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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (April 2, 1963)
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON TUESDAY. APRIL . 1M1 Oregon's Traditions Retained In Constitutional Revision (This is the eighth in series of articles about the revised Constitution pro posed by the Oregon Con stitution Revision Commis sion. The articles were written by Hans A. Linde. professor of constitutional law at the University of Oregon and a member of the Commission.) In public discussion of the revised Constitution, atten tion has naturally focused on the major branches of govern ment described in the preced- ing columns. Proposals for change are news; decisions against change are not. Yet familiar features continued from the present Oregon Constitution are among the most import ant in the revised Constitu tion. Oregon has a trajiilion o' strong local government, of voter control over taxes, and of direct popular legislation. All are preserved in the re vised ConstUtitfon. Popular Control The "OregojiSvm" of the initiative and referral of legislation, which won Ore gon national recognition 60 years ago, is changed only slightly in the revised Consti tution. The number of signa tures needed on initiative and referendum petitions is now based on the votes cast in an election for Supreme Court justices. With a change in ju dicial elections, the vote for governor makes a better and more stable base, and the per centages of signatures needed were adjusted for this new base. To discourage unneces sary future efforts to "freeze" in the slimmed-down new constitution pet projects that could be placed in the stat utes, initiative constitutional amendments will reauire a somewhat higher number oP: signatures. Provisions for the re.UI of elected public officials are also continued. Fiscal needs are the great est problem facing all state and local governments, and many people believe that leg islators should squarely be given full responsibility for tax laws. Nevertheless, the Constitutional Revision Com mission decided to continue the Oregon tradition unique in the nation by which tax laws cannot be placed beyond the referendum power of the people. This power places on Oregon voters a great respon sibility for self-restraint, if the state is to avoid fiscal chaos. oRetains Limitation Likewise, the revised Con stitution retains, the "six per cent limitation" on increases in local taxation- without spe cial approval by the voters. Home rule for cities and for counties is continued from the present Constitution. A controversial issue was the earmarking of gasoline and related taxes for highway purposes, another principle originated in Oregon long ago. Earmarking of revenues for special purposes is g9i erally undcftrable, and the Commission first voted to move it to the statutes. But in the end the highway lax provision was reinstated in the revised Constitution. Provisions for state control over beaches and water pow t?r, and Q(or people's utility districts, were retained. Thus, when it completed its task, the Commission felt able to report that "the Revised Constitution does not deprive any political, economic so cial group oi any right, privi lege or possible advantage which that group may have under the existing Consti tution." Statutory Material One reason for constitution al revision is the accumula tion in the present Constitu- j tion of scores of sections and I thousands of words that do j not properly belong' in a con : stitution but in statutory law. ! In part this has been neces sary because ui ttwkw$ 'd l limitations in the old Consti tution. For instance, each state bond issue for veter ans' housing oans, for college dormitories, for reforestation has had to be spelled out in all its wordy details in a con stitutional amendment. In part, also, initiative con stitutional amendments have been used to circumvent leg islative responsibility as, for instance, by putting liquor-by-the-drink into the Bill of Rights. Continued as Statutes In removing such material from the present Constitution into the Oregon Revised Sta tutes, the Commission did not undertake to pass on the wis dom or desirability of the policies involved. It accom plished this aspect of revision in a novel and ingenious manner. Ontario Republican Returns to Senate Salem - flJPD - Sen. Anthony Yturri (R-Ontario) returned to the Senate Monday. The Senate minority leader spent the past week in a Portland hospital for observa tion after a dizzy spell earlier blamed on fatigue. He was in good spirits to day and was warmly greeted by his colleagues. Beginner-Ess? I ' 10-16 Article XIV of the revised Constitution is a compilation of present constitutional pro visions that are to be contin ued as statutes. They include details of election laws, legis lative procedures, the death penalty, liquor-by-the-glass all without substantive change. Upon adoption of the re vised Constitution they will automatically become sta tutes, without need of re enactment. When these for mer constitutional sections have been codified in the Oregon Revised Statutes, Article XIV by its own terms ceases to be a part of the re vised Constitution. As a result, the revised Constitution has pared down the 22.000 words in the pres ent 237 sections to a trim 127 sections of 9,644 words per haps the shortest among the states. The revised Constitu tion deals with fundamentals of government, and with the protection of basic individual rights and popular control over authority. (Next: Can Oragon adopt the revised Conilitution?) TRACTORS TO BCD Trenton, N.J. - (uTD - The Senate passed a bill Monday to put farm tractors to bed with the chickens. The bill said tractors shouldn't be driven on public roads be tween sunset and sunrise be cause such machines are not subject to the night driving equipment inspection require ments of normal motor vehicles. fluoridation Proposal Approved of Sheridan Sheridan - (OTD - A proposal to purchase fluoridation