MEDFORD MXTL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD OREO OX, TUESDAY, - JAXUAttY 9, W2?
PA OK THTIEK
IRRIGATION
BOND
PAYMENTS
ASKED
ENFORCEMENT
DRY LAWS NEED
SUPPORT ALL
(Continued from page one.)
to reduce the loss to the lowest possi
ble minimum.
Expressing .sympathy for the loss
Buffered by Astoria In the recent fire,
Governor Pierce suggested that any
financial aid should be given by direct
appropriation, and not divortlng money
from other needed funds.
The governor's message in part fol
lows: I wish to express to the people of
Oregon my sincere gratltudo for the
significant vote of confidence in the
recent election. I fully realize the
almost staggering responsibility of my
position. I will do my best to justify
Jhe confidence reposed in me. As I
look -over election returns I realize
that I received, on the 7th of Novem
ber last, as many republican votes aa
I did democratic- votes. I therefore,
declare myself the people's governor,
and I ask the continued support and
friendship of the people of Oregon,
without reference to past affiliations,
political or social.
I have no intention of building a
I recommend that you carefully scru
tinize all appropriations for fairs- The
state fair is an Institution of great
value and It must be maintained. It
should, however be as nearly self
sustaining as possible. Our farming
communities derive needed benefits
from county fairs, but perhaps existing
provisions for their maintenance will
be found sufficient without additional
appropriations. ' !
The experiment stations have been
of much benefit. The smutless wheat
developed at the Moro station will save
farmers thousands of dollars. The
blightless pear from the Talent station
will revolutionize the pear Industry.
The work of the stations is too far
reaching to mention in detail, but I
wish to assure all It is valuable. We
must not, however, Increase the num
ber of stations.
The extension work of the Oregon
Agricultural college, and the Univer
sity of Oregon, should be maintained:
but I have no doubt a saving can be
made.
In the present stressful times we
can suspend the continuing exhibition
of Oregon products in Portland and
thereby save $20,000 during the cur
rent biennium.
I oppose any increase of salaries.
I believe there Is money In the trea
sury sufficient to meet the., require
ments of this year and therefore rec
ommend that you repeal the soldiers',
sailors' and marines educational law.
No further appropriation should be
made for the World War Veterans'
State Aid commission and the commis
sion should be abolished when money
now on hand is expended.
Numerous state departments are
maintaining branch offices. In every
rtnlltlenl mnrhino. T nhnll enll Around
me, to fill positions, those in whom 1 1 case possible the expense of branch
have confidence and I shall remove
them from office without fear or one
single thought of the future if I find
they do not live up to my expectations.
I shall give every ounce of devotion I
have to the interests of this atate,
fearlessly working, as I see the light,
to make Oregon a bigger, grander state
In the greatest galaxy of states that
tho world has ever known.. I will
return the commission, in four years,
as clean and untarnished as I receive
It today.
Coming as I do from the farm Into
the turmoil of the state government, 1
believe the paramount question before
this legislative body is reduction and
redistribution of the burden of state
taxes. We must not wreck the stnto
government or too seriously handicap
any of its necessary activities. I sug
gest that In your appropriations you
constantly ask yourself the question,
"Can we afford it?" I promise you and
the people, that as a member of the
board of control, I will as far as iny
power lies save every dollar that can
be legitimately saved, in the manage
ment of state institutions, and I ask
you to keep in mind the same principle
of economy in your duty as Btnte legislators.
Property in Oregon assessed at little
more than a billion dollars can not
continue to bear a collection of nine
and one-half million dollars, as it did in
1922, for stato activities. As long as
these trying times continue it is essen
tial that we eliminate all unnecessary
expenditures.
