Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 19, 1958)
12 MAIL TRIBUNE. Medford, Oreeen, Sunday, October 1, 1938 Ilbft Meosnflires' ODimed The following explanations of the 13 ballot measures on which Oregonians will vote Nov. 4 are adapted from the Voters Information" bulletin, compiled by the League of Women Voters of Oregon. They are reproduced here with the permission of the League. A few minor changes have been made in the interests of brevity, or to include information not available to the League at the time the bulletin was pre pared. The number in parenthesis beside the ballot title is the ballot number. Fixing State Boundaries (1) PURPOSE: To amend Section I, Article XVI of the Constitution of the State of Oregon. Repeals obsolete constitutional provi sions describing state boundaries in the Columbia River be tween Oregon and Washington. Authorizes modifying of ex isting state boundaries by interstate agreement with the ap proval of Congress. EXPLANATION: When Oregon and Washington were admitted as states, the boundaries between them was described in terms of the channels and islands as they then existed. Many of these early landmarks have shifted as much as a mile. The new bound ary changes will be defined in terms of longitude and lati tude. Clarification of boundaries would eliminate confusion in such areas as fishing rights and laws, workman's compen sation and insurance, and collection of taxes. This measure is the result of two years of study and agreement by the Ore gon and Washington State Commissions on Interstate Coop eration and has legislative approval of both the states. ARGUMENTS FOR: Our boundaries in the Columbia River should be estab f lished so thev do not shift with the changing currents. ARGUMENTS AGAINST: There seems to be no organized opposition to this measure. Increasing Funds for War Veterans' Loans (2) PURPOSE: To amend sections 1 and 3, Article XI-A of the Constitu tion of the State of Oregon. This would make it possible to increase from 4 per cent to 6 per cent of the assessed valua tion of all the property of the state as the maximum limita tion on the amount of state bonds that may be issued to raise funds to make farm and home loans to World War II and Korean War veterans. EXPLANATION: The amendment would increase the bonding limit for Veterans loans from 4 per cent to 6 per cent. It is estimated that this would make $45,000,000 more available at 1956 assessment rates, which were in effect when the legislature was considering the bill. In the meantime, there has been a sharp increase in total assessed valuations in the state. Mult nomah County's jump to 100 per cent valuation caused most of the increase. It is estimated that this increase alone will make $54,000,000 more available for veterans loans without increasing the debt limitation to 6 per cent. ARGUMENTS FOR: 1. The present limitation is insufficient to fulfill all the re quests for loans. Applications average about 300 a month and as of July 7, 1958 there was a backlog of 1500 appli cations on file. 2. To date this program has been self -supporting. The contin uing difference between the cost of borrowing money and the interest rate received on mortgage loans has enabled the Department of Veterans' Affairs to meet all financial obligations. Loan payments received by the department go into a revolving fund which provides money for more loans. . 3. An increase in the limitation would be beneficial to the economy of the state by creating additional employment. ARGUMENTS AGAINST: 1. The intent of the 1957 legislative assembly was to increase funds for Veterans' loans. After August 15, 1958 assessed valuation in the state will be higher. This will provide enough extra money for loans to veterans so that the per centage need not be increased from 4 per cent to 6 per . cent. -" '2. The extent of state activity in this field should not be in- creased. Such activity by the state is an unwarranted inva sion of an area normally reserved for private enterprise. Salary Increase for Legislators (3) PURPOSE: I To amend Section 29, Article IV of the Constitution of the tate of Oregon by increasing the salaries of state legislators from $600 to $1200 per year and removing the phrase "no other personal expenses." EXPLANATION: This amendment would double the present salaries of our, tate legislators. On the basis of the last regular session and the special session they received about $8.00 a day for their work. This is considerably less than paid by any of our neigh boring states. They have had no raise since 1950. The elimination of the phrase "no other personal ex penses" would make it possible for the legislators to pass a bill allowing expenses in addition to their salaries. This is a common practice in many states. ARGUMENTS FOR: 