rec. Phone 1162 Offioe Phone 492
HEPPNER, OREGON
Jos. J. Nys
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Peters Building, Willow Street
Heppner, Oregon
V. R. Runnion
AUCTIONEER
Farm Sales and Livestock a Specialty
405 Jones Street, Heppner, Ore.
Phone 452
MAKE SATES AT MY EXPENSE
Frank C. Alfred
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Telephone 442
Rooms 3-4
First National Bank Building
HEPPNER, OREGON
Peterson & Peterson
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
TJ. S. National Bank Building
PENDLETON, OREGON
Practice In State and Federal Courts
Real Estate
General Line of Insurance and
Bonds
W. M. EUBANKS
Notary Publlo
Phone 62 lone, Ore.
Laurence Case
Mortuary
"Just the service wanted
when you want It most"