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Horse sense Jjfe
Bv
ERNEST V. JOINER
A! the general election Nov. 5 voters will be called upon
m pass judgment on several ballot measures, most of which
are constitutional amendments. They can drastically change
the pattern of life in this state, and are far more important, I
think, than the election of candidates to public office. Once
one of these measures get public approval it is almost
impossible to remove them. Consequently, they should be
studied thoroughly by voters before marking the ballot. This
is a personal assessment of the various measures.
No. 1 Liquor licenses for public passenger carriers, the
pui xseof which is to permit the sale of liquor by the drink on
anv public passenger earner, rather than just on interstate
railroad corporations as is the law at present. Liquor is
already served on airlines and railroads. Why is it prohibited
elsewhere'' Unwarranted intrusion of the law has served no
useful purpose in the matter of alcoholic beverages. The law
can't prohibit its manufacture, sale, distribution or
consumption. In this respect we haven't learned much from
Ute Prohibition Era. If a man's going to drink, he's going to
drink, and he's going to drink when and where he
pleases-legally or illegally. Passage of this measure would
merely legalize what 's already going on. and will continue to
go on. The federal government allows liquor by the drink on
interstate conveyances w ilhout undue trouble. Oregon might
as well face the facts and permit it . It might stop the carrying
of flasks and bottles in coat pockets and luggage. I vote Yes.
No. 2. Oieiisall legislative deliberations to the public. If
approved by voters, there w ill be no more secret sessions of
either house ol ihe legislature, and the change of an Oregon
"Watetua'e" reduced. The legislature is acting for the
people and I can think of no issue that requires the people's
business be conducted without their knowledge. The
deliberations ol all other state and local governmental
auet.cies are by law open to the press, except that certain
school boards and city councils haven't gotten the message
vet and attempt to adjourn to such things as "personnel" or
'executive" sessions to hide their actions from the public. All
governmental agencies should conduct their business openly,
ai d the legislature is no exception. Yes on No. 2.
No. 3. This would amend the state constitution to provide
ilia' a grand jury indictment is not necessary for a felony
prosecution if a person has been charged and a magistrate
Imds at a preliminary hearing that there is probably cause to
believe that the person has in fact committed a felony. The
measure would not deny a jury trial, but only deals with the
manner in which he is charged. Approval of this measure
would e.edite the judicial process, since grand juries meet
it frequently. One reason why the courts are clogged now is
because of delays in securing grand jury action. Anything
tha' will Seed up the judicial process without jeopardizing a
leroi 's constitutional rights is to be desired. The U.S.
Constitution guarantees any person a speedy trial, and there
is no such thing in existence at this time because of long,
drawn-out. tedious, time-consuming procedures that have
nothing to do with either justice or a man's rights. Yes on 3.
No. 4. Eliminates the governor vacancy successor age
requirement. At present, a person must beat least 30 years of
aue before he can succeed to the governorship in casewjf a
vacancy in that office. If this measure is approved, we could
wind up with a teen-age governor. Highly improbable, but
with politicians anything can happen. In my opinion, nobody
under 30 years of age is likely to be qualified to perform the
du'ies of governor. I don't want to be ruled by any
fuzzy -liped kids, and I don't care what his IQ is or how he
fared in the 4-H program. I want a seasoned, experienced
businessman who has fell the heavy hand of government in
his pocket book and on his back. No on 4.
No. 6 iNo. 5 has been eliminated on the ballot). This
measure permits establishing qualifications for county
assessors. Great idea, and one that is long over-due. Yes on 6.
No. 7. This constitutional amendment provides that if
lederal revenue sharing monies received by a city or county
permits a levy less than the lawful maximum tax base for a
givei year, the tax base shall not be reduced by the amount
ol H ci ue sharing funds received. Why shouldn't the tax
bae be reduced if revenue sharing funds permit? The
revenue sharing funds are our taxes, too aren't they? And if
we have to pay for the revenue sharing funds and cannot
reduce our tax base locally, aren't we witnessing a big tax
increase on us all'O I think revenue sharing money is to be
used a' the discretion of Ihe city and county that receives it,
and if that city or county wants to give its taxpayers a needed
break it should do so. If taxes hurt you. vote NO on this one.
