Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (April 18, 1914)
FXGB JTOTJH T MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, ORKCIOX; SATURDAY. -AVlUXi '18, iiat-.l. r MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNB AN INDEl'KNDRNT NKWRPAPKIt ruBUKiiKD nvranr afttoiinoon JCXCKIT BUNDAT T TUB MKIH'OUD 1'IUNTINQ CO. Th Democratic Times, Th MfdforJ Mull, The Mcdfont Tribune, Thn South trn Oreconlun, The Ashland Tribune. Office Mall Trlbuno llulldlne, :S-J7-1 North Fir street; telephone 7. - Official pter of the City of Mtdford. Official rnper of Jackson County. Bntered an eecoml-eUsa matter at Hertford, Oregon, uiuler the act of March I, 189. UBsc-urnoH KATE! One Tear, by mall fS.OO One month, by mnll .- .so Per month. Ocllvcrcd by carrier In Meiirora, JncK-onvme ami wen- tral Point .. .80 fUUinlny only, by mall, per year. J.PO Weekly, per year. .. -. - - 1.S0 With Medforrl Stop-Orcr iffiilioF MEETS PROTEST OF TAX COMMITTEE A commlttoo of taxpayers, or- ganl-od by Dr. J. M. Keene, met with a similar body from Ashland Friday and passed n resolution at tho lat tcr'a request, protesting tho proposed cut through tho Hilling's property In North Ashland for tho Pacific high way. The committee estimates the cost of tho samo $25,000, but did not consult tho state highway engi neer or his assistant, or the count.' court. They held tho cost excessive for benefits received, holding that Knglnccr Bowlby had made a mis take. K. V. Carter and Ed Staples led tho Ashland delegation whllo the Mcdford committee was roaco up as follews: T. W. Miles, Bert Ander son, F. V. Mcdynskl, H. C. Garnett, O. Knight, II. U. humsden, E. V. Emerlek, Dr. J. M. Keene, W. T. Grieve, E. M. Wilson, C. W. I'alrn and II. G. Wormian. Speaking concerning tho commit tee's action. County Judge Tou Velio Bald that the county court had prev iously decided that no action would be taken In building this scctton for tho present, that no road with rail road grade crossings or more than el per cent grades would be paved, and that it was up to the peopto of Ashlandto provide a suitable en trance, if tho route selected by the highway engineer was not eatisfac tory. TO SOCIALISM TALKED lilt .Mcdtnnl council ol the Knighta of C'olumluw lui complete) nrriiiiKCineuU Tor the lecture on "Christianity x. Sucinli-m," which is to ho riven ly David CJuIilnli-iii of (ton on Friday evening, May 1, in tho Fnpe theater. Mr. GohlMcin i ii trmlo uiiiouixt, having played nil active part in Hie ('iiriir-Miikem' In (ernntioiiiil union, in which lie proud ly liout-t (hut he hold n twenty-live-yonr-old curd. Ai n dclcpitc to the Miisttmcluitctts statu convention of the Americiin Federation of La bor lie wuh instrumental in having the first positive proiiouuccmeut jiasticd liy ii state convention of trade unions arianst the propaganda of so. cinlUm within the trade union move ment, .and the socialist attempt from without to tloMioy the legitimate unions of lahor hy the organization of the Industrial Workers of the Worl.l. There is no doubt that Mr. Gold stein knows hi subject and knows how to tell others what lie knows. In u kooiI, clear, cajitbIo manner he presents his reascitis why the Ameri can people should take n decided bland aaiiint socialism. HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES ARE GIVEN LETTERS Tho official M. II. S, monograms were hcutowod upon tho successful luomberu of tho local high school, football and basket ball teams Friday afternoon by Hunt. U. 8, Collins. Mr. Collins inudo a brief and Interesting talk on tho honor of receiving the letters and stated that It was with great pleasure that ho liaudod each successful candidate their rewards lor their excellent work during tho puat soason, Tho following received monograms; Football team, Thomas, Drown, I'o louzo, Gates, Htuurt, Vance, Norrls, I.uuiuorir, and Ilrandou. Duskot ball, McCreciio, I'hlnrm, I'elouzo, Cowglll, llrown, Thomas and Deacon. Girls' basket bull team, Melon I'urucker, Nellie Coram, Cecil Htowurt, Mildred Dlltou and Loralno Luwton. ill OUR NEW HIGHWAY BOARD DH'.'KBMNK'S "spooial tax committee" of Melimt property owners litis conferred with a similarly ap pointed committee of Ashland and nasscri resolutions con demning tho proposed Pacific highway cut. through tho Billing's property, at the request of tho Ashland commit tee, which "believed that Engineer Howlby had