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land for its farm. It would be proper, therefore, for the legislature to appropriate $10,000 for such a purpose. When this shall have been done, together with the abolition of free scholarships, the Agricultural college at Corvallis, like the State university at Eugene, will be able with frugal management to enjoy a prosperous existence, without being a perpetual pensioner upon the taxpayers of the State. And the great fact should be impressed upon the legislature that it will be compelled, sooner or later, to choose between the alternative of supporting no higher schools at all than our common schools by taxation of the people, or that the number of such high schools, supported by tax, will be indefinitely increased. The people of other sections of the State will argue, and with justice, too, if high institutions of learning are supported by the public treasury at Corvallis and Eugene City, that it is no more than just or proper that normal schools should be supported by the public treasury in other cities in different parts of the State. This latter course would open the door of the treasury to an unlimited expenditure of money for the support of an unlimited number of indifferent schools. The safe course to pursue is the just course. No general tax should be levied for the support of any school but those of general henefit.

The fear that the State, which is now in possession of the Agricultural college building and grounds, may lose such possession is entirely without foundation. By authority of law the Governor has accepted the college buildings and grounds for and in behalf of the State, and as such property is under State control, and in the peaceable possession of the State by virtue of deeds of title and possession, no suit can be maintained against the State in regard to it, because, as no subject or officer of the sovereign can command the sovereign, so no court can have the jurisdiction (which word implies superiority of power) over the State requisite to oust the State from such possession. As no provision has been made by general law for bringing suit against the State, as might have been permitted under our State constitution, any party aggrieved by the State's possession of the Agricultural college will be compelled to appeal, as every other party having claims against the State must, to the legislature in order to persuade the sovereign to do that which no subject. or officer of the State has power to compel it to do. If there be any justice in their demand the legislature should grant it; if there be none, it should deny it.

ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW.

The Constitution of the State of Oregon requires of the Governor

that "he shall take care that the laws are faithfully executed," and yet there is no statute of the State giving him any authority whatever to carry out this constitutional provision, to do which he gives his solemn oath. The law has conferred upon him no authority over the sheriffs of counties or prosecuting attorneys of the State, or any other civil officers, and consequently in case of a palpable infraction of law, the Governor, as an officer, is absolutely powerless to enforce that constitutional mandate which requires him to see that the laws are faithfully executed. During the past two years positive information was imparted to the Governor at different times that the fish laws of the State were being wantonly violated, and as he could exercise by law no authority over the fish commissioners, the only recourse left for him was to proceed as any private citizen could, and not as the chief executive officer should, in securing the arrest and punishment of the offenders. Provision ould be made by law by which authority should be conferred upon the Governor, in case of the violation of any State law affecting public interests, to employ a person who can ascertain the fact of such violation, and thereupon commence as, public prosecuting witness, proceedings in the courts for the enforcement of the laws of the State.

THE EXCLUSION LAW.

The people of the commonwealth of Oregon, as well as the people of the whole country, have great cause for congratulation over the passage of the Chinese Exclusion act by the Fiftieth Federal Congress. A joint memorial of both houses of the Oregon Legislature should be presented to Congress praying for adequate appropriations and additional legislation if necessary in order to secure the rigid enforcement of the law along our frontier borders. A strong, patriotic public sentiment should also be evoked, sufficient in force and purpose to secure for the exclusion law that proper respect from the federal courts which they did not accord to the restriction law. A joint memorial to Congress would also be proper, asking for the enactment of a law making other evidence than Chinese testimony necessary to substantiate any fact in the federal courts. Such a law would, to a very great extent, prevent the alien Chinese from using such courts as an instrument through which they could, by their easy and uniform habits of perjury, both evade and defy the laws of the land.

BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS.

Thoughtful persons of all political parties cannot view but with deep concern, the increasing systematic bribery of voters at nearly all of our general elections. It is one of the most dangerous portents of the times and one of the most formidable menaces to the perpetuity of our free government. Our statute laws now hold both the bribe giver and the bribe taker as equally guilty. This is wrong. The great crime is the crime of the bribe giver, and the poor man who, impelled perhaps by the necessities of his family, accepts the bribe, ought rather to be pitied than punished. It is therefore recommended that section 1844 of the laws of Oregon be repealed, which section provides for the punishment of those who accept bribes, for the reason that with this unjust menace removed, the punishment of the bribe giver will be rendered more easy and certain.

ELECTION OF UNITED STATES SENATOR.

No more important duty devolves upon the present Legislature than the election of an United States Senator. It is a fact, patent and confessed, which fact is the shame of our country and the scandal of the civilized world, that corporate power dominates the Federal Senate. The great masses of the people of Oregon of all political parties are opposed to such domination. The Legislature, therefore, should take extreme care that in the election of a Senator it shall reflect the wishes of the people and not the behest of corpor

ations.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

1st. The levying of a one-mill tax for two years for the building of a State portage railroad between The Dalles and Celilo.

2nd. A change in the laws relating to assessment and taxation, by which no deduction for indebtness shall be allowed, and by which large incomes will be subject to taxation.

3rd. The abolishment of the railroad commission and the passago of a just maximum rate freight law.

4th. A law fixing maximum rates to be charged for Columbia river bar towage of all vessels bound to or from Oregon ports.

5th. A general law empowering the legislative bodies of all incorporated cities to fix maximum rates to be charged by gas, water, · electric light or telephone companies.

6th. The establishment of maximum rates to be charged by the railroad bridge at Portland, and by telegraph companies within the State.

7th. The repeal of the law creating the fish commission, and the passage of a law preventing the use of fish-traps and fish-wheels. 8th. The levying of no tax upon the people for the support of any other institutions of learning than our common schools.

9th. The passage of a law authorizing the Governor, in case of violation of State laws, to employ a person to commence prosecution in the courts for the punishment of the offender.

10th. A registration act applicable to cities of five thousand inhabitants and over.

11th. The enactment of a law, similiar to a provision of the Rhode Island constitution, requiring the Judges of the Supreme Court to give their written opinion upon any question of constitutional law when required to do so either by the Legislature or the Governor.

12th. A change in the laws of the State by which all county officers shall have fixed salaries, and providing that all fees collected by them under the law shall be paid into the county treasury.

13th. An addition to our lien laws, giving to laborers eniployed by corporations of any and every character, a first lien for their wages upon whatever property of such corporations they may have labored.

14th. A change in our laws, by which the punishment for vote buying at our elections will be rendered more certain.

CONCLUSION.

Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly of Oregon: A kind. Providence has given to the people of this commonwealth a goodly heritage, and has vouchasfed to them innumerable blessings. Let it be to your aim to add to these blessings the great benefits accruing from the administration of a wise and frugal government and from the enactment of just and equal laws.

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