The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-09-03

which taRe on this question TO the
board
IN the first place. I have drawn a
salary up 70 the time that went ON
my vacation trip. being a salary 60
The first of july. My position on this
salary question is MS follows.
First The constitution In creating
the office of lieutenant governor diff
ters In its language from the prOyi-
sions of the constitution creating
other state offices III this That
while other state officers under the
constitution have their entire time
engaged To the state and their sal
airy made 70 cover the entire year
IN the performance not only of the
duties imposed by the constitution.
but such other duties as may DE
thereafter prescribed By law. and
diifer from the section of the consti-
tuition as To lieutenant governor.
which gives the lieutenant governor
the duties only Of presiding over ses-
siOns OF the state senate and acting
as governor in The absence of the
governor. Clearly the constitution
did not expect but a portion of the
lieutenant governors time to be TAX
en- and therefore gave him but
nominal salary per annum, being less
than one-half the salary allowed amy
man holding any other state office
and does not require the lieutenant
governor 10 perform ans other duty
that the legislature might impose
upon him under the salary provided
by the constitution.
have investigated i'm several 9th
er states and find that where the
legislature gives the lieutenant gov
ernor additional duties 10 perform. he
is paid for those additional duties,
and even much stronger case of adj
ditiOnal compensation for duties be-
yond the ordinary duties is found In
cases in Iowa and Nebraska, where
state officers whose entire time is
intended to be given the public and
vet when additional duties, out of the
ordinary, We're assigned them, the
courts Of those states have declared
that additional compensation should
be paid TOR the additional service.
In my case, the frequent meetings
Of the banking board and the neccs
sary work to be performed between
meetings. entail great deal of per
sOnal travelling and other expenses
which of course | pay out of my own
pocket. and the salary which ! have
heretofore received has included the
reimbursing of these expenses. and
in the absence OF the salary, | would
either have been compelled to neg
lect the meetings and duties of the
office or pay a considerable sun
monthly out of my own pocket tC
cover the expenses, to say nothing
about the time taken.
|, like the other members Of this
board, have felt such a deep Interest
in the success of our state bankint
law. that | have been and still an
anxious 20 see the work of this board
including its chairman, so CAREFUL,
looked after as to continue in the iu
ture as we have in the past, the mos
highly successful administration o.
the state banking law
feel that beyond question that a'
a matter of right and as a matter o
law, | was entitled to draw the sal
ary, and that 1t did nothing mor'
than compensate me for expenses
and time devoted to the success O.
the administration of the bankinf
law
However. if by any technical con
struction Of the law OF Oklahoma I
am not entitled to have my expense
reimbursed and reasonable compen
sation for time devoted to this wor'
of course ] don't want to receive =
and am perfectly willing to ins.
tute such action in the courts as Wi
settle the technical application of th'
law Of our state TO this question, an
abide by the result.
Sincerely yours, George w Belle
my, Chairman.