made a mistake." .It would be interesting to know how many of Dr. Keene 's "tax committee" know anything about the engin eering features of the road in question, how many have any authentic data concerning the cost and how many tire bet ter qualified than the state highway engineers to pass upon the subject. It also would be interesting to know how much of tin investigation these guardians of our taxes gave the sub ject. They did not deem it essential to consult Engineer Howlby nor his assistant, nor members of the county court, who were familiar with tho subject. The state highway engineer states that he planned the proposed route through the Billings proportv as the most practical way of obviating both the railroad grade cross ing and the steep grade entrance to Ashland. The esti mated cost is not to exceed company will stand a share, company will stand a share, Ivcsidcs a saving from shorten ing the paved roadbed. The alternative is to keep this dangerous grade crossing, with its sharp turns, cut down the present hill some ten feet, with a corresponding fill at the bottom, making an unsightlv road bed at an estimated cosr oi unit ine amount, to and utilize the present route will bring the cost above that of the Billings route and add 700 feet of highwav. Ihe state laws forbid the estnblishment of railroad grade crossings on highways. The state highway commis sion, realizing that the highways it aids in building tire not makeshifts, but intended for sill futurity, ndoptcd a rule refusing co-operation in improving highways with such crossings, and demanding curves of a certain radius and certain minimum grades." The present road does not comply with the requirements. It is now up to the expert road engineers of Dr. Keene's tax committee to secure an entrance into Ashland that will save Ashland the expense of condemning a right of way, prevent the damage resulting from giving a man a paved highway past his door, comply with the state law and the regulations for state-aided highways. If a steep hill entrance into Ashland is satisfactory to Ashland people, Mcdford merchants will second the 'mo tion for selfish reasons. It is a matter of rejoicing also that we have a body of such progressive citizens to not only regulate county taxation, but to give expert opinion and final judgment upon our state-aided highways. EVERY MAN A DISTILLER rTIlE proposed national prohibition law will enable J every mnn to become a distiller, according to its author, Representative Ilobson of Alabama. Before the house judiciary committee, Representative Ilobson contended that Ju's resolution, directed sigainst the sale of liquor for "beverage purposes," would not interfere with states' rights. lie said that under the proposed amendment it would be possible to manufacture liquor "for use," but not for "sale." The amendment, he said, would not interfere with the "old drinker drinking," but would prevent the "debauching of youth." Mr. Ilobson explained that the' present revenue laws would be repealed by his amendment, which would permit anyone to make whisky for his own use. Just how permitting every individunl to manufnc.ture liquor for use, if not for stile, and at the same time sanction its manufacture and sale for medicinal purposes, is going to promote the cause of temperance is hard for those out side the pale to grasp it surely is dry logic and worth v of a Ilobson. THE NEW AMERICAN CITY A lU'hiimc or the Decent Movement In Municipal Politics nml the .Salient Features of ("hie Deform. Hy DcnJ. C. Sheldon. Secretary Medford Charter Commission. V. TIIK COMMISSION P!,.N There lias been one, ever-present, dominant note in the movement for municipal reform in America from its firt muttering of discontent to the present overpowering demand for a new erder: ".Make public, official responsive to the people's will." As the movement grew, this plea defined itself in more concrete principle. They crew out of a study of the fen-lure- of the old plan which prevent ed this reform. That scheme was copied from the federal plan with its institution of checks ami balances, embodyinc the thought that it would be dangerous- to give to an official Dower to do auythiuc of consequence without first gcttiii;; the consent of other oificiiiln. The ancient fear of kings dominated the minds of the framers of that plan. It seatleied real authority. J.'iIIk of