Legislatures of which I have been a
member havo for many years in good
faith endeavored to consolidate the
state departments only to meet with
opposition from those specially inter
ested. The time has come when the
Interests of the few must give way to
tho felfare of the many and I earnestly
recommend that a law of wide scope
be enacted consolidating many com
missions and departments and abolish
ing others altogether. By enactment
of such a law hordes of stato agents
and .inspectors and special deputies
who are traveling the stnto over, year
in and year out, will be disposed of
and a conservative, efficient method of
handling tho business of the state be
substituted for the present costly ann
haphazard system. The best possible
government 1 a simple government
economically administered.
Three of our state commissions,
which now require large sums from
the state treasury tor their mainten
ance, should be solt-supiwrtiug.
Corporation Tax
With but slight readjustment of Its
rates, the stato industrial accident
commission can derive all of its funds
from the industries to which it renders
so valuable a service In giving exemp
tion from litigation, and prompt and
Bdoquate benefits for injuries and
death to workmon and their, depen
dents. Likewise, the public service
commission should bo supported from
fees paid by the public utilities tnai
come within Its Jurisdiction. Stability
of revenues is afforded to these util
ities by the public service commission,
as has been demonstrated during tho
trying times follinwg the war and it 13
hut lust that a fair return in tne wa
of compensation for the actual cost
of supervising their affairs should be
paid by the utilities to tho state trea
sury, thus roliovisg tho general tax
payers of what Is otherwise a largo
burden. Indoed, the time will come,
t nld in my campaign, when nil
niiMir. Rorvice corporations will be
i.i n tholr cross earnings, rather
than on their general property, as Is
done in California and othor progres
siva RtAtPS.
The department of fisheries Is cost
ing the state large sums of money,
believe such an Industry should be at
least self-sustaining... In some states
It Is a source of public revenue.
No doubt the tourist associations
have been of great benefit to the stale
hut In this hour of stress snd need
believe - appropriations for such pur
ports should be omitted.
There should be no appropriations
this session for state buildings.
bo responsible to the people for tho tion law. When I introduced tills mea-
acta of tho highway commission and sure in tho sonato some years ugo,
the-entire department, but the way I little dreamed that it would grow
would be paved to save considerable ' into tho largo department that it has.
sums of money. 1 1 remenibur say to tho senate that It
I therefore recommend that tho old, would uecome sen-sustaining, nnu i
quarter mill road tax bo retained for wish to call the attention of the legla-
the road funds, and that tho tux on: latu.ro to tne laei unit It is now sen-
tion too dangerous to Issue more bonds
to pay interest on irrigation and draiu
ago bonds that tho various districts
issue, without ndvko and counsel.
I boliovo In tho Workmen's Compen
sation law. it has been of groat bene
fit to tho stato, and 1 am oijih'oi-,'. to
any material change that would affect
Ancient Methods in tho stato was as a farm band. In
There have been many serious er-itho Intervening 40 years, however, lie
rors In the work of past legislatures by j has been engaged In many activities,
reason of the ancient method employed ; school teacher, lawyer, county clorlt
in engrossing and enrolling bills. The j of Umatilla county, Btute senator and
cost last session of this work was farmer. .':,-
$S,3I.50. Section 2US0 of the code
should be amended so that a prliitod '
lu was born on a farm in Illinois In
18(12, has parents being substantial
gasoline be increased and that any sustaining. It nover should have been j tho honest oporatlon of the law as It bill only would bo used on final 1"8- j citizens of their community.
present automobile law do not reduco sion, with which it does nut harmonize.
revenue, if any changes are made In Boost for Portland
the licenso law, 1 recommend that the I do hot want to bo. considered
fees on high-priced cars be Increased, ono preaching the causo of the country
cent or moro of tho money collected fori takes which load to litigation and save
the purpose to"- which it was collected ' at leant $50uo this session In legisln
is a successful and beneficial law. tivo expense.