1. Legislative duty entails much expense and, necessarily, neglect of, the legislator's private employment or profes sion. Often his work does not end with the close of a ses- lion. He may be required to serve on an interim committee and often works with various civic organizations interest J ed in public affairs. He must always be available to his individual constituents. He receives no additional salary for special sessions. Six hundred dollars ($600.00) is inadequate compensation for the amount of time required by the job today. Higher pay for legislators would make it possible for many more public spirited citizens, who do not have substantial pri vate incomes, to serve the state. Low pay tends to limit legislative membership to the more prosperous or to the representatives of special interests. Twelve hundred dollars (S1200.00) would meet only the minimum living expenses-board and room-which are very conservatively figured at $10.00 per day. The rise in the cost of living since 1950, when the $600 amount was au thorized, justifies an increase. ARGUMENTS AGAINST: 3 Jen "Happy" Pills Released to Public Laboratory mokes avoilabU soft now invigorate to grvt physical and mantel "lift' in minutes. NEW YORK, N. Y. (Special) Tired, worn-out, depressed? . . . cheer up! ... now. thanks to a dramatic development by a lead ing; research institute, you can help feel happy and cheerful again . . . feel a wonderful phys ical and mental "lift." And the miracle of it all! It works in minutes, lasts for hours without letdown or after effects. Clinical tests and actual experi ences in thousands of cases have shown Tirend, this exciting medical development works almost instantly to end fatigue ... to quickly impart a marvelous hppy glow of new-found exhil aration . . . and is so safe and so effective that it may be sold without doctors prescription. If you need a physical or mental "lift ... if you are worn-out from temporary exhaustion ... if ;oar work, nervous strain. oppression, emotional distress, or other factors are temporarily draining your energy and your enthusiasm ... obtain Tirend today. Your mind, your nerves, captt. laries . . . your whole body . . . will feel the healthful lift m minutes that will carry you through the activities of the day . . . or night , . . with "happy" pleasure. iSU: TrretnJ it available rn limited quantity, sells far t3 A9. Als available are smaller trial sizes far 11.05 ami eeenamm for $S.9f, guaranteed safe and effeettve.) At all drug eoaniers. Based m wff itmt treated he relief from temperery menet and pknicsl fit ft- and dees w imph that there is any kmha rrmmf mr harmful drnes m Tirend. WESTERN THRIFT 30 North Central Ave. Dial SP 3-5371 1. Legislators know what salary they would receive when they file for office. Their chief motive for running should be the opportunity for public service and not financial gain. 2. Increased compensation will not necessarily attract better qualified legislators, but could attract ' people interested only in the higher salary. 3. Salary increases are not feasible at this time because of the rising cost of state government. $54,000 additional would be required. Capital Punishment (4) PURPOSE: To repeal Sections 37 and 33, Article I of the Constitution of the State of Oregon. EXPLANATION: If this measure is passed, the provision for punishment of murder in the first degree will be taken out of the constitu tion and put into the general body of laws of the state. It will give the Legislature power to change the law without a spe cific vote of the people. The repeal of the death sentence will automatically put into effect House Bill 355. which provides life imprisonment for the verdict of first degree murder. Pro visions for parole by an unanimous vote of the State Board of Parole and Probation, after the condemned has served at least 15 years of the sentence, is also made. The death penalty can still be imposed if a murderer, under sentence of life im prisonment, commits another murder while imprisoned. ARGUMENTS FOR: 1. Many prison wardens and students of penology feel that the death penalty does not deter murder.. 2. No jury or witness is infallible and an innocent person may be executed. Juries are often reluctant to bring in a verdict of first degree murder because of the death penalty. 3. The proposed amendment would remove, from the gover nor, the burden of the final decision for life or death for an individual convicted of first degree murder. ' ARGUMENTS AGAINST: 1. It is believed by many that the fear of the death penalty is a decided deterrent to murder. 2. Certain criminals can never be rehabilitated and therefore are a menace to society and a burden to the taxpayer. 