The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-03-17
WOULD PUNISH BY FINE
AND IMPRISONMENT
Alleges That Party Caucus
Seeks to Influence InVesti-
eating Committee

III his twenty-lOurth message to the
legislature, now in special session.
Governor Haskell fairly blisters that
element Of partisan Republicans,
which through caucus pressure is en-
deavorng TO east a Stigma apon the
fair name Of Oklahoma, aud recon-
mends the passage Of law making
such an offense punishable by line
and Imprisonment. The message In
full Is as follows:
To the Honorable Legislature, State
Of Oklahoma, in Extraordinary
session.;
You have pending before you fof
your consideration bill TO prevent
tho spreading and contracting OF
loa ahsomc diseases. by vaccination or
Otherwise, aud ! recommend that you
attach to said bill as a further means
OF promoting health, purity OF life,
and the promotion Of the welfare OF
the stale, d section Of the following
general import,
When any person Is serving upon
Jury In court or upon an lnYeslgal-
ing committee in any legislature or
other public body Of the state, where
questions of fact or law are being
considered, and a truthful report ac-
cording 10 the law, the facts and
conscience of he jurymen or mem
bers of such committee is required,
that pending such hearing, propala,
ton OF the eport or finding, and inc
consideration thereof, and until The
final discharge Of such jury or com
mittee, ii shall be an oifense against
the peace and dignity of the state OF
Oklahoma for any person, or aggre-
CATION of persons, whether as party
caucus or committee organization,
or as individuals, by threats, resoiu
lions. suggestions or intimauons oil
any kind, to influence such jurymen
o. committee in any way relating 10
the findings he may make upon such
questions Of fact or law, and that the
punishment by fine and Imprisonment
for such offense shall be the same
as in other cases of promoting GRIM
inal libel upon citizen.
| have deferred sending this mas
sage to your honorable body until
thus near the close of the session. as
desired not 10 have ii interfere with
the pending investigation, but | can
not feel that | would do my duty In
building for the future to sustain the
good name of our state, unless ! urge
upon YOU the Importance OF enacllng
such a criminal statute.
Seeks No Personal Protection.
II cannot be said that seek any
personal protection in this matter,
because my term will have expired
without future legislative session, and
therefore, i can assert that il is solely
for the welfare of the state that
urge this legislation.
The credit and conduct OF pubic
officers is The standard by which the
reputation of our state is measured
abroad, and therefore the reckless
villification of public officers Is q
thrust-yea, stab in the back--ol
the state or community over which
they preside, and the time has come
i'm Oklahoma when this infamous
practice Of reckless villifying Of pub
lie officers should cease, and when
we should imbbe more OF patriotism
and less of malicious recklessness, tt
The end that when either politica
party has prevailed at the election
and placed it's candidates in Office Iol
the ensuing term every honorable cit
izcn will give honest and patriotic
support to such officer, and the citl
zen who would withhold such sup
port and recklessly villify him car
moi too soon he stamped as a Grim
inal, and be punished for his unpa
triotic conduct.
There has been an investigation
pending now throughout almost thu
entire session, and which has by rea
son of distracling the attention OF IN
entire body, and requiring the person
al attention of many OF your men
bers, has In itself been responslbl
for at least one-lhird of the cost Q
the entire session of your honorabl
body
Partisan Pressure Exerted.
The hearings were had, the ey
dcnce Introduced, the argument
made. and left to themselves th
honorable committee would Ion
since have rendered It's report. bl
TO the discredit Of some OF those VII
claim to represent one OF the gre;
political parties of the Nation, the
have presumed 10 make the co
science, the honesty, the integrity
some of the members OF that cor
mittee matter OF caucus partisa
ship where the conscience Of thoi
members could be banded about al
voted upon as a partisan matter
men who had heard no evidenc
studied no facts. and were not 7
sponsible for the honest conclusion
that should be attained.
Has The time come in 0klahon
when The committee. under oath
q Jury. will stand up and say. II
not question of truth in the e.
dance. a. ID solely n oupsfiOn uf I