The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-11-08
INHERITANCE FROM
TERRITORIAL REGIME
Permits E4TaVaganGe By
County Officials and Urges
Correction
sneeIal b The Leader.

Special TO The Leader
Duncan, OKLA. NOV S-That in
practically every county Of lae state
boards of county commissioners and
other county officers. guided by prae
tices countenanced under territorial
DAYS. but unauthorized by the law
are illegally disposing OF money mn
der a fee system that strikes az the
fery yitals of the states system Of
government IS the substance Of a
lette. Addressed 10 Governor Has
kell by Senator d NJ Smith Of Dun.
can He defines tAe statutes inner
tied from Oklahoma territory as a
mess of socalled laws for which
We are moi responsible and declares
thai Eve have a most unsatisfactory
and nexcusabN eNtravagant form OF
local government He pleads for
an equitable fee system and then
proceeds to an analysis Of tae prae'
ices Of counts officers
Senator Smith letter in full fol
lows.
"At this time. when the press
throughout the state Is burdened
with charges Of official misdoings
and graft by officers OF high and low
standing. we naturally lind our.
selves taking stock as Il were, and
the first question arises is the state
Of Oklahoma an exception. Have we
more corrupt quota of officers
than other states2 ! will answer th7
question, no; then why 50 much
luss?
"Fha constitution was pitched upon
a high plane to give full protection
o ne people. An officers are re.
mred 10 give personal attention TO
the trusts coniided ia them by law
and then q check Is placed upon
them which Is not provided for IN
other STATES known To me- We have
IN cllicef known as The stale exam
iner and inspector whose duty il Il
to examine ana check up tie various
state and county officers and here Is
wherein Ne are enabled 10 locate
graft ana official corruption Then
The legislature has passed laws civ
ing tho governor authority 10 ~
move and replace officers who fail y
do their daly under the law
Mess OF so-called Laws.
"ln Justification OF some OF thf
county oflleers--nO. ! viii not say
Justification. for thete can be none
f1r 4 public servant. whose sworo
dutv IL * to enforce the law TO def
initels violate it-lel me say q poor
apology results from the mess e.
sO-called laws We have known rs
Oklahoma statutes, for which we are
not responsible 1ha the laboref
worthy OF his hire is no less true
when applied 10 an officer than IN 8
b,bical SENSE. have had occasion
10 remark on the floor Of The senate
aud here emphasize III, that we nave
most unsatisfactory and inexcus
ably eNtra9aganl form of local gov
ernment The entire system Is wrong
Instead nf having lhe party VIII
makes IL necessary 10 provide cerlail
officers 10 pay q, least a portion o
The expense. the honest Taxpayers
aay in the way of salary M'
should have an equitable fee system
+ by which onehalf of cur county am
township taxes can be saved TO ihl
taxpayers. Aud this leads To th'
question. Are The laws we have bo
ne enforced2' No criticism on th'
governor. none on the attorney gen
eral, and none ON The examiner am
Inspector, For Il Is bMl justice 10 ga
i a-al so far as know when their al
tention has been called 10 IL the
have acted promptly. bur the iaxpal
efs are hnrdened with nigh take
and cannot be convinced that u
necessary 70 pay SO much.
Il ara convinced thai thousands 3
dollars are being paid out OF ih
treasury af tna vaeicus counties witt
out any authority Of law The peopl
believe e. They demand an Invest
CATION and &c they have paid take
wich haze been dissipaied they d.
mand a return OF a. to the treasury
Money Paid Out illegally
First charge that IN many
nc4 quite an. 81 the counties there
demanded and paid hy ihe board {
county commissioners 0at of lh
money belonging to the taxpayer
the sum Of s. to the district clei
for each DAY the court is in sesslo
say there Is no law by which 4 90
be demanded. allowed or paid
Second 1T is reported that
many Of the counties. II not qui
all. the commissioners aee payif
ont of the treasury monthly s8lal
varying III amount from $500 e s
500 per arnum TO deputy county q
torneys. IF there Is any Law anthc
izine this I have never been able
find IT,
"Third-The constitution says tb
The legislature has nu authority
change a monthly salary and sei
Is reported that in many # n
quite ali. OF The smaller c1unties
population the county iTdses "a
drawing ga annual salary pi s 3
unt of ne treasury. where q la
go. ee a
Office md noae other. They uAd'