Tho narcotic evil is a growing men-i The present motor license law was
Settling
adjustments that may be made in the' put undor tho public service commis- stands. Any law that returns 92 per 'sage. This chango would avoid mis- tn Umatilla county, Oregon in 1883,
young Pierce started to work on . a
farm, and to increase his income In a
small way he taught school. Later, In
ISKti. Iib was elected sunerintendont of
Tho market road law has proven its : against tho city; I think 1 can envision ; llc0- 1 llia legislative assembly should hastily drawn at a special session. It schools of Umatilla county, and was
merit. Cities and farmers have been as wejl as anyono the possibilities of i P1188 a drastic law to enuuio onicuiis to includes some gluring detects and pro- re-elected in 188S. In 1890 he was
mutually benefited. 1 have often made 1 great industrial development in the cPe with thoso who are vending visions dividing authority with the re- elected county clerk of Umatilla coun
Uio statement that "If this law is kept seaport cities of Oregon. Portland can ! drugs. ; gun that administration is in many , ty, and was re-elected In 1892. ,
in the statute books for ten years Ore- become a city of a million people with- oaaaenea uy Liquor cases Impossible. It should bo carefully i j a un(.,lme a(ate senator for the dla-
revsed at this sessiou. ,-,, pn,i,ruclne Union. Umatilla and
eon will ho uneouulled In tho nation in the life time of nmnv now living. I nave Ueen saddened many tunes uy
for good market roads." At the end of Our water power may be developed so ! finding that prominent men of this
state behind closed doors are breaking
tho prohibition law. I nak tor a higher
sons of moral duty nnd for un awaken
ing of the public conscience. We must
ono and all determine to drive liquor
from our midst by making it so hard
tltnt period there will be no bonds to that this state may becomo one of tho
liquidate because the roads will have great Industrial centers of the world,
been paid for as they have been built. Our unsurpassed foresta may.be cut
I recommend that the preaent law be off and the timber manufactured into
altered to provide the county court , lumber, we may grow prosperous and
with full and complete authority over . wealthy, but we may. unless we rem
an
A...in.. nx.i fmm t!,. ieinmU nf tii-.; mice Willi Him nis noinrious ousiness. T iln not. intend tn encroach uiion t 10 . "o " uocu "
sea, and we may see the beautiful i 1'lu.uor venders can not do business : ,)erogatives of tho legislature. Firmly ! Payers League of Oregon since .Its ior-
n.r.r.n n.a ,-i,ift f atone, i uhk you ior aasiaiauce ui u - .n i i.nlluva tho two finnnrtmmita or 6iwn..u.n,u, " - .
There la a widespread demand tor.
tho reduction of tlu hunter's license. I
It should be given careful consilium-1
tion. - j
1 usk the ways and means committee
In drawing appropriation bills to fully
itemize each bill so that I can, It I
I dairy
offices should be eliminated
This session should provide means
of lifting at least one-half of tho pres
ent state tax from farms and homes
nnd to that end I recommend a gradu
ated Income tax. For purposes of sim
plicity In collection and enforcement
I would reennct the federal law as the
law of this state, with exemptions the
same as in tho federal law and making
the rates such percentage of tho fed
eral rates as will raise four to five
million dollars per annum.- Enforce
ment of the act I would place in the
hands of the state tax commissioner
who can, 1 believe, through cooperation
with the federal tax officials keep the
costs of administration to a minimum.
I can not emphasize too strongly that
an income tax be treated as a means of
redistributing and equalizing the pres
ent hurdon of taxation and not as an
excuse for increasing that burden by
new and additional expenditures of
stato money. ,
' As a further means of relieving -real
property ot its present, unbearable load
of taxatipn. and without Intending to
invito new 'expenditures, I call atten
tion to the fact that one-third of the
standing timber in Oregon is in forest
reserves and Is thus non-taxable. As
this timber passes into private owner
ship and is marketed it Bhould bear a
severance tax that has some relation
to its true value.
Other states havo long Imposed scv
erance taxes - on natural resource
wealth as It Is converted into private
wealth.