( More comment on amendments next week)
I keep wondering if old "Silent Cal" Coolidge couldn't
have solved our current inflationary problems, even though
he is generally credited with doing absolutely nothing during
his presidency. Reading his meager works (he didn't write
much, either) I find a great deal of logic and intelligence in
his makeup. "Work," he once said, "is not a curse, it is the
prerogative of intelligence, the only means to manhood, and
the measure of civilization. Savages do not work." Take a
lookai the grow ing number of "savages" around the country
and tell me if Calvin Coolidge didn't make a lot of sense! And
he knew something about the American people, too. On one
occasion he remarked: "I think the American public wants a
solemn ass as a president and I think I'll go along with
them." He did. and the voters did. "I have noticed that
nothing I never said ever did me any harm," Coolidge
pointed out. By contrast. President Ford is talking too much.
He knows how to say nothing: he just doesn't know when to
say nothing
While Congress is gleefully prying into the finances of
Nelson Rockefeller as a prelude to certain confirmation as
vice-president, readers may be interested in a column I
wrote on July 30. 1972. when I discovered that I had paid more
income taxes that year than did the spendthrift governor of
New York. Here is the comment, as valid today as it was
then:
"An interesting paradox is that Nelson Rockefeller, one
of the country's richest men, admits to paying less than
$1,000 in federal income taxes. He's the governor of New
York, of course, but he's also a liberal. . .The only newspaper
in the United States that has complained about Nelson
Rockefeller's small income tax payment is Ernest Joiner's,
and that 's because I pay more taxes than the rich governor of
New York. However, I realize he is legally entitled to such
tax treatment. He lives off tax-exempt foundations created
by the Rockefeller fortune, which is legal. He puts his huge
income into tax-exempt bonds, which enables him to live like
a potentate on tax-exempt interest. If I had millions of dollars
I would invest Ihem in a like manner. I don't have, so I have
to pay more. But in my envy of Mr. Rockefeller's good
fortune, I can't resist the wry thought that the tax laws offer
an incentive for all of us to 'smarten up' and strive to become
millionaires. People with huge incomes deserve to be
rewarded. It will be a sad day for us all when poverty
becomes comfortable and wealth intolerable."
c
sTf T &ifl
:- v V I V-V W if
"Can You Spare A Cup Of Sugar, Neighbor?"
Heppner,
CROSSROADS
REPORT,
DEAR EDITOR:
I see where the House tax
reform committee is working
on a plan to eliminate deduc
tions for health insurance and
most medical and medicine
expenses.
Which shows that these
noble people wardens are
very shortsighted about tak
ing care of their property and
keeping it in condition to work
and pay their wages, gravy,
graft and other emoluments.
It's (he same old story of
untempered greed that we
find m the fable about Ihe man
killing his goose which had
been laying gold eggs for him.
D.E.SCOTT.
Crossroads. U.S.A.
quoteunquote
"Only a country that is rich
and safe can afford to be a
democracy, for democracy is
the most expensive and nefar
ious kind of government ever
heard of." Henry L. Menck
en. American writer.
"Nothing annoys a woman
more than to have friends
drop in unexpectedly and find
the house looking as it usually
does." Josh Billings.
The mail pouch
EDITOR:
Hunting season is here again. With the cold snap of fall
comes the mighty hunters, and there are all kinds of hunters.
To one kind of hunter, the season means a weekend binge.
To another ii is shooting everything in sight. Another type
may kill a deer only to wonder what to do with the corpse.
Instead of gut ling it. he straps it on his pickup and parades it
for 500 miles and later finds Ihe meat isn't edible. If he
doesn't bag a deer, he may bag somebody's husband or
broiher.
Pople are tested for driving, why not for hunting? Learner
leniii!s could be issued to those who are inexperienced.
Fewer lives, both human and animal, would be taken. People
who do not know how to hunt should not be hunting, just as
people who do not know how to drive should not be driving.
We had belter start such a program before we have to try to
explain to future gnerations what a deer looks like or a
rabbit, squirrel or badger. The needless slaughter of small
animals by inexperienced hunters should be stopped.
People of Central and Eastern Oregon are being robbed by
ihem every year. Game is getting more scarce and the
hunter population is increasing. There is really no more room
for anyone who doesn't know what he is doing in the hunting
area.
PA.M LARSON,
Kinzua.
EDITOR:
I would like to point out what Ihe cowman is faced
with and without, as well.
A 500-pound calf at 25c a pound brings $125. After it has
gone through two tons of hay at $100 a Ion, there is a gross
prolit of $25 Then he must have pasture worth $5 a month, for
nine months feeding, or $45. which leaves the cowman $20
short.
Tins is before the cowman's time for riding, hauling, fence
building: plus taxes, veterinary bills and incidental costs.
This must be Phase 1234 started by Tricky Dick to gel a
Beelgate staried to overtake the Watergate.
PERCY CECIL,
Heppner.