equipment for the city's water system was approved Monday night by the Sheridan city council. No date for its installation was set. A 7 Cemerino, Ii aly-OT-A light earth tremor shook this city Monday for the 13th time in eight days. No damage or in juries were reported. At iut i a Kataut, iinaaWaii wjr to help bmk aaMktasT kakit Omt -aSSV taste, iftlj sMdkateft fSMSto bip ntuty tow ajajfaraW cnrXmj. At dray Here's a way for everybody to invite everybody to Oregon this year: (GOVERNOR HATFIELD HAS DESIGNATED APRIL 16th AS THE DAY WE DO IT) 9347 Easiest ever! Just 3 main pattern parts to summer's most popular basic. No waist seams - cinch it with a string tie. Choose bateau or square neck - cotton knit, linen. Printed Pattern 9347: Teen Sizes, 10, 12, 14, 16. Size 12 takes 2 58 yards 39-inch. FIFTY CENT in coins for this pattern - arid 15 cents for each pattern for first - class mailing and special handling. Send to Marian Martin, Med ford Mail Tribune, Pattern Dept., 232 West 18th St., New York 11, N.Y. Print plainly NAME, ADDRESS with S1Z and STYLE NUMBER. FREE OFFER Coupon in Spring Pattefti Catalog for one pattern free - anyonPyou choose from 300 design ideas. Send 50c now for Catalog. -er 86 PROuF . ECHO SPRING DIST. CO., LOUISVILLE. KY. ; rE. wmm s BOURBON Fj years old The success of the "Ages" b SA80 ' Fifth I3O5 P.nt SAY IT AGAIN, MIH ANO AWN! fc'XU'Si Spring, 1963 Dear It's rooking chair season, the time when lots of people dream and plan their 1963 vacations. So because I know you'd enjoy it I want to put in a plug for n?y state Oregon. As usual, the roses are growing into Paul Bunyan giants fo che Rose Festival this year (and you can time your visit for any of more than 200 or so county fairs and community events). Now, let's examine some of the reasons most Oregonians (like me) think you ' U be wild, about Oregon, too. "It's tne tyianTj." Will, ,we nave a breathtaking Column of bi mountains rcrcfcing from north to south down the spine of this big stat (lik Mt. Hood in July, you can snow-Ski or her slojtes or vtter-(Li sneterby!). W nswe cathedral forests (vttt're Africa's grejitelst tauter arocXicer) , Cramer LefcB, hundreds of milels af saectacuJ&r and fis from vlietof. lends , -p .plus beiacWsK, JiMtting, grazing lamtis , rittsr valleys breathtakingly blu seaoeast to drive alone waterways, lush orchards. ghost tcvns you name it! 'it's thg thiiwa to wan and io." Fr tlm nihele family. Fishing , f beyaati yaiy- wildest dre&is deiaa sm. surf, lake or streap! SIf, iorsiiitos riding, tennis, hiking, canning, swimming;. ... ?n "75 r.VUpi oba.ffl.ikB. wild life ta stud? or JK-Zf C&T&it&X tlt. abKN rlsvi jjjstt rck MLt, W ' T e got elkcW roam! O I i o "It's t. clikt." foet JMkre you go in Oreso, the vMttw'o stat t" jtst Mtskk ami v5 men ytr 'roun. (Tteat's why we coined 9 ti yjra, '"gk? lrt bJs flt fct- You All Year 'Round In Oregon." zl en. Ck lsaak tkiias Itkawt our votiosland: almost anywhere you go, o t.M Mftitt srJ ftit and r9w, and you're never far away from a trile.r.t, resort, inn, luxury hotel or motel whatever a your fs0$ yrefpr'soor yoir budget dictates. (Plus the more thn 250 state parks and Forest Service camps.) af3 ? th v, for tejsjpiPirjs stsclof travel folders to helpypu plan your vacation, just write the Travel Division, State Highway Department, Salem, Oregon, or any of our Chambers:of Commerce ... See you soon? Yours, for better vacations. A WILD-AB0UT-0REGON 0REG0NIAN Joesntgthe letter above make you feel glad to be an Oregonian? Well, if it does, you're invited to join all of us Pacific Northwest Bell phone folk in a project to tell the world about Oregon! Here's the scoop: On April 16, each of us 5,700 or so Pacific Northwest Bell employees in Oregon will mail a copy of the letter above to at least three of his or her out-of-state business associates, friends, or relatives! Why? If only one-fourth of these 17,100 invi tations "take," there will be more than 4,000 extra families coming to our state this year. And according to tourism experts, the thousands of dollars these happy visitors will bring will boost our state's economy mightily. (Just think, we did it all with our little ballpoint pens!) Where do you come in? Right here and thank you for asking. Eiitially, we viewed this come-see-Oregon letter drive as just a project for us phone folk. But Governor Mark Hatfield heard about it and was so intrigued with the idea that he suggested it be broadened to include every Oregonian! Governor Hatfield has designated April 16, 1963 as "OREGON-WELCOME-BY-MAIL-DAY"! If you'd like to help our state, we'd love to have you aboard! Here's what you do: Cut out the letter and address it to an out-of-state friend, relative, business associate or even enemy. Hold it until the April 16 mailing (everybody mails April 16 for bigger impact'). While you're waiting, mail the coupon below (or phone, write or drop in at your local telephone Business Office) and get more copies. Any number you wish, from one to one thousand (and these are neat, irresistible copies, printed on good bond paper). Then, address 'em all and flood the mails to out-of-state friends on the big day in April! (Note: If you think letter writing is out-of-style, feel free to invite yourout-of-state friends to Ore gon via long distance phone. We won't be mad.) With your help, there's no telling how many thousands of extra (and lucky) vacationists we can lure, or how much extra prosperity we can bring our state all in our altruistic role as hosts to the rest of the world. So get extra copies, address 'em to your out-of-state friends, get set for April 16 ant? Let's Tell The World About Oregon! The people of PACIFIC NORTHWEST BELL n Pacilic Northwest Bell 509 S.W. Oak Room 800, Lincoln Building Portland 4, Oregon We're ready to help. Please send copies of the letter. We promise faithfully to mail tham to out-of-state friends, business associates and relatives on April 16th. Name- AddreiO-City Zone State- Company Name (if a company project)