Need Sinking Fund
I am advised that recent investiga
tion has disclosed a bad state of af
fairs with reference to sinking fund
provisions in the various taxing units
of the stato. In son instances, bonds
have been issued without regard to
making the maturities time witli the
useful life of the improvement. - This
is resulting, in some counties where
tho chief resources are timber. In the
timber being cut at a rate that will
result in default on the bonds when
they mature unless provision is made
either to refund the bonds on a Bhorter
term -basis or to adequately tax the
timber na it. is being removed and put
the nroccods in a sinking fund.
I ask the legislature to revise tne
assessment laws of the state and give
tho tax commissioner tho right to
suDorviso county assessments. At the
present time there ia widespread dis
crepancy in the assessment oi pro-
nertv in different counties, in one
county sheep are assessed at $2.00, the
same kind of sheep in another county
at $3.00, and in another county at $8.00
and it Is notorious that large stocks oi
merchandise in various parts of the
state have escaped their just share of
taxation through lack of control of tho
stato tax commissioner over lax nnd
inefficient local assessors. Tho state
tax commissioner should have full
authority to compel the same propor
tionate assessment on the same kind
of property in every county in the
state. .
By an equitable valuation of all pro
perty millions of dollars can be added
i. ,i. .
monnv derived under the market ,iv conditions, at that time be buvlnglfor the bootlegger to thrive that he ,ieem i necessary, veto Items that op-!
. . .. - . . ... ...Ill l.A (rl.,.t . laotrn a,,a nml I . . . !
road rund, tne roatls to ue duiii acconi- our rood and claming in Asia, soutni"1 " "
Ini- tn i.lnnu nn,l simriflonllnns furnish- A mnrlnu niwl from the ialiimls nf til-. ! take With llllll his nefarious business.
ed by the state highway department.
Th nirl fttnrv
A f ,inv ni-n T won on mv farm, i many a home, driven from the state by contlnuod effort to enforce tho law. 1 1 government Bhould function Indepen
I watched a beautiful pen of' white- its greatest competitor, the coconnut . do not want a etato constabulary but I j uently. I have pointed to some condl
,,,, a,.ra rni fo,i tmiIv for mar- cow. That kind of development took i do want sufficient police agents totlotl8 tllnt x beil0ve Bhould be treated
ket, and as I watched them I thought,
you are worth about $50.00 each on the
present market. If I were to count the
tuxea on the land from which you have
eaton the grass, nnd the taxes on the
land from which you have eaten the
hay, and tho taxes paid upon your
selves and your mother, then there is
standing against each of you approxi
mately $15.00 taxes. Each steer has
actually cost this farm $75.00. When
your hldo is cut up nnd made into
harness and shoes, and you are cut up
into steaks and roasts, then you will
Morrow counties in 1902. In 1916 no
was elected state senator for Union
and Wallowa counties. ' ..,
Pierce had been admitted to the bar
; i In Oregon in 1895, nnd in 1890, to com-
pleto his legal education he took a
course In Northwestern University
law school nt Chicago. . '..
pluce in England when the industrial i elimlnato ns far as posslliio violation by mw It is your province to prepare
revolution act in something like a cen- :"f the prohibition act. I also ask that ,BIld ,msa measures embodying matters
tury ago. When the great war came, ; one-half of nil fines collected through !on which the poople have so clearly
England waa importing 75 per cent of ' enforcement ot the state prohibition ; spoken. I am ready at any tlmo to
her foodstuffs ' from oversons. The : and narcotic laws bo turned into a help you either Individually or collec
German submarlno would have starve! special Tund, such fund to be used In tiveiy ami i orr0r you the fullest mea
England to death had It not been f t enforcing tho laws. j sllre 0f cooperation. ,
the vnllnnt sons of America who I Wo should enact a law prohibiting Tnn people aro exposing much of
caught tho wavering banner ot clvili- the selling or leasing of land In Ore-jt,s legislature and many of those ex
zatlon and bore it to victory on Ar-; en to the Mongolian and Malay. Euro- p0ctntions will become dlsappolnt
gonne's shell-swept slopes. I Petln nnrt Asiatic civilization can not ' menta unless the executive and leglsla-
Some years ago the people of Oregon amalgamate, and wo can not nnd must tiV6 branches carry out tholr respec
nassed a constitutional amendment nt submit to the peaceful penetration i tlve duties In harmony. I am sure that
giving the state of Oregon the right of the Japanese or othor Mongolian you know fuu well how intensely the
egon Agricultural college slnce.1905.
