Wife of Speaker of House Gives Spirited
Defense of Legislative Session's Record
(Editor's not: The fol
lowing article, discussing
the record and torn of lb
problems faced by the 50th
session of the Oregon legis
lature now nearing its dose
is by the wife and secretary
of Rep. Robert Duncan of
Mediord, speaker of the
house of representatives. It
is a vigorous, spirited and
intelligent reply to a recent
Mail Tribune editorial en
titled "Shilly-shally Ses
sion.f See editorial com-
I men! on page 4).
By MARIJANE DUNCAN
It is impossible to. ignore
the recent indictment of this
session of the Legislature in
the Mail Trib- prntmsw
u n e editorial f
column. When ;
one is as close
ly allied as I
with a work
a m w'i t h a
working group
that has been
designated as
r'shilly - ghal-
ly" by One fa- Marijane liancu
vorite editor, it becomes a
IV ?
matter for real personal con
cern. This is an understate
ment. To read such an indict
ment was something of a
shock.
Right here, in the middle of
things, with the operation pro
ceeding smoothly and the
session progresing more rap
idly and efficient than usual-
hearing comments on this
every day from the press, the
members of the House, and
visitors-it is difficult to de
tach oneself and attempt to
understand how such an ap
parently vigorous handling of
the problems facing our state
can be regarded (from afar, it
must be admitted!) as unreal
istic, uncaring and casual. Be
lieve me, none of these de
scriptive terms can be fairly
applied
It is true that some of the
"pet" measures of the afore
said editor have not received
the treatment he hoped for. I
am sure this is also true of
many another person's pet
legislation. Unfortunately, ev
erything cannot be arranged
to suit everybody.
But it is patently unfair to
lulled Treasure
by ($hfy,
9
Dewdrops Glass Highly
Prized by Victorians
An early type of the press- What firm first produced
ed glass patterns that is among-, t is not known, but it seems
the more valuable to collect- fairly well established that it
ori is what is known as the was manufactured over the
dewdrop with star design. two decades from 1860 to
Though use of the so-called 1880, and maybe longer. It
dewdrop-the name for a small, js known to have been both
pointed, diamond-shaped pro- popular and copied widely,
tuberance that also looks That can be told by the varia
somewhat like a hobnail head tion of the star's size in va--occurs
in a wide variety of rious pieces,
patterns, it is found in only ' ;t ?.
one, so far as I know, where found e fa size frQm
the obvious motif is a star um b ft fQUr incnes
The type of star used is and mQre
Only once have I seen a five-
As for the colors in" which
pointed star in the dewdrop 1S found-I have seen it in
design, and in that case there clear lass amber yellow,
was little question that the S"en and blue- Jt has als0
piece had been made on spe- been reported m amethyst,
cial order. 'The value is substantial in
Usually the star occupies a most forms, being fair even
conspicuous and central place, in what seems to be a late
In a plate, for example, it is 19th century copy. An 11-inch
found in the center. On the plate, with cover, and merely
side of a pitcher, or other in clear glass, brings from $35
large vessel, it is generally to $45. In color, the price
in the center of the largest for the same piece ranges
face. up to $65.
OLD FEDERAL RESERVE NOTES MAY BRING WINDFALL
The number of five- and
ten-dollar Federal Reserve
notes that pass through the
hands "of the average Ameri
can in the course of a year
must run into the hundreds.
Nonetheless, since most of
them are not easily come by
and also keep on running, it
is a shame not to get what
ever extra value there may
be in them.
It can be done, and the
a3y way to do it is to watch
your bills-for what it says
on them, as well as how they
are spent.
For example, if you come
across any $10 bills with a
light green seal-you find it
on the face-look at the series
number1. If it is of the 1934
series, and has the signatures
of W. A. Julian, Treasurer of
the U. S. and Henry Morgan
thau Jr., Secretary of the
Treasury, then it is worth
considerably more than the
face value-but from a collec
tor, not from "the Treasury.
If it is V bill by the Fed
eral Reserve of Chicago or
New York, it will be worth
up to $25. If the issuing bank
was Dallas, Minneapolis or
one of the smaller of the Fed
eral Reserve Districts, the
value ranges up to better than
$35, depending on condition.
Even if the seal is of a
dark green instead of a light
green, there is still . a prem
ium on the bill even though
it may amount to nearly $10
less.
