The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-07-15
NORRIS HUNTED "PlE"
AND FORGOT PETITION
JOE AND HERBlE HOUSE ARE EN-
TITLED TO THE CHAMPION
JOKER MEDAL.

been the subject of more false and
misleading statements than even
John w. Gates real rock bottom rca-
sons for wanting to amend our state
constitution. The referendum law is
plaL and 10 followed there need be- .
no trouble. II provides that pam.
phlcts may be passed around for
maturcs Ohcso pamphlets are not
the petition to be flcdD These pam
phlcts must bc printed with an ad-
dress 10 the governor then when
ready 10 make into the petition Tor
filing. the committee having them In
targc representing the signcrs,
shall. within ninety days from the
day the Legislature adjourned. take
them to the governor and call In the
secretary of state. Then and there
In the presence Of the governor and
OF said committee the secretary Of
state will make mp the petition.
which Is to be filed In his office.
which he does by tearing off from
hll WV fillAl'lli'.iN Nll' oll''NN Nl'll
the signatures thereon and fastening
all those sheets 20 the copy of the
act to be voted on II the required
number of signatures are found. the
secretary then files the petition so
made and holds the same open fivc
days for protest I'm writing by any
voter of the state. II any protest is
filed the secretary OF state fixes the
date for hearing such protest and no
tifcs the committee: the hearing is
then had and which ever way the sec
rotary OF state decides, the defeated
party may appeal direct to the SUI
prcmc court for final determination
Of the question.
The above is the law as MIR. Nor.
ris' committee should have done and
is as plain as daylight.
But Mr. Norris. chairman of the
republican state committee. who has
laughed at our referendum law for
two years without even knowing
what is in Il. and certainly never
stopped to read the law did not pro
coed as the law requires.
Here is how he did do
lie never took his signed pam
phlcts TO the governor. He never
told the governor he wanted TO file
u petition. He never. in any way
nor at any time. called the attention
- OF the governor TO the matter.
The governor was present in hi,
office the date that Norris claims
10 have carried his pack OF papers e
n the secretary of states office. Mr.
IS Norris could have found the govern
At or without any delay by simply com
n ing into the governors office an,
I' making his wants known, this Nor
s. ris did not do.
III Norris simply dropped mis- scale,
'' bundles or pamphlets in the secrc
y tary of states office took the clerk
'' receipt for the package of papers
d.d not ask to have anything done
.u simply went away.
p" The governor did not know unit
long after the newspaper gossip men
20 toned these petitions.
Thus by the negligence of Mr. Nor
III rs himself no petition was ever mau,
up or fled TNc fact Is that al
% though Chairman Norris Is paid by hi
party for staying at Guthrie and look
IT, ing after the party machine he wa
II of at Washington ON wild COOS,
u chase after q bigger piece OF pie 10
himself and leaving his official du
Fl" ties 20 be looked after by an mex
pcricnced and incompetent secrctar!
y and thus ninety days was fooled
" away with Norris chasing rainbow,
- in Washington
Now finding himself about 10 y,
condemned by his party for his gros
negligence. Chairman Norris agail
hlundcred by falling TO appeal from
the secretary OF states ruling to tn,
supreme court and now foolishly tries
: tC work a maudamus Chairman Nor
Ia - nav .H| N'Si'Nl'l lA' WI t'
=, party trusted him ~ DO tries nov {
-, cvadc responsibility Ny critics ~ H.,
- governor 10 the public, even ,hus'
- he admits in court he never saw tn,
- governor or made any request .
=, him whatever
~ There are several other errors a
- veil as whole pages Of signature
n. in the same handwriting that 81
Norris would not wa.t shown rp. :,
,o the fact IS Norris is willing 10 b,
4. d"',a;cd on . point of law and leav,
him the chance 10 howl abou, de
tra, on partisan account
.n>.-.sas~S