For several years he has operated a
farm in the Grande Ronde valley,
eastern Oregon. In 1918 he was a can
didate for governor on the democratic
ticket. : !- ''.'
He waa married in the early nineties
to Miss Laura Rudle, a. daughter of
pioneer parents, They have slx- chil
dren, five daughters and one boo. ......
With Medford tradu lit Medfnrd mads.
a, ahnnt trt i-nnranlpn Interimt nn bands Issued races.
500 00 each. The railroad that takes by irrigation nnd drainage districts' Tho alfalfa weevil, a dangerous para
you to market fixes the freight rate for a period not exceeding five years site, has entered Oregon s boundaries
and makes a profit, the packer that and placing this great power in the I recommend an appropriation of $5000
prepares vou for the market fixes the hands or tho state superinionaem oi - .,... -price
and makes a profit, the retailer banks, the stnto engineer and attorney-. quarantine, the appropriation to be
fixes the price and makes a profit, the general. Undor this constitutional . used by the state board of horticulture,
hotol keeper, the harness maker all provision bonds havo been guaranteed j 8chool Economy
fix the price so that they will make a by tho state in many districts over al I am a firm believor in tho free pub
profit Tho farmer is the only one in period of from ono to five years. The llo schools but tho present burden of
the long long line from tho producer commission holds that when the state 1 taxation in tills state compels me to
to tho actual consumer who asks the has guaranteed tho interest the state ask every school board and all boards
world to fix a price on his product and is pbligod to issue its bonds to pay the ot regents to practico tho strictest
he is the only one who fails to make a interest on tho bonds of tho irrigation economy.
... ..m nniv ton ner cent is and drninago districts. The totul! No mortgage company could long re-
allowed in this Instance to the ono who amount of tiro interest the state has main salvent that loaned 75 lier cent
produces ninety per cent taken ny thus guaranteed is i,iuu,uuu. mo ui miuo uiiu i i-
those who can and do dictate the internet upon theso bonds Issued by diers' bonus a. t requires. Fluctuations
i smwiv in nlaces. ranldly in the stato is then to be paid by the in values will In many caBes more than
nthor nlnena. the nroducers are being district but it is a
financially ruined by the present mar
keting system. I do not even want to
poople are thing. 1 know you are
ready and willing to bury persona nnd
party ambitions and all differences for
the common good.
WALTER M. PIERCE.
Biography of New
State Executive
"Cascarets" 10c
For Sluggish Liver
or Constipated
: ', 'Bowels , '
Clenn your bowels! Feel fine I
When you feci sick, dizzy, upset, when
your head is dull or aching, or your
tamnch ia sour or eassv. tust take one
Walter M. Pierce, who takes office ; -two SSSSS
ns the seventeenth governor ot tlio artJ;,,,,,r ownp, and children I0o
state of Oregon, enmo to Oregon as a x. Taste like candy. ".'
The of value upon real property aB tho sol- i y""g 18S3. and h Is first work
fact well known nbsorb tho 25 per cent margin. More-
that some districts are likely to fail to over some men havo taken advantago
pay
fr,m tnvnn collected within tho ' or the needs ot cx-soidierB. Hence, 1
think of atate owned packing piams district me interest cumins uu uijum -u ocu ,iuh..b u..v v. .
and warehouses tor distriDiuion oi uonus issuou uy tnu nuno. mc ui .,u ,u0.. . - .
farm products but I do want to warn way to moet the 'prosieotlvo loss to bonus law. 1 call upon everyone who
the business world that the producers the state will bo by taxation. . has charge of the enforcmnt of this
must have bettor treatment and a fair! A deal is about to be closed in law to see that the loss Is reduced to
chance for existence. which nn Irrigation district proposes the lowest possible minimum.