As for the $5 Federal Re
serve note, while the premium
is usually still less, you might
as well have it. ,
Whether the series number
is 1934-A, -B, -C or -D, there
is still a premium, and even
if the signatures happen to,
be those of Georgia Neese
Clarke, as Treasurer, and
John W. Snyder as Secretary.
It may be as little as $5,
but that premium on a $5 bill
represents exactly 100 per
cent profit. ' .
DUELING PISTOLS MUST BE PERFECTLY ALIKE
compare this legislature in
the state of Oregon with that
which recently met in New
York. The two situations are
not analogous. In New York,
spending has been outstrip
ping income for some time. A
real fiscal emergency exist
ed. Taxes HAD to be raised
in New York. And, I might
add, they were raised by a
Governor who had NOT run
on an economy platform.
making impossible campaign
promises-and who was elect
ed overwhelmingly anyway!
Here in Oregon, on the oth
er hand, we have a governor
who was elected on a strict
economy platform, promising
NO NEW TAXES; and at the
same time the people of Ore
gon voted down every money
measure on the ballot. Can
this possibly be construed as
a mandate to the Legislature
to INCREASE services and
taxes?
Can't Ignore People
. Perhaps it is feasible and
even proper for ' editorial
writers to ignore the obvious
will of the people. It is not so
for those elected to represent
them. Besides, it is high time
the people of this state were
awakened to the fact that if
they want Oregon to continue
as a high level service state
they must be willing to pay
the price! How are we to stir
them to realization, except
perhaps by cutting where it
hurts?
This is why Rep. Grace
Peck said on the floor of the
House one morning recently,
"Whenever I get a chance to
vote for a referral to the peo
ple, I'll vote for it, no matter
what the bill is. It's time the
people of Oregon woke up
and began to realize that good
government costs money! She
received quite an ovation
from her fellow representa
tives, too!
Now that THAT is said,
let's get down to specifics,
The welfare question, for in
stance. It is true that the Leg
islature did not give the Wel
fare commission all the emer
gency funds asked (this was
not part of the regular budg
et, you understand, but was
over and above the amount
appropriated by the 1957 Leg
islature). It is also true that
Governor Hatfield, faced with
this emergency, recommend
ed only $900,000 rather than
the $1,200,000 finally granted
by the Ways and Means com
mittee. '
No Casual Cut
There are those, indeed,
who would make across-the-board
cuts in welfare, as well
as in many other state agen
cies. I can assure you that this
particular cutting was not
done so casually or thought
lessly as that. Many hours
were spent and many brows
were furrowed before the fig
ure of $1,200,000 was reach
ed. And I might explain here
that ADC, far from being cut
back, was the major reason
for the large increase in de
mands on funds.
So many of these decisions
must be compromised. Who is
to say whether one compro
mise is any worse-or better-
than another;? Some can be
counted in people very ob
viously affected - some not.
This is one that can. It is not
a happy thing to have to do
nor is it pleasant to have to
look at the waiting list for
Fairview and say "We cannot
meet this problem totally
right now. We must solve it
step by step."
As for Fairviewi I categori
cally deny, as will anyone ac
quainted with the men and
women who are working on
this particular budget, that
the desperate needs of this in
stitution are being ignored.
The planning for Fairview
proposes a whittling-down of
the altogether-too-large wait
ing list of over 500 to around
100 in the next biennium.
These buildings cannot be
planned and built overnight.
But something IS being done
in this session for the unfor
tunates at Fairview home.
Certainly all the needed
buildings will not be built at
our colleges in the next year
or two. Governor Hatfield
recommended some higher
education building-not nearly
enough. He recommended this
on a "pay-as-you-go"- basis.
The Legislature, I am confi
dent, will combine the "pay
as - y o u - go" philosophy of
meeting the buildings needs
of higher education with a
bonding program - providing
for our future students-and
providing, also, that they and
their generation have a share
in paying for the classrooms
in which they will get their
college educations. This is not
ideal-neither is a tremendous
increase in our present bur
den of taxation ideal. Some
times one must make" a choice
between two less than ideal
solutions to any given prob
lem. ;
School Support Problem
In the case of Basic School
Support-the choice is not so
clear. There is a problem of
where the money shall be got-ten-from
property, as has
been traditionally or from
income? There is a question
of distribution; it is easy to
say "all agree that it should
be on a flat grant basis." This
is not quite accurate. Certain
ly, all those who are DETER
MINED that the state shall
NOW increase its share of
school aid agree that to accept
the flat grant provision is the
better part of valor. N
It is not true that those who
must find the money, here at
the state level, then deter
mine the most equitable meth
od of distribution, agree that
flat grants are the right ap
proach. Some feel that, in the
light of the rather substantial
increase in state aid made
during the 1959 regular and
special sessions, and in the
light of the subsequent dis
content with the distribution
formula, it is best that the
state take it slowly right now
and study the whole problem
of school financing during the
interim before the next legis
lative session. Perhaps they
are wrong. They do not think
so.