3. As an elected official, a governor is merely carrying out the requirements of the Oregon Constitution. Financing Urban Redevelopment Projects (5) PURPOSE: To amend the Constitution of the State of Oregon by cre ating a new section to be added to and made a part of Ar ticle IX. EXPLANATION: This amendment allows the amount of increase in the property tax produced to 'be used to pay off the" costs of the redevelopment project instead of going into the general fund of the taxing district. ARGUMENTS FOR: 1. Substandard neighborhoods are costly to the community. Other taxpayers now pay the difference between the taxes collected from these neighborhoods and the cost in serv ices to them (such as police, fire, sewers, etc.). Renewal or redevelopment projects would increase valuation of prop erty. - 2. Passage of HJR 36 is necessary to allow the use of the ad ditional revenue received through the increase in valua tion resulting from redevelopment for payment of the debt incurred in carrying out the projects . 3. Existing tax revenues are protected during the payout pe riod. After the bonds are retired the increase will be add ed to the yearly revenues of the taxing body concerned. ARGUMENTS AGAINST: 1. Properties of high valuation invariably assume a larger portion of the tax load than those of lower valuation. There is no actual assurance of increased revenue. 2. This provision for using tax monies is discriminatory be cause it does not allow other taxing districts to use the same method of debt payment. : 3. Projects, such as redevelopment, should be financed through the taxing district's budget. Modifying County Debt Limitation (6) PURPOSE: To amend Section 10, Article XI of the Constitution of the State of Oregon. EXPLANATION: Section 10 now limits county bonded indebtedness to $5,000 except to repel invasion, suppress' insurrection or to maintain permanent roads. Passage of this amendment auto matically puts into effect House Bill 530, enacted by the 1957 Legislature, which provides that the aggregate bonded in debtedness of any county shall not exceed 2 per cent of the true cash value of the taxable property in the county. At pres ent, Section 10 sets a limitation of 6 per cent of county as sessed valuation for road bonds, and makes no provision for other bonding. Passage of the amendment -would require the Legislature to set forth the purposes for which counties could bond. - ... ARGUMENTS FOR: 1. It is unfair to allow a county to bond only for purposes of invasion, insurrection or to maintain roads. Counties need the ability to bond for necessary capital improvements (sewers, court house, etc.). With passage of this amend ment the Legislature would set forth the purposes for which bonding would be allowed. At present, capital im provement must be provided from the operating budget. Counties with small budgets are seriously hampered by this. . . : , 2. House Bill 530 provides for the use of true cash value as the basis for bonding limitation. This means that all county bonding would be treated equitably in spite of assessment practices which are not uniform. ARGUMENTS AGAINST: 1. This amendment is unnecessary because the Constitution already provides adequate methods whereby counties may obtain funds over and above their budgets. 2. Two per cent of true cash value is higher than the 6 per cent of assessed valuation presently allowed in Section 10, Article XI of the Oregon Constitution as a limitation on bonds incurred by counties for permanent roads. This makes the bonding limit too high. Special Grand Jury Bill (7) " PURPOSE: To repeal Section 18, Article VII (Original) of the Consti tution of the State of Oregon, and to amend Section 5, Article VII (Amended). EXPLANATION:. This amendment has two purposes:" 1. To eliminate duplicating sections of the Constitution, cre ated by error in 1927, and to place all references to juries in one section of the Constitution;" and 2. To make it possible to have two grand juries called in one county at the same time. ARGUMENTS FOR: 1. It is, in part, a "housekeeping" measure to eliminate "dead wood" in the Constitution and make it more sensible. During the recent vice investigations in Multnomah coun ty the regular grand jury was so occupied with one series of events, it lacked time to process routine criminal cases, thus in effect denying accused persons of their right to a speedy trial. This amendment will make it possible for two grand juries to be called under extraordinary circumstances. ARGUMENTS AGAINST: No adverse arguments have been made known. Authorizing Different Use of State Institutions (8) PURPOSE: To amend the constitution of the State of Oregon, repeal ing Sections 1 and 3, Article XIV of the Constitution of Ore gon and substituting sections relating to institutions outside Marion County have to be ratified by a vote of the people. The Legislature can now provide such changes