the Old Plan The evils were plain: Lack of def inite power and responsibility ; lack of a fjoveriunentul machine that would permit prompt, efficient, Iiiim-UPss-like decisions; a feeling on the part of officials that they need not follow closely the popular will; and a lack of interest on tho putt of the people, due largely to tlio fact that it was hard, if not impossible, to make their wishes felt. The CoiiiijlUhIoii Plan The phrase "commission plan" has been it misnomer since the (lulveston commission, first appointed by the governor, Lvvuuio elective, The word $12,000, of which the railroad besides shortening the paved provuto an overhead crossing commission implies appointment, and in u correct sense there have been no commission cities in America ex cept Washington, p. (.'., and for brief period", Galveston, Tex., ami Chel sea, Mass. Tho phrase has been ap plied to all thonc cities that have changed their charters so an to con form in soino degree to those of (Jul veston and Pes .Moines. These charters vary from almost exact copies, through a gradual shading, to charters essentially unlike the or iginal plan ju all but name. One city merely changed the title of its conn eil to "commission" and considered itself as belonging in the list of such cities. To the average American the com mission plan means a new scheme of city government involving certain fundamentals, which lias seemed to bring about a substantial reform wherever tried. Hut there exists a confused idea of Iho exact nature of the plan and the necessary prin ciples. When the incidental features lire eliminated, the essential element necessary, and to which is due all the success the plan has obtained, is simply this: Clear, clean-cut respon- John A. Perl UNDERTAKER Lady AtiUtaut W H, IIAUTM2TT I'hone M. 47 u 4778 Auihulauc Kmlce Deputy CorouM xibllity of officials ;' few in number, under the people's control, and elect ed by n ballot mid voting nvlem whereby they aeeuvately repie'iil the leal popular choice, ltnpld (imwtli The movement glow slowly at first, but as tho idea became belter under stood it Increased in momentum till at present, to quote the words of the governor of n mid-western lnlo, "the spread of Ihe idea has assumed propoitious comparable oulv to the sweep of a prairie fne." I'p to Oc tober Inst, 111" American cities had adopted the plan. Never has n new movement been evainined so elosd.v or bv so tuau.v investigators, Tho officials in coin mission cities have been bombarded with inquiries, llelegalion alter del egation have visited these cities, making the rounds of city hall, newspapers, eivie organiiations, as well as interviewing business men and students of municipal affairs. Maga zine writers have made exhaustive investigations. Such orgnuixntions as the National Municipal league, Na tional Short llallot organisation, Hu reau of Municipal Nesenroh, and other similar bodies have kept a con stant, alert w.ltch on the movement. While the Uosloit commission was planning their new chatter, Piosidont Kliot of Harvard made a tour of the commission cities nml returned so enthusiastic that he won over that oily to an acceptance of the more fundamental features of the plan. A committee of the Illinois legislature made an elaborate inquiry. Nearly everybody expected a hostile repot!. Hut it was u strong indorsement of the commission plan, stating that in every city having adopted it, a bet terment of conditions had resulted and the people were more than sa'is ficd. 1 Essentials of the Phut The first essential of the conunis. sion city is; There must be unifica tion of power and a corresponding responsibility in a small body of men. I'siiaily the members of thi body constitute the oulv elective of ficers. In most cases they are elect ed at large. The commissioners act collectively in n directive ami legis lative capacity ami mdividunll in an executive capacity. The usual wav is to divide the work of city ailmiu itratiou into departments and give to each commissioner supervision over one of "tfuVip department. I be mayor, generally, is little more ihan the first aiunn-r peers, one of a bodv of which he is the presiding officer In n few cities, especially tlmc of Texas and Oklahoma, this idea has not been closctf. followed, and in some instnuee;! veto power hu been rtdttP'hy "general concen sus of "cVn.rt .ffpniion considers this a weakness