TWO The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday November 9, 1978
The Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
, -n w
Salem Scene
BY Jack Zimmeran
An exclusive to Oregon's weekly newspapers
Emotion-laden ballot meas
ures get credit for the record
numbers of Oregonians who
registered to vote in this
week's General Election.
But while voters were ab
sorbed with the issues, relativ
ely few understood their
contributions to the every-other-year
numbers game
that follows statewide elect
ions in Salem.
In the course of settling
those issues, voters also
balloted for Governor, Labor
Commissioner, Superintend
ent of Public Instruction their
Legislators, Members of Con
gress and many other local
candidates and issues. With
out demeaning any other
office or issue, votes for
members of the State Legisla
ture were most important to
the Salem numbers game.
Some voters doubtless were
prompted primarily by the
chance to help decide the
gubernatorial race. Others by
the opportunity to elect a
county commissioner, mayor
or city council member. And
many turned out to re-elect a
state lawmaker or install a
newcomer in the incumbent's
seat.
Nonetheless, only a relative
handful were motivated by the
opportunity to influence the
partisan structure that will
guide the course of the 60th
regular biennial session of the
Legislature that convenes in
the Capital City on Monday,
Jan. 8.
It's not so much this
numbers game is reserved for
political sophisticates as it is
the fact individual voters
really can't influence the
numbers. The whole thing
resembles a colossal game of
chance.
Regardless, subsequent
elections conducted in the next
few days among 90 privileged
individuals will have much to
do with the vast body of new
law destined to be enacted in
Salem during the first six
months of next year.
By rule, tradition and law,
this power revolves around
two individuals elected to
preside over the Senate and
House of Representatives.
Presiding officers have the
authority to shape legislation
by appointing committees and
assigning bills to those com
mittees. Senate President and
House Speaker are generally
elected during a caucus of
their partisan peers
whenever clear cut partisan
majorities evolve from the
General Election.
A partisan majority in the
3()-meniber Senate consists of
lfi. In the 60-member House,
the magic number is 31.
Democrats have sustained a
partisan majority in the
Senate since 1965. And since
only half the Senate is elected
to four-year terms every two
years, it was numerically
impossible for Republicans to
significantly alter last ses
sion's 24-6 Democrat majority
this year.
The House of Representa
tives is something else. Twice
as many members each
elected for only two-year
terms means the odds for
change are greater each
election.
Democrats have sustained
House majorities since 1972.
And though election forecasts
suspected the previous 37-23
Democrat superiority might
be eroded, even the most
ardent Republican doubted his
party would regain a solid
majority.
Philisophical strife among
House Democrats last session
wroght havoc with House
traditions. And that same
strife will play a part when a
Speaker is chosen this year.
That strife coupled with any
Republican gains could pave
the way for coalition leader
ship in the House. In other
words, a combination of
dissident Democrats and Rep
ublicans could wrest leader
ship control from regular
Democrats.
This type of activity is more
common inthe Senate than the
House of Representatives.
And it often leads to delays
and wounds that are slow to
heal.
The 1957 session was delay
ed 15 days before Senators
elected Boyd Overhulse Presi
dent. And the 1971 session
failed to achieve organization
for 12 days until a coalition
installed John Burns.
Twice the Oregon Legisla
ture failed to organize and
went home without conducting
its normal functions. Senators
were unable to elect a leader
in 1860 and House members
couldn't agree on a Speaker in
1897.
Few observers believe
either chamber will be leader
less during the session to
come, however. The Senate is
expected to name its Presi
dent this week and House
Democrats will try to elect a
Speaker shortly after.
So while you're still absorb
ed with numbers voting for
and against candidates and
issues last Tuesday, keep the
Salem numbers game in mind
and those magic figures. They
are 16 like-minded Senators
and 31 like-minded represent
atives. And most interesting of all is
whether the 16 and 31 are
members of the same political
party.
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The best behaved class she's ever taught.
That's the way teacher Nan Nelson described
this classroom. Her students played the
practical joke of filling their chairs with
dummies on the Friday of parent-teacher
conferences.
LEWES CSS-
Rail system rapped by
Portland writer
Editor:
This is important to you, citizens of Morrow County! Did
you know that Tri-Met (Multnomah, Clackamas and
Washington Counties) transportation system is proposing a
14-mile light rail system from Portland to Gresham. The
'total cost in 1978 dollars is $161 million and the part you will
!pay through your Oregon State income tax is $17.5 million.
Now, admittedly by Tri-Met, this $161 million light rail is
called "an experiment." The only way you can stop this is to
contact your legislator and let him know how you feel.
Transportation is necessary but it should not come from your
taxes to the State or Federal Government to support this light
rail. It appears the politicians approve this trail balloon, but
the citizens in the Tri-Met area are not in concert. Just think
of the expense alone for 14 miles of monumentalized rail!
Contact your legislator if you do not want your taxes to
pay for Portland's Light Rail.
Yours Truly,
Tom Armstrong
Portland
Why no timber sales in
Pine beetle damage areas
Editor:
I wonder if something can't be done to encourage the
Forest Service to offer for sale our lodgepole pine, as it is all
dying, and I think will be all dead in two years, causing a
serious fire hazard.
If there should be $4 million worth of this pine, $1 million,
or one-fourth is Morrow County's share and we have a tax
strike now.
Three years ago, Mr. Rudolph, superintendent of the
Umatilla National Forest, told me that we would lose every
pine tree in Morrow County, and has so told me twice since,
and yet to my knowledge, there is no proposed major sale
coming up next year.
A few of us with private timber are trying to save it by
harvesting it, and are getting from $22.50 to $40 per thousand
(board feet). And these dead trees are selling for $1.00 per
thousand a difference of 4,000 per cent. I have sold about
2,000,000 feet with a cost of less than $1,000 for roads and etc.
