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