and u dangerous devia tion from the' principle. The uU-a of unification of powers is very im porting and most of the commission cities have been consistent in this re. Mini and have made the commission the only elective officers; pat upon them full resjmnsibility, one which they cannot shirk and of which Ihcv are coiistautlv conscious. Plan Popular mid .Successful L'nquestionably tho plan has pro ven popular. It spreads with great rapiditv, especially where one eit takes the lead and uearbv cities have an opMirtuiiitv to closely htudy its operation and actual results. A het ter -divsieal administration has re r 8 I m 1 i !f k" ' 1. '.a aw EWING GUN STORE DISTRIBUTORS sulted, with llio Name, of u lesser ex peudituie of money, a sure test of offioieuo.. Moreover, It Is a fact that In no! a single commission gov erned city lias there been lepotted a serious allegation of giafl. Any such instance, even if only alleged and not proven, would have been scirod upon by tho opponents of the plan and magnified and exploited to the limit. Significant also is the fact that not a single city has gone back to the old plan, though Hie devotees of the old political machine order have made n pealed el'foils to that cud, I'uder the commission plan the professional politician has faded into the hare of dlscaided fetichisiu. Willi this movement of eoustiue live leaetiou tbeie seems to have come an unusual leceptiveiicss of mind. It begets a seeking for Ihe best, for the services of evpeits, for every possible help. These mean In vestigation and study, which in luiii mean iaiptovemeut. I.os Angeles biouglit a number of municipal evpeits to that city to dis cuss their proposed new ehaiter. Houston sent a commissioner to tier many to study and leport on the world-famous municipal government developed tbeie. Oakland called in the set vices of the civil service com mission of Chicago. The bureau of municipal icsoaieli of New York hu made exhaustive "survey lor over foity cities prior to the drafting ol a new charter. Close students of eivie nffairs had come to the conclusion that tbeie were too manv cooks cue-aged in making their municipal broth. With manv officials, inadequately endow ed with power mid oulv partially m pon'ble for their acts, it was ton difficult to separate the elnoiont from the iucfticicut; to place tcspou sibility for failure or to give credit for good woik. The commission plan has changed all this. Willi icponi bilit.v has come improvement in ad miuisttiitive methods mid purposes, for results count mid those made ac countable li'ive of necc-sitv replaced slupshod with careful methods mid provided u simple, mobile, workable form of orgaiuatiou. MEDFORD FLUFF RUG CO Rug and Carpet Cleaning and Weaving oil I- AST MAIN STRKKT Phone frfM-tt WESTON'S CAMERA SHOP Itecently romodolcd and enlarged, added now camera and apparatus and l now strictly up-to-dato lu every way. Commorient Work of nil Kind Including copying and enlarging of pictures, legal documents, otc. Hro mtdo enlarging, any site, and kod.tk finishing of every kind. Professional and amatuor photo graphic supplies. It. M. Harmon Associated With Mo. Shop ovor Isis Theater, Phono H7-J No Transaction It Complete Until Our Customer is Satisfied WE accept our full re sponsibility with every transaction. If wo sell you tires, wo must earn your confidence and good will. It is not enough that we supply mileage; you are entitled to our personal interest in your tire 6crvico and all that per tains to it ' Wo aim to sustain tho reputation of tho manu facturers of Fisk Tires as tho Squaresr Dealing Company Makers of the Honestly' Built, ServicO'Civing Tire. Fisk Tires are Furnished to Fit Every Typo of Rim and Cost No More Than Other Representative Equipment The Fiilc Rubber Company Cmi csi. r.f ik Ptuix Ctii san rsAsenco. cal INCH HOUtll f Mlil. Wuk. r..lUJ, 0. O.ll.U, CL Ita f rftci,, CL S(imi. Ctl. r, ci ui am.i.u cl " WmmZm immw2b $2500.00 FOR SALE 5 Acre Apple Orchard FACING ON KINO'S HIGHWAY, JUST OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS. TEN-YEAROLD TREES PRICE $2500, $1000 DOWN, $500 A YEAR FOR THREE YEARS AT 0 WILL CONSIDER TRADE MONTANA PROPERTY L. C. ULM HOTEL MEDFORD $2500.00 ' 'W . b f i . l4i . .. i -ts ( : V v ' ,'' ' ' " t'. i, (V H,l j,. Vi.'l't . ' l i . " i '. o C2 t?3 1 i" IN ..-? -' si. .. 1 .'t vo -! 11 ,M , v&K.tr ' .', ' . '.' v A t i V