The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-06-23
STATEMENT CORRECTS
FALSE IMPRESSIONS
State Supreme Court Must
Pass Upon SuitlCIency
Of Petitions
TO the People of Oklahoma;

10 the People of Oklahoma;
Among the newspapers and public
speakers Of the State have noticed
such a variety OF expression on the
subject OF the referendum Of the Tay-
lor election law. that ! deem Il my
duty 10 state the facts and procedure
as appears by the record, and by the
law az construed by the Attorney Gen
eral Of our state, 10 SO far as the At
torney Generals opinion has been
needed as q guidance up TO date
Tha public has no doubt recognized
from the variety OF expressions that
some fGust be wrong, II others directly
contrary are right
There are principles OF law and
government IN our state that every
honest man must cOncede:
First: The Legislature had a right
to pass such laws as In It's wisdom
seemed proper.
Second: The people Of The state
nave a right to proceed according to
the initiative and referendum 70 have
their expression OF approval or disap'
proyal accordingly.
Third. The procedure for the refer.
endum OF the Taylor election law must
be according te the provisions al me
referendum, and just as any citizen
has a right TO sign a referendum petl-
ton. so has any other citizen the
right 20 test the legality of such ref
erendum petition 7
First. let us detail the conditions as
presented by the petitioners, which
are:
The legislature having adjourned
March IL. the last day for flllng q
referendum pelIllon was June 10th,
Mr.. JOSEPH ii. Norris and others, act
Ing as committee for the referen-
dnm petitioners filed large number
of portions OF petition, the last p0r'
ton being tiled on the last day, t0Nlt;
June 10th
Under the Law OF the state, any one
or more legal voters are entitled Win
IN fiye days thereafter TO file written
objections TO the referendum petit
tIons. and within said five days writ
ten objections were flied, ohieeling TO
the referendum petitions for aaver'd
reasons, stated In said exceptions.
II then become the duty Of the sec
re,ary Of State to ilx q time for The
hearing of said exceptions, anl on
anch hearing, # the secretary 81
atate finds that the referendum peti'
flons are insufficient, either not legal
IN form. or are not signed by the
requisite number oi voters IN the
manner required by law, he VIII no
doubt sustain the exceptions. Where
anon the referendum committee may
anpeal from the findings OF the aerre-
larv Of state direct to the supreme
eourt. which win review the action OF
the secretary of State. and enter their
decree as inal on the question.
on the other hand, Il the secretary
og state finds the referendum petition
nroperlg signed. and valid as to form,
he viii overrule the exceptions and
sustain the referendum petitions, IN
which event thnse who filed the excep
tlons may appeal TO the supreme court
for final determinations but In ellheF
event these wise provisions OF the
law ARE for the purpose Of settling the
gusstlon OF the validity OF a referen.
dum petltlon before the great expense
of holding the election Is Incurred by
the taxpayers Of the state.
We have only to recall the first ex
nerlenee OF Oklahoma on referendum
vote. IN order 10 show the wisdom Of
our present referendum law In pro
vldIng for 8 final decision Of our su
preme court before the expense O
holding an election Is incurred as Il
viii be recalled that last year the leg
Islature referred certain provisions o.
inc state dlApeneary law for . REFER
endum vote OF the people. The vote
vas had at the November election las
year. considerable expense being N
cnrred. and after the vote was takeF
the supreme court decided that tht
proceedings were not In accordance
with the referendum law, and there
fore we're invalid and the election wa
void.
Any intelligent people are presumed
to profit by experience. and thereiof7
the provisions for testing the legally
Of the referendum petitions In the 81
ureme court before incurring the eS
nanse oF holding the election. and
am Quite sure that Mr. Norris himself
a. well as all Of his committee. wouli
arpfer to have the legality 0f thei
petitions pasesd upon by the auprem
court before any election would b
held thereon
II their petitions are sufficient irsa
IN form. and properly signed by 4 sul
acIent number Of petitioners. they ar
entitled 10 a vote OF the people
they are not legal IN form, they eel
talnly xanl to have that question II
larmlned and correct their error D
fore i|Ae people have been burdene
with the expense OF campaign an
election
N this c0nneellon they may -
that there Is rot sufficient Time