The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-03-14
MINORITY REPORT
Submitted by Councillor HuttO
of the Legislative lnvesti-
eating Committee.


INVESTIGATING COMMITTEES MIN
ORlTY REPORT
Mr. President:
The undersigned member Of committee |
appolueed under provisions of Council |
Concurrent Resolution No. 4 being unable |
10 concur with the majority OF the com |
mittee IN the general Statements and in
their report submits 10 the Legislative |
Assembly the following conclusions based
upon the evidence submitted by the com
mittee.
First. The report OF the majority Is he
foctive nd unfair in This that lt bases
conclus.on- upon ex parte statements Of
witnesses known TO be strongly partisan
and preiudiced against individual mem
bers OF the administration and leaves TO
be drawn by inference unfair deductions
from the evidence taken and treats the
statements OF members Of the admins
tratlon not as evidence but a- claims
boy such officers.
la regard to the contracts for ple care
OF the deaf dumb and blind, the author
ity and direction Of The Governor TO con-
tract in this behalf s in my judgment
ample and sufficient 10 Justify contract
made. The provision for payment being
limited and restricted and the number of
deaf dumb and blind to be taken care Of
I'm this territory Is so limited that, under
the circumstances. the term Of contract
for FIVE years at the rate contracted for
is not excessive but guarantees the care
OF these unfortunates at a low rate of ez-
pense as is obtained by any Of The states
that have had opportunity ana data TO
| examine.
The issuance OF warrants under this
contract without specific approprt ttion
was nevertheless, with strict accordance
| with the law as heretofore defined by ,he
supreme court Of the territory wherein
Il was held that statutory direction of This
characer without specific appropriation,
carried with It sufficient appropriation TO
accomplish tne object and intent of the
legislature. They were issued under the
same rules and under the same ~esttic-
tons and limitations as have always op-
piled 10 the Issuance OF warrants TO BAY
the expenses OF the university and norml
schools OF this territory. for which po
specific or definite appropriations hove
ever been made, and upon which warrant,
have been issued largely in excess Of tht
amounts collected under the taxes, au
thorized TO he levied The majority ie.
port In so far as It says that the provision
OF funds are, Of course. wholly insult
Client to accomplish the object for whIcl
they were designed and may therefor'
offer some excuse to make the contract!
actually entered into. at least. so fa'
as the contract for the deaf ana duml
are concerned, because there was grea
necessity therefor. Is ample justification
Of the Governor for making these con
tracts.
In report as to the contract for the cree
tlon OF the Northwestern Normal schoo
at Alva the majority criucise judgmen
OF the board OF regents making sai1 con
tract and the governor for his approval o
the same, upon the ground thai il Is no
suitable" building This is the vor,
question that was left by statute 90 tn
determination OF the board.aud he approx
al OF the governor; and they have deJer
mined that proposition and the con
tract having been fulfilled. there woul
seem nothing remaining to De done bu
10 adjust ana settle tho dcbt thereby ere
ated. Not the least evidence or sus
plcion Of bad faith upon the part Of tn
board in making said contract or OF th
governor in approving the same has beer
disclosed. Not the slightest evidence o
misappropriation OF funds or OF any IN
terest therein accruang to any membe
OF the board or 70 the governor has beei
disclosed. The report Is IN error whereof
It says: "That bids OF responsible par
, ties for the construction Of this iisutu
tion, based upan cash consideration, wer
by the board, rejected solely because the
called for cash consideration" on IN
contrary the evidence OF the superintend
ent Of public instruction shows that IN
) only bid rejected was first submitted b
cash consideration, but, when Il wa
. explained TO the holders that theboar
was not authorized TO pay cash an
would necessarily be compelled to lssu
certificates OF indebted and that the set
tlement of said contract would have {
await legislative action, said bid was i'm
mediately raised to at, or about the sam
figures made in the accepted bid. an
there Is no evidence that other reason
for the rejection OF said bid were no
, considered by the board. In my jude
ment the building actually constructed
the most suitable building for the pur
pose for which II Is intended that l eve
Inspected, and when considered in con
nection with other educational interest
. OF this territory, Il seems TO ne that IA
establishment OF such an institution {
the western part Of the territory was no
very bad judgment. at least am con
strained 10 say Il would be only a differ
enoe OF judgment The territory is ampl
able 10 pay for this building out OF IA
: funds arising from the rentals of secuo
10 all OF which funds are received fror
donation made in the lands known as IN
Cherokee Strip. and large part O
which was divided every year TO the SUP
r port Of the educational institutions in IN
, older portions OF the territory
The management OF the school land OF
fee has been able and efficient. and IN
largely increased revenues arising fror
the rentals Of school land I'm this terri
tory are due to the careful management
on the part OF the secretary OF the Boar
Of School Land Commissioners.
II is conceded by the majority repor
that the statutes Of the territory DO no
prevent he attorney general OF the terri
torney general TO attend TO business ia
territory has never yet assumed by m
leut OF any statute the management
OF the funds pertaining 10 the leasing o
school lands in this territory; and unde
act OF congress. until II does so. the rule
heretofore prescribed by the secretary O
the interior and by acts OF congress goo