Why can't these trees be harvested with a minimum of roads
and costs, so the people will get a little cash from these sales?
O.W. Cutsforth
Veteran's program can benefit area employers
An on-the-job training pro
gram for veterans whereby
private businesses may re
coup up to 50 per cent of the
trainee's wage is now avail
able through the State of
Oregon Employment Division.
Called HIRE II, any private
business firm may employ a
veteran where the individual
will learn a skill and have
continued employment. To the
employer it means an op
portunity to receive financial
assistance for extraordinary
costs involved in training the
employee. Financial assist
ance could amount to as much
as 50 per cent of the wage.
Under the program the
trainee must be a veteran or
eligible for veterans' prefer
ence. Special emphasis will be
placed on employing the
disabled veteran, minority
'veteran and Vietnam veteran.
Trainees requiring some
job-related education to furth
er training for the position
may apply for such assistance
under this or other Compre
hensive Employment and
Training Act.
As in any lax-supported
training program, there are
commitments and restrictions
all fully explained in the
contract.
For more information', con
tact the Veterans' Employ
ment Representative, Carol
Biddle, at 276-9054 in Pendleton.
SUBSCRIPTION RATE
$8.00 In Morrow, Umatilla, Wheeler & Gilliam County; $10.00 elsewhere
The Heppner
ETTE-TIME
Morrow County's Award-Winning Weekly Newspaper
The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow
Published every Thursday and entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon, under the Act
of March 3, 1879. Second-class postage paid at Heppner, Oregon.
G.M. Reed, Publisher
Rick Steelhammer, News Editor
Gayle Rush, Composition
Dolores Reed, Co-publisher
Eileen Soling, Office Manager
Kyra Query, Composition
Ron Jordan, Printer
Terry M. Hager, Managing Editor
Justine Weatherford, Local Columnist
Cindi Doherty, AdvertisingOffice
f REE SIE17BE
o T0PPIUG
o mmMitiG
o REMOVAL
o STUMP REMOVAL
We will be in the Heppner-Lexington-lone
area the
last of October.
FREE
ESTIMATES
276-7724
BONDED
INSURED
Sifting through
the TIMEsik
Sixty years ago this week, a town holiday was declared
by Heppner's Mayor Smead, after telegraph messages were
received that Germany had signed a truce ending combat in
World War I.
At 4 p.m. on Nov. 7, 1918, Smead ordered the town's fire
sirens and church bells to commence ringing. Townspeople
responded by firing guns, pounding anvils, and making noise
in any way possible.
"All the people of the town and all the automobiles that
could be gotten into were assembled on Main Street,"
reported the Gazette-Times. "No less than a thousand people
were marching and riding up and down, shouting, rejoicing
and having the joy of their lives. It is learned that there was
general celebrating all over the country."
Ten years later, in 1928, Heppner residents celebrated
the Armistice with an auto race, parade and football game.
According to the Gazette-Times, the car race was limited
to "two-lunged flivvers," worth less than $100, in order to
"preclude any late models from stepping in and copping
prizes." Carl Cason and Herb Instone were the winners,
averaging "a break-neck speed of 20 miles an hour."
"In spite of all the daredeviltry, recklessness and danger
connected with auto racing, and the ferocity of a football
game, the only casualty recorded from the day's events was
Harvey Bauman," the Gazette-Times stated. "Bauman's
horse fell with him while leading the parade and he suffered
some scratched up knuckles. That was the extent of the day's
bloodshed."
Fifteen years ago this week, Kinzua resident Bob
Slinkard bagged a near 1,000 pound bull elk while hunting
three miles from his home one afternoon following work. The
bull's rack was almost perfectly balanced, with the horns
measuring 48 inches across and standing 43 inches high.
Winter feeding started a bit early for Morrow County
cattlemen five years ago this week, when more than seven
inches of snow piled up on the Heppner area.
County schoolchildren got an unexpected vacation, and
area wheat growers who had completed seed drilling were
pleased with the new precipitation. Up to 20 inches of snow
blanketed the Cutsforth Park vicinity.
Last year this week, the Morrow County Search and
Rescue Posse spent a day scouring the upper Mallory Creek
area for a lost Portland elk hunter.
The hunter, Anton Hager, was found about 10 miles from
where he had last been seen. The Portlander had spent most
of the night walking, since he had no means by which to build
a fire.
lone played Arlington during a homecoming downpour in
lone this week last year. It was a poor day for the Cards, as
the Honkers soaked them for a 44-0 loss.
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The Gazette-Times welcomes
letters from readers on any subject
of general interest... letters should
be not more than 250 words
Where to write
Federal
Following is a list of Oregon and Eastern Oregon public
officials for the information of readers who want to
communicate with them:
U.S. Sen. Mark O. Hatfield. Russell Senate Office Bldg.,
Washington, D.C. 20510. Member of Appropriations
Committee, Interior Committee, Rules Committee and .
Indian Policy Review Commission. Portland office , Pioneer
Courthouse, Rm. 107, 520 SW Morrison, Portland, Ore. 97204,
phone 221-3386.
U.S. Sen Bob Packwood, Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.,
Washington, D.C, 20510. Member of Finance Committee and
Commerce Committee. Portland office, 1002 NE Halladay,
Rm. 700. (P.O. Bos 3621), Portland, Ore. 97208, phone
233-4471.
U.S. Rep. Al Ullman, of the Second District, House Office
Building, Washington, D.C. 20515. Member of Ways and
Means Committee. Salem office, 530 Center St. N.E., Rm.
330, (P.O. Box 247) Salem, Ore., 97308, phone 399-5724.
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GAZETTE-TIMES
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