Legislators Human ,
It is a kind of sophistry Ao
accuse this session of fritter
ing away time in such pur
suits as subpoenaing edito
rial writers, in personal ven
dettas, and such nonsense.
True, each session sees some
foolish waste of time on the
part of some members. The
Representatives and Senators
up here are only human be
ings, with all the frailties
thereof.
But any newspaper man
ought to be cognizant "of the
over emphasis of the press on
such "sensational" stuff. The
amount of time spent on these
things that make such . en
grossing front-page reading is
negligible. But who wants to
read long-winded accounts of
long and tiresome committee
hearings that go on for hour
after hour, sometimes until
midnight (of what has been,
for the members of that com
mitte, a terribly arduous
day)? Who, indeed? ANY
BODY would rather read of
a Senator's diatribe (which
may have taken all of ten
minutes of the morning ses
sion) on the possible ineffi
ciency and corruption of the
Oregon State police. (That
this particular accusation was
disproven and dropped was a
relief to all of us.)
Day in Court
True, such personal "gripes"
often find their way into bill
form and then necessarily
take up valuable committee
time, before being mercifully
laid to rest. But who can deny
the citizen, be he representa
tive, or just "Joe Doakes,"
his day in court? Besides,
some day there might be
something "REALLY" wrong
in some state agency. Some
day it may not be a case of
somebody crying "wolf." Now
and then an investigation by
our lawmakers really is in
order.
Finally, let us discuss par
tisanship in the 50th Legisla
tive Assembly. Certainly
there has been some. After
all, these people were elect
ed on the ticket of one or the
other major parties. They,
again being human, cannot
entirely put this aside and be
come magically objective and
non-partisan upon taking a
seat in the House or. Senate.
Most of them are quite proud
of their party affiliation. I am
not at all convinced that this
is a reprehensible thing.
The members of each party
gather together, under then
particular banner, regularly.
These meetings are popularly
termed "caucuses." I am
aware that this term received
very unfavorable connotation
during the last campaign in
Jackson county; nevertheless,
both major parties so meet,
both on the state and national
level, and have been so meet
ing for years.
Sometimes Differ
Sometimes, during these
meetings, agrement is reached
on a more or less unanimous
basis. The result is a more or
less "party line" vote on some
issues. Other time, some mem
bers find they must go their
separate ways they cannot
accept the view of the major
ity of their party on this par
ticular issue. This, I suppose,
might be termed by some un
thinking person as "intra-par
ty." strife. Perhaps it is, tech
nically. But it seems to me a
vitally important principle in
the democratic conduct of any
organized or unorganized
group that members express
their ideas freely and make
up their minds independently.
It is true, however, that
when there is a very , close
split between the parties,
such as presently exists in the
House of Representatives,
such a democratic concept
sometimes looks very much
like indecisiveness and ' inac
tion, when translated into
votes on the floor. This is un
fortunate. It is to be hoped
that, in the future, whichever
party controls the House will
have what is known as a
"working m a j o r i t y." The
Democrats do not have one
in this session.
Tax Problem
It must be admitted that
one of the stated aims of this
session of the Legislature was
to "keep taxes down." Many
people1 think this is absolutely
essential-that in Oregon our
taxes ase excessively right
now. I am not sure this is so. I
think it is, rather, a .question
of "for what shall be spend
our hard - earned dollars?"
Personally, I would rather
spend mine on an excellent
educational system and build
ings for higher education
than almost anything.
Not everybody feels the
same way, I am sure. There
are farmers who feel that
more money should be spent
in the field of agriculture.
There are doctors who feel
that more money should go to
public health programs and
medical research. There are
lots of people who are terri
bly concerned that we are not
keeping up with our institu
tional programs. And there
are other people who just
want to put away a dollar or
two for a rainy day.