EDITOR:
In ihe past few issues of the pa per reference has been made
to jackasses, to some of Ihe people in Ihe past who have
ridden them, and the important part some of the riders have
played in years gone bye.
l! is a well-known fact that the jackass is sure-fooled, a
good pack animal and an excellent beast of burden. But I
wonder how many people have been led down the well-known
primrose path by a jackass, not necessarily while riding one?
JIM BARRAT,
Heppner.
Legal insurance
comes to Oregon
Prepaid Legal Insurance
Inc., a non-profit corporation
created and sponsored by the
Oregon State Bar, has joined
with Midwest Mutual Insur
ance Company to formulate
the nation's first stale-wide
prepaid legal services plan
which is both sponsored by the
legal profession and under
written by an insurance com
pany. Charles A. Phipps, chair
man of the bar-sponsored
program, and Fred M Hagen,
president of Midwest Mutual,
made the announcement last
week.
"Right now people in the
middle and lower middle
income groups aren't getting
lawyers' help when and to the
extent they should." Phipps, a
lawver from The Dalles,
explained. "By joining forces
with Midwest we will be able
to offer not only a solution to
that problem but also a plan
which is uniquely valuable to
Ihe consumers more advan
tageous than either we or
Midwest could have developed
alone."
The stale-wide, family legal
protection plan will soon be
available as group insurance,
probably in December.
The policies themselves will
be underwritten by Midwest,
A best's A rated insurance
company headquartered in
Iowa. but. Hagen emphasized,
"all the administration of this
program will he done right
here in Oregon by Prepaid
Legal Insurance Inc. This is
truly an Oregon program."
The policy will cover legal
advice and simple document
preparation. "We want people
to see their lawyers, with their
fees prepaid, before they get
into trouble," a spokesman
said.
The policy will also cover
defense of felonies and( mis
demeanors, dissolution of
marriage, defense of civil
actions, and many other
common legal problems.
The services covered by the
policy will be provided by
Prepaid Legal's oen panel of
Oregon lawyers. This panel
will be made up of all
members ol the Oregon Stale
Bar who elect to participate in
Ihe program and agree to
abide by its rules. An insured
will be free to select any one of
those attorneys.
UNLIKELY LETTERS
Dit. 2ied0eq Quctfediit
Amo 7
xJeaid btj tfte gtopeitne tltat qou inaCCq kl
atfi. JiS o jfihum patient and Ik subject o one
o tjoirt eat& catdiac foaHspflants. 3 just wanted to
teCC tou tat 3 jceC that qou did a hdl-kanid job
on IWG.
-IJotits.
xJeCdotan QJoitfceAs
iigei? trainee
g by Williams
f ' s
"I'm Gonna Let Rockefeller Worry About
The Economy, After All, He Owns Most Of It..."
THC
GAZETTE-TIMES
MORROW COUNTY'S NEWSPAPER
Box 337, Heppner, Ore. 97836
Subscription rate: $6 per year in
Oregon, $7 elsewhere
Ernest V. Joiner, Publisher
Publishes every Thursday, and entered as a seennH-r-lnec
matter at the post office at Heppner, Oregon, under the act of
twarcn 3, isn. second-class postage paid at Heppner,
uregon.
Ore., Gazette-Times, Thursday, Oct. 10, 1974
Mayor of H adman'
DEAR MISTER EDITOR:
The fellers at the country store studied this country's
problems up one side and down the other Saturday night, and
w nal agreed in a majority op-tot. spoke by Ed Gouty,
ihe Tenor of Willow Crick, that, as usual, the only hope we
l new DeJiSme of Agriculture plan, allowed Ed is
,he best idee to come down Ihe pike since the Army called a
-shovel a manual operated excavating tool.
ins Ed that had saw in one of his USDA pamflets where
we are going to solve all our problems by jest reclassifying
em The Ag folks in Washington is setting the example by
Kitting more meat on the market. The cx.ry supply of meat
will come bv changing the grades of meal. We can '
mtr choice grade git into the prime class. Ed told the fel ers.
a (, that makes ...ore room in the choice class for some of he
ems thai has been hard to move out of cold storage, like
knuckles and shine bone meat.
Actual went on Ed, what would be left after we set up a
new choice class would be graded to lough to chew, but by the
t,me vou git it ground up and mixed with soybeans and all
then, other "extenders" we'll never know we're eat.ng closer
m-the bone than under the old grading plan.
