The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1910-03-04

Governor c. y. Haskell the arst gov
s-nor 81 the state. wilI BE- accorded
7 a high place Is TIE carly struggles IN
cEtent 70 shaping fashi0nlng and es-
rablsshinz the government q the
yoang state that for years has been
scanned and reat with factions rings
and cabanlstie forces. al bent ou re-
voluooairlng existing conditions waen
the opportunity became ripe for ac-
ton A great majority q these no
doubt a. heart. we're interested In
the good o. the state. whlIe goodiy
number we're obstructionists. CALLED
and ehafed b. the constitutional re-
strictlons OF the new state unknown
10 the freedom 81 rampant days Of
territorial government
with all this chaos. diversified In
terests. mixed citizenry. ambitious
politicians and the pressing needs Of
q great new state with untried laws
and unknown conditions 10 meet, Gov
eruor Haskell. as the first executive
OF the state. is meetinb every prob
len fairly ard squarely as they crowd
into the llmsligAt
The first executives Of the older
states were never confronted BY such
trying conditions as those that have
faced the governor Of the new state Of
Oklahoma
The older states were admitted into
the union with a sparce population Of
pioneers who had bullded no great
cities and towns. No great problems
vexed the new executives OF such
states when they were admitted in
to the union. The needs Of the peo-
PIE we're simple and their burdens
light. The transition from territorial
government to statehood was attend
I'd by no friction or turmoil. The
new legislatures took up the simple
problems of wot bounties. school
lands and road taxes, along with the
grayer problem Of appropriations for
the per diem OF members Of the legis-
lature, including their allowances for
stationery.
How different was the admission Of
Oklahoma into the union Of states
with her big prosperous cities and
towns. diversified interests, both pub
lie and corporate. great tax problems
for schools. colleges and eleemosynary
institutions. all to be worked out by
her law makers through the advice
and recommendation Of the chief
executive Of the state!
As the people were wise in fran.
ing their constitution. the organic
Law OF the state, they also showed
their wisdom Ia the selection Of their
first governor who was 10 assume the
herculean duties OF bringing order out
OF chaos.
AS Jefferson once said. he had to
stretch the federal constitution until
.it showed its teeth" TO meet the de.
mands Of the new republic. so no
doubt, Governor Haskell has been
guilty Of a like offense in administer.
ing the laws Of the new state to meet
the emergencies unforeseen in the law
makers Of Oklahoma
There IS one thing certain that
whenever an emergency has arisen or
a breach appeared in the affairs Of
state. Governor Haskell had measur-
ed equal to the occasion and bridged
over the difficulty. even in the face OF
statutory law and public opinion. In
all things, he has respected the law
but supplied its deficiency by the
force of his genius In the hour Of
peril 70 the peoples rights
In this particular he has followed
the precedent Of President Roosevelt
IN his conservation policies in with.
drawing large areas Of public lands
Aet ERf AtAttNAA AsEf MAkAAHAA Aa0 W
authority, from federal statutes.
The governors quick initiative In
doing things for the public good was
never better illustrated in his public
acts than when a certain state bank
official called the governor up over
the phone and asked him what he
would do if this certain bank recalled
for few days after the Columbia
Bank and Trust company at Okla
homa City failed The laconic reply
was simply this: "I1l close your darn.
ed bank in twenty-four hours" The
assessment came in the next mail
This is only one illustration, among
thousands. Of quick action taken by
the governor when the occasion de-
mands heroic action on the spot.
When charged with acts technically
In defiance OF law but actions that
could not be construed odtherwise
than for the public good. the COVER.
nor always replies Il did It and what