The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-07-31
LEADER IS COMMENDED
How State Press Has Sized Up Malta =
Legislative AttaCk--Agee in De-
plorable Disrepute.

In April last, during the session o.
he First legislative assembly. a mem
Der OF the senate, Agee by name, OF
be floor OF the senate, made serious
charges against The Leader. Hs
charged that The Leaders bill for con
etitutional convention printing was OK
'ortionate. He did not say anything
bout the definite contracts for print
ing which the constitutional conyen
ton had made with The Leader II
was presumed that the delegates in the
constitutional convention who had
brains enough 10 write a constitution
uch as we are now living under would
certainly have sufficient ability to en-.
Ter Into reasonable contract FOR
heir printing. The Leaders constitu.
tionAl bills passed the most rigid
scrutiny. They we're checked, recheck-
"a. audited and reaudited and finally
elgned and duly youchered by the prop.
er convention authorities. After wait
ing two years for its money a b.il to
appropriate funds for the printing and
Tor the pay OF the clerks was present
cd and passed the house. When tho
bill reached the senate 1t became the
subject OF attack by Agee and three
other senators.
Five senators constituted the corr.
hlned opposition to The Leader IN the
senate. Agee and Stafford were ribbed
hp certain mon TO attack The leader
because The Leader being staunch,
consistent democratic paper, support
Jag the pol;aies OF the administration,
WIS inimicel to the deals which they
hoped 70 pull Off .Agee was ribbed
ot the basis that he would probably
build record which would return him
10 the legislature. One or two men
we're influenced for rhold up rea-
sons. Agee IN the senate paid no at
iention to constitutional convention
contracts or anything else. He simp-
" tore loose with broadside of lies
flnally a committee to investigate was
appointed. Not a friend of The Lead
e. was placed on this special commit
zee. Agse WAS made chairman. He
lelved and tore his hair. But he could
not unearth anything derogatory TO-
The Leader The Leader offered 20
I'D him in every way possible. II was
reed that expert printers be called
if This was done. FINALLY Agee and
his prejudiced committee, which mean
n nile had been augmented by Biilups,
fair minded man, made report They
commended that The Leaders bill
as cut Republican papers whooped
aud yelled. The report was finally
presented TO the senate A debate OF
1ree hours followed Asee and Stat
rd tore around Ike mad men. Like
Sc Little and Mathews The senate
ard patiently all that Agee and the
other recalcitrants had TO say. A vote
as then taken. The report Of the spe-
cIal committee was summarilv renudi-
ed. II was the only committee re-
Tort ever turned down by the senate.
ne vote was the largest ever record
~ In the senate The senate then
voted to pay The Leaders, bill In full.
passed a vote OF exoneration of The
aader The vote was SO to All the
charges that Agee made fell flat. Agee
retired IN disorder Agee did not have
lAe manhood to make public apology
20 The Leader which a score OF SEN
ators asked him to do. After the bill
reached the governor a number OF re-
publican and quasi-democratlc papers
e1ntinued to attack The LeaaeI The