Ed said it looked to him like the USDA meat grading idee is
like raising the class of folks in the neighborhood by letting
tt.oreofen. in the country club. You got the same people you
jest got neckties on more of em. was Bill Weatherfords
' 0iilH who had hud a bad day at the wash house, said the
meal grade plan reminded him of the feller that said he had
f marred out a wav to keep the wolf from his door. He's going
to call the wolf a dog. The USD A plan will work to git all the
prime beef out of reach of the average working man, Bill
said and it'll leave him with upgraded grissle that the wolf at
Ins door would have a hard lime getting down.
We might as well tell the feller with a flat to downgrade the
pounds of air it takes to fill a tire and go on about his
business.
Furthermore, went on Bill, if the USDA plan spreads we II
have to come out with new rules fer everything. Right now,
Hill said, we got grades fer water and air that change ever
time Government experts review em. He said he saw by the
paper where towns that had sewage treatment plants that
met the water standards were in a lather cause the streams
the plants is on has been classified to a higher level.
Practical shaking, broke in Zeke Grubb. he would like to
see grades of crime changed in line with the USDA meat
plan Zeke said he would move driving drunk up to side with
murder and kidnap, and he would jump throwing beer cans
along the road to a life sentence The real worst crimes now
would be moved up to automatic hanging, and Zeke said that
would cut off a heap of repeat business at the top grade.
Personal. Mister Editor, I was in the minority on the USDA
plan A sieak In any name is rare and welcome at my house.
MAYOR ROY.
Notre Dame
conceals
sex atrocity
Hv LESTER KIN'SOLVING
SOUTH BEND, IND.-When the details of Notre Dame's
most sordid scandal finally leaked out of the local
prosecuting attorney's office last July, they were buried on
page 15 by the South Bend Tribune.
Bui the ordinarily staid ls Angeles Times put it in banner
headlines: NOTRE DAME SEX SCANDAL.
For this was the very same University of Our Lady of the
Lake whose world famed president, the Rev. Theodore
Hesburgh, had taken a local industry (20th Century Fox into
court . Less than a decade ago. Father Hesburgh charged that
exhibition of ihe film "John Goldfarb Please Come Home"
i by William Peter Blatty author of "The Exorcist") would
cause Noire Dame to suffer: "irreparable and immeasur
able injury. . . (because:) Noire Dame players, under the
influence of harem girls, are depicted as undisciplined
glut ions and drunks,"
Today Noire Dame is losing again badly in its attempt
to cover up last July's sexual alrocitv in room 303 of Stanford
Hall.
A July 2") University press release cited Ihe dismissal "for
a period ol no less than one academic year" of a "small
number of students" for "a serious violation of University
rules" which was "not a criminal matter."
No one has been convicted, or indicted or formally
complained against. But St. Joseph County Police Record
No. 89:5UK which Sheriff Dean Bolerjack conceded is public
information, contains the following in officers investigatory
reports:
"Location: Third floor of Stanford Hall, Notre Dame."
"Classification of incident :Rape."
The four-page report details interrogation of an 18 year-old
girl who admitted voluntarily dating and having relations
with one Notre Dame football player.
But . according to the girl, afterwards a second Notre Dame
football player entered the room, threatening to throw her
oui of the window and "smash your face and break your
bones" unless she submitted to him which she did. "
She then recalls that he held her while three more of these
national champions (an aggregate total of more than one
thousand pounds, according to "The 1974 Notre Dame
Football Guide") forced themselves onto this terrified
155-pound blonde high school girl. (She has lost 20 pounds
since July).
The sheriff's report identifies six more Notre Dame
football players as "witnesses" lo this spectacle regarding
which one (if the five fornicators explained:
"She was enjoying it."
In three days on the Notre Dame campus, during
interviews with top administrators and charming public
relations men, this alleged "enjoyment" was repeatedly
cited as grounds for temporary rather than permanent
expulsion of Ihe athletes (Dean of Students John Macheco
ruled for permanent expulsion but was overruled by Father
Hesburgh.)
"Why didn't she scream?" I was asked repeatedly. (Does a
155-pound girl dare to scream when a 227-pound end
threatens to break her face?)
"Why didn't she sign the formal complaint?"
Was she still terrified during the two days before she was
committed for more than three weeks to the psychiatric ward
of a local hospital? Or was it the death threat made by phone
to Ihe prosecuting attorney's office unless these athletes
were reinstated?
Her attorney, Patrick Brennan (Notre Dame '39), as past
president of the Indiana Prosecutors Association, can recall
no instances of any nymphomaniacs or prostitutes requiring
psychiatric commitment after gang sex. As to the penalty
prescribed by Hesburgh for these representatives of a
Christian University, Brennan says: "One year's suspension
is nothing."