The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-08-04
HASKELL TO JOHN ALLAN
Guthrie, OKLA, August I, 1908
John s Aileil, Editor.
Peoples Voice


Norman. Okla.
Ny Dear Mr.. Allen. In The last Ia.
sne of Nour paper | notice You speak
briefly of the difference OF opinion be
tween The attorney general and my
sell. ard express the opinion that !
should moi Interfere with the duties
of the attorney general. because. you
say that the people elected him to
Office. and that ae should be permit
ted to do his official duties without any
interference from The governor.
Ordinarily. ! have ignored news
paper comments. knowing that when
the matters are disposed OF. the peo-
pie will understand ana believe that
! am right In this matter. and ihst
many Of the newspaper criticisms are |
not sincere, but are recklessly made
TO try and divide the offcial repre-
sentatives of the party in power, and |
stir up contention; but in your case
| consider that you are sincere in |
what You say, and therefore you are
entitled TO be met with equal sim
cerity
IN the first place, ! agree with you
on The proposition, that the attorney
general was elected by the people, and
should perform his officiai .iu.ies with
I
but the question is:
What are his official duties?
You will agree with me that the
governor was also elected by the pao-
pie. with certain Official duties to per
form. and that likewise the attorney
general shonld not usnrp nor inter-
fsre with The performance OF the gov
ernor's ofIlcial duties. So that Il is
a question for derixion.
What are the Official duties of tho
governor?
And what are the official duties OF
the attorney general?
Let us have that question decided. | I
and then each official can hereafter
perform his duties without interfer
ence or embarrassment
The government Of etate Is 4 J
matter OF great magnitude The laws I
arc made BY the legislature or by the y
people. The beginning Of law is a y
state constitution q
Detail Legislation, called statutory q
law, may carry out the constitutional
but cannot conflict with T
the constitution. 5
The Judiciary department of the
state passes upon and renders judg
ment where the enforcement of law o
Involves the power of the judiciary,
but the general business management
Of the affairs OF the state, and the /
enforcement OF law, Is placed In in s
executive department, and Article Vi &c
Of the constitution provides for the
executive department. and its duties. G
Section / says: a
THAT the executive department e
shall consist Of a governor, lieutenant
governor secretary of state, state q
treasurer, attorney general, and va y
rious other officers and boards" and q
that these officers shall each and all y
have such duties as is provided IN G
the constitution or prescribed by law, j
Now Mr., Allen, you will realize Il
that the machinery of the government u
Is vested ia the executive department, Il
and that this department must neces- Il
sarily have some head; some one TO
finally decide public questions q
OF course, Tsthereyer the consti.a- z
tion or the l!Y gives any executive b
officer specific authority, that ques- i
tion OF whose Judgment shall finally O.
prevail is settled By any snch specific o
but what would become cf 4
public questions where neither the
law nor the constitution specifically Il
places The decision In the hands OF 9
particular officer or board If there wes a
no general head to the executive de. "
q
Take il IN your own business; e.
You are the editor of the People o
Voice. There is also a printer, VINO Ii
actually prints your paper. Now, toll n
US. John. who should decide wnat h
should be printed IN your paper; you. m
As editor, or your printer, who actu
slly prints the paper? One or the al
,ther OF you must have the deciding 81
power, otherwise your printer would G,
want 10 publish one line OF thought ST
and the editor another line, aud you "a
would quarrel about II until you lir
would not get anything printed. la
Again, the farmer may desire 10 rs
iave wheat planted N q certain field, tr
rhe hired man, or the farmers son. OF
Who actually does the blowing and
sowing, may think the field should ce hi
planted in cotton or corn Instead OF o
wheat al
Now, what shall We do2 Not plant hl
4 ~ ail. OF plant wheat and cotton
Doths Some one has got TO decid. el
he question. And the farmer VIII G,
probably say that his opiaion must q
be Gapremn. He Will say there can't az
vt A"O nCdSsa tulillflH ul0 lNflus uNu Nl
he constitution OF Oklahoma seems TO
s5nteDplaie the necessity for a sh. II
lreme authority 70 decide all questions Ia
n the executive department. wherein al
he law or the constitution failed To- "
specifically give supreme authority 90 lai
some other executive officer, and a
therefor, in Section ., Article vi. OF s
he constitution, st says; Ia
The sapremc executive authority n
shall be vested in a chief magistrate, %.
styled The governor OF the state ol Ii
oklahoma" II,
Somebody must see tha, the laws
IRE enforced. and therefore the con. o
IN Section s. Article VI, says lu
the governor shall cause the LAWS NJ
i the state 90 be faithfully executed. a
And again, IN order that the goyersl 4,
lr might be kept constantly advised ol
II what was going on In the executive II
department. generally, Section 33, Ar u
icle VI, requiges every executive OH | n
'er and board 10 report 10 the govern. al
u IN writing twice year and as much n
'fteLer as the governor may require