for institu tions inside Marion County without going to ihe people. ARGUMENTS FOR: This would allow the Legislature to determine the use or function or discontinuance of an institution "located outside Marion County, so that when the needs change, proper action could be taken. . ARGUMENTS AGAINST: There teems to bi no organization opposition-to this measure. Temporary Appointment and Assignment Of Judges (9) PURPOSE: To amend the Constitution of the State of Oregon by add ing a new section to be made a part of Article VII. This amendment authorizes the Supreme Court to appoint tempo rary judges to the Supreme Court and lower courts and to assign lower court judges to serve temporarily outside of the district for which they were elected. EXPLANATION: If this amendment is passed., the Supreme Court may ap point retired judges or judges of the lower courts as tempo rary members of the Supreme Court; appoint members of the bar as temporary judges in courts inferior to the Supreme Court; and assign judges of inferior courts to serve tempora rily outside the districts for which they were elected. Any judge or member of the bar so appointed or assigned would have all the judicial powers and duties of a regularly elected judge of the court to which he is assigned or appointed. ARGUMENTS FOR: 1. The Supreme Court docket appears to be about three years behind schedule. Additional judicial help is imperative to relieve the crowded court dockets, or "Justice delayed is justice denied." - 2. Some circuit and district judges carry a light work load. Allowing them to serve temporarily outside their own dis trict would enable the districts with a crowded docket to keep abreast of their calendars. ARGUMENTS AGAINST: 1. There is a need to increase the membership of the Oregon Supreme Court. The solution of the problem should be per manent, not temporary. In the long run permanent judges would be a better solution than a shifting bench of tempo rary members. ' , 2. Some states require opinions only when a lower court is reversed. This is not permissible in Oregon. The number of opinions required of the Oregon Supreme Court should be limited so less work would be required. Temporary appointments are not the solution. . State Power Development (10) PURPOSE: To amend Section 2, Article XI-D of the Constitution of the State of Oregon. Empowers the state to acquire and de velop water, thermal and nuclear power generating facilities. State may develop electrical energy for transmission and sale on wholesale basis or directly to industries using 10,000 kilowatts or more. EXPLANATION: Article XI-D now enables the state of control and develop its hydrolectric power resources. This amendment authorizes the Legislature to do all things necessary to carry, out the provisions of Article XI-D. It is a bipartisan sponsored at tempt to reach agreement on how the state is to get into the power business. It would allow the state to buy electric ener gy from the Federal Government but avoid competition, in retail sales, with private power companies and Public Utili ties Districts. - . . The preference clause in the Bonneville Power Act speci fies that federally-generated hydro power be sold first to "public bodies," such as cooperatives and gpvernment-owned agencies. Because the state of Washington has many systems which have such priority, and Oregon depends chiefly upon private distribution, the bulk of federally-produced power is not now available to Oregon. ARGUMENTS FOR: 1. Oregon could obtain more Federal power or could gene rate power through its own state agency. 2. Direct sales of electricity to large users would make cheap er power available to industry. 3. Since the state would be prohibited from retail selling, competition with private power would be avoided.' ARGUMENTS AGAINST: 1. The state should not enter the power field. 2. Sizable users would be made favored customers at the ex pense of the ordinary consumer. 3. Limitation of power sales to the wholesale level unduly restricts tne state in the field of electrical energy. County Home Rule Amendment (11) PURPOSE: To repeal section 9a, Article VI of the Constitution of the State of Oregon and to amend the Constitution of the State of Oregon by creating a new section to be added to and made part of Article VI. . EXPLANATION: Passage of this amendment would authorize the legisla ture to set up a method whereby the voters in any county may adopt a charter to provide for the exercise of authority over matters of county concern. Initiative and referendum powers also are reserved to the legal voters of counties adopt ing charters. Section 9a, which would be repealed, now pro vides for the county manager form of government. Charter adoption is not obligatory, but any charter adopt ed must prescribe the organization of the county government. and provide for the number, election or appointment, qualifi cations, tenure, compensation, powers and duties of such offi cers as are deemed necessary. The charter may not affect judges m their judicial capacity, justices of the peace nor district attorneys. ARGUMENTS FOR: 1. Oregon's county government was developed 100 years ago for a rural economy and is not flexible enough to meet the demands of today. All counties should not be forced to operate under the same form, for counties of small popu lation do not need the same kind of government as large counties which are both rural and urban. 