The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1899-02-16

and engrossing clerks allowed by act
of Congress and paid by the United
States, is an unnecessary extravaganza
ana a wasteful aud unjustitiable ex-
penditure of territorial funds,
An examination of the records of the
auditors Office shows the expense OF
tine first legislative assembly for ad-
ditional help was 50, ,l97. The second
legislative assembly expended for this
purpose, s7,9s9. The third expended
sl3, 3,3l3.5o and the fourth expended
sl3, ,ss5.I5.
Estimating the cost of annotating
and indexing the House and Council
journals and the session laws for the
present session at the same amount as
paid by the fourth legislative ably
SO, 324 and adding thereto the expense
to be paid for additional officers and
attaches now in your service, Sl2, 1920
Total for present session, Sl6,3l4
Makes grand total of territorial in
debtedness incurred for this purpose
without authority of law, s57, ,o9s6 65.
This state of facts indicates that
either the former legislatures were
guilty of knowingly permitting gross
peculation of public funds or were wo-
fully lacking in intelligence necessary
to deal with important public affairs
and reveals the urgent necessity of
careful consideration of those ques-
tions by the honorable Fifth legisla-
tive assembly TO the end that wasteful
and extravagant and unlawful expendi.
ture of public funds may be summarily
ended
My observation and experience for
the past ten years in Oklahoma lead
me to the conclusion that the laws of
Congress restraining territories from
the extravagant expenditure of the
public funds are wise and wholesome.
without intending to cast any rehec-
tion upon single one Of the mem bers
of the present legislative assembly de-
sire to say that it is the generally ex-
pressed judgment of good citizens that
former legislative Assem- blies have been
largely composed of members who did
L OF feel or realize the solemn response
bilities with which they were invested
Many of them left the territory within
few days after the close of the ses-
sions during which they served, but
few of them were welded to the land
by traditionary ties of family or prop
ertv and results have shown that they
cared but little for the best interests
of the people who came here in good
faith TO plant their vine and fig trees,
here to educate their children and
build state whose magnificent pro-
portions should rest upon the founda-
tton of honest government and the
economical and benefcent administra-
tion of public affairs. Many of them,
however, remained to become substun-
tial and useful citizens, an honor to
any country and esteemed and honored
by othe people among whom they
dwell | sincerely trust, gentlemen,
that when you have finished the wort
now committed to your care and judg-
ment, the verdict of the people will be,
well done, good and faithful servant,
and that yor may receive the plsudits
and comm enc dation of your several
constituencies.
For the reasons set forth above, /
have the honor to return the bill under
consideration with my objection there
to to the House of Representatives, in
which it originated.
With great respect, Gentlemen, re,
main,
Your obedient servant,
c. NJ. BARNES,
Governor.