People Should Decide
The Legislature can, I sup
pose, force these citizens into
coughing up more taxes for
schools or whatever. I think
it would be better if people
decided for themselves just
what is the best possible in
vestment they can make, both
for themselves, and for, com
ing generations. An idealistic
view, certainly. I think it is
not unattainable. I think peo
ple can be convinced and
should be convinced that it
might hurt them a lot more
NOT to pay taxes, over thej
long haul. But-how?.
Would it not be helpful lor
some editorial writers, instead
of giving legislator's "what
for" for reflecting in their
conduct the obvious will of
their constituents, to attempt
to change public opinion to a
more constructive view of
taxation and the many vital
needs that MUST BE MET
BY THEM through their rep
resentatives? There are truly
too many people who are un-aware-and
too many who are
uninformed-and, unfortunate
ly, too many who do not care..
We Know. We get letters
from all of them.
I believe many constructive
and worthwhile things will
come out of this session of the
Legislature. Just the other
day the House passed a com
plete revision of Oregon's ju
venile code, something that is
long overdue. Congress has
been memorialized to provide
more federal aid to educa
tion. Great steps forward
have been made in the hither
to untouched field of migra
tory workers' living and
working conditions. A bill is
proposed which will be sub
mitted to the people to give
Oregon the ability, so long
lacking, to buy public power
at low rates for resale within
our state, thus insuring that
Washington Will not gobble
up Oregon's share of Bonne
ville power in the years
ahead.
, Perhaps these do not seem
as important to many as rais
ing Basic School Support this
session-to others, they seem
overwhelmingly important to
the whole future well-being
of our state. Values are rela
tive. One person gets all fired
up about one thing, another
something else. We cannot all
see with the same eyes.. But it
is well to remember, especial
ly when considering the myr
iad and complex ' decisions
facing your legislators every
two years, that there is anoth
er side to every coin.
MAIL TRIBUNE, Medford, Oregon, Sunday, April 19, ,1959 5
LEFT AT THE POST
Hartsville, Ind. -UPD- Fire
Chief William Riley com
plained Friday that emergen
cy volunteer firemen as
signed to assist the regular
fire department are altogeth
er too eager in their work.
On occasion, Riley said, the
"irregulars" have taken off
on the fire truck before the
regulars arrived, and haven't
even left word where the
fire is.
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Traditionally dueling pistols
have always come in pairs and
are as nearly matched as the
gun-maker could get them.
They had to be, otherwise the
affair would be held up pend
ing an equalization of the
weapons.
So, since the pair of flint
locks I was looking at appear
ed perfectly matched in every
respect, I naturally assumed
that they were dueling pistols.
.' "Not so," said the owner,
"They would do, of course,
but to be dueling pistols they
would have to have a case,
and these never had."
He was quite right. An
other distinguishing point
about dueling pistols is that
they were kept in a case spe
cially made for that purpose.
There was no point in allow
ing them to be exposed to
settling dust while they lay
around waiting for the morn
ing when it would be pistols
for two and coffee for one
so there was no need for a
box. not for holsters.
How the owner knew the
pistols had never been cased
was that they had been in
his family since their manu
facture in the late 1770 s. They
had been made to carry in
holsters. The order had been
executed by a Pennsylvania
maker of the so-called Ken
tucky rifles.
Because they were made for
a Revolutionary officer and
the maker justly . feared re
prisals by the British, he did
not place his maker's mark
on the weapons. Except for
that, they were made with all
the care and skill that went
into the rifles of the time.
They were .42 caliber, sin
gle shot (there were flintlock
revolvers, by th? way), silver
mounted weapons with eight
inch rifled barrels. The lock
plates were engraved, and in
addition to a monogramed sil
ver plate in the but there
was also a silver reversed
swastika which then ranked
high as a good luck charm.
The value of the pair, ac
cording to an appraisal for
insurance purposes, was $1,400
- a higher valuation than
would be generally, placed on
two Kentucky rifles-and just
ly so since the Kentucky pis
tols are rarer.
(Released by McClure
Newspaper Syndicate)
SINGLE 45's
Group A 1 for $1.00
Group B 3 for $1.00
Group C "S for $1.00
EP ALBUMS
Reg. $1.29 Now 79c
Reg. $2.49 Now $1.49
LP ALBUMS
Reg. $1.98 ' Now 99c
Reg. $3.98 Now $2.47
Reg. $4.98 Now $3.19
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