The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-03-10
SCORCHING
Report of the Legislative La
vssIgatips Committee Tht VS.
light in Dark Places.


ted their report to the council yesterday
1t is signed by all the members of tbs
cornrnittee except Councillor Hutto. VIII,
does not agree In all the hndings, as h'
has not as yet fully gone over all the ties.
tbmony Representative Stevens viii alsC
submit a supplemental report to the house
today. The work Of the committee has
been quite thorough and with the assist
ance OF the experts have investigated IL
detail the AFFAIRS OF the sevral depart
ments. The report has been anxiously
awaited and VIII be carefully pursued
by the people vi the territory.
The report was laid over until today
for consideration TO await the supplement
tai report of Representative Stevens and
to give Councillor Hutto an opportunity
to more thoroughly examine the testi-
mony. 1t was made a special order for 10
o'clock this morning when it will be con-
sidered.
COMMITTEE I,EPORT
The findings of the committee are as FOL
lows:
Guthrie Mar. 9. 1899.
Mr. President-Your committee appoint
ed under the provision OF council con-
current resolution No. 4, authorized to
investigate into certain departmental and
fiscal affairs Of the territory of Oklaho-
ma, have had under their consideration
the various subjects and matters sugges-
ted in said resolution and they submit
herewith all the testimony and evidence
taken by them together with the follow
ing summary and findings therefrom:
ALVA NORMAL.
A. 70,
on behalf OF the territory in excess OF
appropriations made for the purposes
claimed to be effectuated by the contracts
and particularly inti the letting OF con-
tract for the erection Of the building for
the Northwestern school at Alva.
Your committee has investigated the
letting of two contracts besides that for
the Alva normal school. which are in ex.
cess of any appropriation or provision
of law and which We deem entirely I'M
authorized by existing statutes. These
are the contracts entered into by the gov
ernor of the territory FOR thee ducation
OF the deaf and dumb and the contract
for the care and education of the blind.
These contracts were each made for the
period of five years and at the annual
compensation of s215 for each person edu-
Gated and cared for. The provision Of ~ ,
statute authorizing the entering inc
thes contracts and the only provision
therefor is found in chapter 16 of the ses-
sion laws of 1897. and reads as follows
The governor shall have power under
this act to contract for the care and edu .
cation Of the deaf and dumb and blind
for the territory Of Oklahoma, by parties
t.ftfE L., he - Ill .,t.f
OF the funds as may be provided for that
purpose"
GRANT OF AUTHORITY.
The latter phrase OF this grant OF auth
orlty we understand to be a definite liui.
tation upon the authority to contract and
limits the amount that may be contracted
20 be expended to the funds provided for
that purpose. The funds AMI the only
funds provided for that purpose are pro-
vided in article eleven OF chapter thirty
two OF the session laws OF 1897 and con-
sist Of one-twentieth OF a mill levy upon
all the taxable property OF the territory
for each purpose. AT the time OF enter
ing into the contract for the care and
education OF the deaf and dumb. which
contract originally Included also the edu-
cation OF the blind the total assessed val
uation was S32 O3i, TSP. and at the time OF
entering into the contract for the cate
and education OF the blind. the total o.
sessed valuation was so, S23 SIC. This pro
vision of the funds. was OF course, wholly
insufficient TO accomplish the obiect ~
which they were designed ana may there
for offer some excuse for the usurpau1r
OF authority TO make the contract actu'
ally entered into. at least so far as the
contract for the deaf and dumb Is con
cerned because at the time OF entering
Into the contract there was great necess
ity therefor But the only contract auth
orized By law would not be based upor
the per capita payment but one base'
upon earing for all tine deaf and duml
Of the territory out Of the funds provid
ed for by the levy made But this con
tract would necessarily be limited In on
Judgment to q temporary arrangemen
for the reason that these funds could onl!
be provided annually and when the pro
visions authorizing this contract is com
pared with the provisions Of the sam
statute authorizing the contract for th
care Of the insane it becomes evident tina
the legislature OF 1897 contemplated on
temporary arrangement in caring 70
vIded that a contract for the insane woui
be made for a period OF three year
while the contract FOR the deaf and dun
is for theexpenditure OF the fun's ?
they may be provided. This contract Il
the education Of the dear and dubm Ia
so far as we have been able to determir
been properly carried out Warrants haN
been drawn upon the territorial treasui
for sums largely in excess OF the tax lev
above referred to and which clearly al
pears by the report OF the territorial au
itor as well as the superintendent OF u
dear and dubm school. There has be-
no appropriation of any kind nor cha
acter for the maintenance of this Inst
tAtfon or for the carrying out Of this co
tract other than the levy above re.or-
TO- As to the contract for the carr az
education Of the blind entered into Il
days previous 20 the convening OF q
legislatpr, and for a period OF hye yes
the same suggestions apply as to the
tract for the care and edpcatlon cf
deaf ana dumb. This conrraetjr Is ava
ing the action Of this legislature An1n
pantraet aad mas done nothing In p'
suance thereof 50 far as carrying d
its PROVISIONS are concerned. Too mu
cannot be said against the class OF les
lation under Which these TWO contra
were made. Limitations are only satae
hy the cqntsxt and the general .oE
N.aH a. q