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Show VOTERS TO DECIDE FATE OFNURDEREHS Governor West of Oregon Will Use the Initiative and Referendum Law. ' SALliM. Or.. Dec. 22-As a the recent declaration of Governor West that ho would not permit the legal execution exe-cution of any person in this state durum his term of office camo today tho announcement an-nouncement of the governor that he would sec to it that tho matter of clouting cl-outing murderers convicted in the lirst degree was submitted to the will of the people through the Initiative and reforon-du.u. reforon-du.u. which is in vogue 1)J The governor, during bin toim, win a.nuc by the decision of the lP'ft "Cnpital punishment is oltln r right ( r i. i- ,!..yrr v., 1,1 f'nvcmor West. I be lt Ik wrftnc " said Governor West. l bo-e bo-e -e t ?ong and I brieve I voicr - the sentiment of the majority of the people of this stalo when r say it Is wrpnj, and should be abolished. W ' ' before leaving for the east, that theio would bo nounglngs during my term of office. I did so becauue I had a llrm belief that the people of this state wouli . at the first opportunity vote to "hollsh It and II was my intention, as t 1h now Kt'llI mv Intention, to submit to the v otoi s of this state through the initiative, a measure abolishing" capilnl punishment, substituting life Imprisonment and permitting per-mitting the grant Ing of pardons In murder mur-der cases only upon the recommendation recommenda-tion of the supreme court. In the meantime mean-time death sentences will not be commuted, com-muted, but reprieves will be Issued for the purpose of postponing execution until after the people have declared their wishes. . , , , "If limy declare for hanging, their sentences sen-tences shall be carried out to the letter In each case, but I do not fear such a verdict, as I am Arm In my belief that the people will abolish this ivdlc of the dark ages and that iherc will lie no more hangings in this stale." |