Eight vears ago from this platform 'to sell Its 6 per cent bonds for eighty- At the present tlmo there are no
Governor Wlthycombe delivered his in- three conts on the dollar, tho state to I funds available for the reconstruction
augural address and In that address Should the stato guarantoo that inter-, of state buildings destroyed by fire. I
.i,i frm nf nrecon are mort- est? It is a question that can only be . recommend that a sinking fund be pro-
fnr nnnroximatelv $22,000,000." I answered nftor a. most careful, nnd ; vlded for that purpose
Today Oregon farms are mortgaged I searching investigation-
for approximately $100,000,000. Why; Irrigation Bonds
. a,.. Mn,.rnu-Aa mn,A thiin T n.v flm nmntflpnt. nf the senate and
nuidmoled in eight years? I can I tho speaker of the houBo to appoint, sanitarium, to pay for their care and
4uuuuji,.u o - (.. i if ,,,tr flnnnplnllv nhln. 1
iny people say "Dan manuse-tne auicst men, mo uoot imuuucu ... v,.w , --
nnther it has been due to the the senato and house on their irriga-i shall boo that the law is enforced.
failure yes the downright Inability of tion committees and I ask tho commit- One of Oregon a finest and most
producers during late years to balance j tees to meet in joint session, examine prosperous cities, Astoria, narrow y
their annual budgots. Unless that sit- j all of the records, Bummon witnesses, escaped total destruction recently in
nation is remedied, the country ia ; aearcn out tno lacts anu muae a reinjn. ma niun uw, -
threatened with a breakdown in tho, to mo aa governor and to the people of heart of the stato bleeds for the crip
morale of ita farming element the the state of Oregon so that I may havo pled city. If the legislature decides to
backbone of the nation. I something to guide me when the state ! give financial aid to Astor a, I believe
. f n-min nnd ' ia niiori nnnn to net after vou have It should be done by direct npproprla-
hay there Is much dissatisfaction with returned to your prospective homes tion and not by diverting money from
... r ... . r. p ,t,n Train inanpr- -I nn nniir in inn frr.Lif:ui mill ill: omin ui'-i " ..........
The law compelB relatives ot pa-
tiontB in tho state hospitals for the
insane, and in tho stato tuberculosis
12 '
1 1 . I . ctrir TUIQ Nnwi:::l: ..K I
m!XSOinsgam5&i&EEaiK?'.- II
I com!S?y REVIEW l-l
j , ' i AUOK JAY AT TlfK OROAX , ,, ,1
THURSDAY "THE FACE IN THE FOO'
wiimiimiwi amma ismss imsmsrimi nsi sasssim nmmmmwtmumwmmNmtmmimKmmimmmmmmm
H M. fep. Stoirie Sail
to the present assessment roll without
raising tho Just assessment on farm,
homes and livestock..
Insurance Dodging
I am advised that extensive Insur
ance is written in this stato by com
panies that havo not compiled with the
laws of Oregon with the result that
premiums on such business are escap
ing taxation in tills state. I recom
mend a law that will either halt this
practice or that will reach and tax
operations by non-resident companies.
I am forced to the opinion that in
stead of having an unpaid highway
commission giving part time to this
niguntlc business, unless a consolida
tion of state departments and commis
sions ploces-the highway program
under other supervision. It would be
marked economy for the state to have
a commission of three members who
will devote their entire time to the
highway work under tho direction of
the governor and receive reasonable
compensation for their services. Under
that Plan the govornor would nt only
The past few days have showed us just how the people believe
in us They have crowded, ; jammed our store; they have bought
merchandise by the armload; they believe, they know we tell
them the truth when we say we are cleaning out, that this stock
will be sold down to the figures we have set by February 1st,
inventory time. And we want you to believe this we would
not break faith with you. Come in and let us make good. If
you have already attended this sale come in again. .7"