2. County government is largely a matter of administration and the present form lacks any clear focal point of respon sibility. County commissioners have little control over other elected officials. The increased duties required of counties by the state and federal governments point up the weakness of the present form. Oregon cities under home rule charters can determine their form of govern ment and municipal functions. Counties should have the same privilege. Adoption of a charter would give a county freedom to handle its own affairs and thus remove a heavy burden from the legislature. 3. Local governments should be .competent to determine their own needs. Voters should have the right to select locally what structure their county needs, what powers it should have and what officials it requires. 4. Many county officials feel that the rigidity of the present , form of county government prevents conscientious officials from handling county problems and forces them to go to the state or fe'deral government for, solutions. Such cen tralization is undesirable. Reorganization of county gov ernment would enable counties to concentrate responsibil ity, operate more efficiently, and give services at lower cost. ARGUMENTS AGAINST: 1. Counties exist only as creatures of the state and have no need of powers such as cities utilize. 2. County functions are not sufficiently interralted to bene fit by change of structure. The present form works satis factorily. It is up to the voters to see that qualified people . are elected. 3. Many people believe that voters do not know enough about county government needs to make a wise choice in select ing a new kind of government. They look to the state for guidance. 4. The fundamental factors of county reform are not the legal barriers. County officials do not want, or are indif ferent to, organizational change. They prefer to utilize legislative action in order to avoid assuming responsibility. Discontinuing Certain State Tuberculosis Hospitals (12) PURPOSE: To permit the Board of Control (Governor, Secretary of State and State Treasurer), to discontinue using Eastern Ore gon or University State Tuberculosis hospitals in whole or in part as tuberculosis hospitals. The board could designate the use of the property for any other state institution or agency. EXPLANATION: . Modern medicine has reduced the number of cases of tuberculosis and has changed the type of care necessary in many cases. Oregon has had 40 per cent fewer patienti in its tuberculosis hospitals in the last three years, and there are many empty beds. Experts agree that we no longer need use of one of our three tuberculosis hospitals for that purpose as long as tuberculosis continues to be controlled and cared for through out-patient service. ARGUMENTS FOR: Since many of the beds in our tuberculosis hospitals are empty it is only reasonable to consolidate patients and allow the extra hospital to be used for some other more urgent need. ARGUMENTS AGAINST: The Attorney General of Oregon has delivered an opinion that this bill would be unconstitutional if passed. The opin ion is based on Section 3, Article XIV of the Oregon Consti tution which provides that "the change of use of an institu tion outside of Marion County must be a legislative act rati fied by the electors." The Attorney General believes that such authorization may not be delegated to the Board of Control. But note that passage of the constitutional amendment to be voted on (see below) would eliminate this objection. Persons Eligible to Serve in Legislature (13) PURPOSE: To amend Artivle XV of the Constitution of the State of Oregon by adding a dew section. This initiative petition amends the Oregon Constitution to permit employees or mem bers of a schbol board or the Board of Higher Education to serve as members of the Legislature. EXPLANATION: If this amendment is passed, employees or members of a school board or of the Board of Higher Education may serve as members of the Legislature without resigning from school employment. At present a teacher may serve in the Legisla ture if he takes leave of absence from his school duties. To reenter the teaching profession he must resign from the Leg islature and so cannot serve on interim committees, etc. This is because a teacher as an employee of a school board, is an employee of the administrative branch of the state govern ment. As a legislator he is an employee of the legislative branch. The constitution provides that no person can work for two branches of the state government. At present, school board members, members of the Board of Higher Education, and employees must also resign their positions if they serve in the Legislature. . ARGUMENTS FOR: 1. The state loses the service of teachers on interim commit tees since they have to resign from the Legislature in order to go back to teaching when the session is over. 2. It is unfair that teachers have to resign and thus forfeit half their legislative salary. They do the same work for half the pay of other legislators at a session. 3. It is detrimental to the welfare of the state to deny public school employees, school board members and employees of the state system of high education full citizenship rights. ARGUMENTS AGAINST: 1. Traditional safeguards of separation of powers in govern ment will be lost if the same people can serve in both legislative and administrative branches of the government. 2. School employees would be subject to much conflict of in terest when voting on educational measures. 3. It is unfair to exempt school employees from this constitu tional provision and not give other administrative em- . ployees the same privilege. Honorary President Named for Society ' Cave Junction Amos Vor hees, owner and publisher of the Grants Pass Courier, was made honorary president of the Josephine County Histor ical society at a meeting in Kerby Wednesday night at the Masonic hall. Five directors named were Dr. A. N. Collman, chairman; Jack Sutton, John Valen, Mrs. Earl Boyd and Sherman Smith. The alternates. Harry Floyd, Don Barnes and Roy Wells were also named. The first meeting of the board will be Wednesday, Oct. 22, at Kerby. Vote For Scott Hamilton DEMOCRAT y FOR COUNTY JUDGE; WILL WORK FULL TIME FOR JACKSON COUNTY Adv. paid for by Jackson Coun ty Democratic Central Commit tee, James Redden, . Chmn., 2246 Aloha ave. . Gale Winds Wreck Boat, Freighter London (DPD Gale winds wrecked a Russian fishing boat , and a 3,041-ton Danish freighter off northern Britain early Friday, killing the Dan ish captain and perhaps - a number of others. At latest reports, the Soviet trawler SRT 4442 was break ing up on jagged rocks off the island of Unst in the Shet lands, north of Scotland. Brit ish rescue vessels had picked up three survivors, but 13 others were believed to . be still aboard ' the foundering ship. Radio reports said the cap tain of the trawler had or dered his men to remain aboard as long as there was a chance tne ooat mignt re main afloat. Three men, how ever, were found clinging to rocks on the tiny Julm of Scaw, an islet 500 yards off the coast of Unst. The Danish freighter Adler Svanholm went down in the North Sea about 70 miles off the English coast after spring ing a leak at the height of the storm. . Reports from the scene said the British trawler Trinidad had rescued the freighter's 25 crewmen and recovered the body of the captain, who ap parently had been washed overboard. 1 Learn how to make Fall bills disappear... Get money at iYLAHD'1 ...where it's almostfun to borrow money for Fall expenseslj Come to your nearby Pacific Industrial office "MONEY LAND" to thousands when YOU need money. Whether you need extra cash to meet back-to-school or ether Fall expenses ... to buy appliances, to take a trip, or to cut monthly payments . . . PF provides prompt, courteous, finan- cial help. Make Pacific Industrial YOUR "MONEYLANO" It's THE place to borrow money. Call today! i : l EXERCISING AUTHORITY Plainville, Conn.-(UPD-Dep-uty sheriff Charles O. Zetter gren, the father of three girls, served a "subpoena on his wife when she went to the hospital to have their fourth child. It warned she would be held in contempt if she didn't give birth to a boy. The sub poena was obeyed. . . NEW FINANCING PLAN! In addition to our personal loan service, we can now "finance (buy contracts on) most anything you want to buy on time - automobiles, furniture, appliances, etc Investigate competitive rates available before buying. ION OF PACIFIC f lAC 01 VISII 1 1)1 PACIFIC KIDUSTniAL It 1 2 60H4- is MONEYLAND 16 South Central Phone SP 3-5308 Jim 'Elbert, Manager ImmmmWmmmWmmmmWmmmmmmmmmmmmmWmmmmmmmmmmmmmZStmmt 'Parking yacilities Ample Off-Street Parking Available I Conger-zMorris vSES. J V O WEST MAIN AT SIXTH f "Your TV Weatherman" I . . KBES-TV Monday Through I ASHLAND MORTUARY TFriddSy5 45 P'm' I 4tH nd C Street1, Ashla"d itSSr-A Hill Member National Selected Morticians by Invitation JOaMMMBelilbb 1 I