The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-11-25

been printed cone page of the official
bill being omittedl aud the ballot
title mot technically defective butt
absolutely misleading.
That part Of the governors state
ment which saws, That the only de-
feet was in the technical language .
is an unjust, and uncaled for reflec-
ton upon the supreme court of the
state of oklahoma
Sec. 20. art. /, Chap. A, session
| laws l907-S. says:
The procedure herein provided is
not mandatory, but II substantially
followed will be sufficient. II the end
aimed at can be attained the proceed
ure shall be sustained and clerical
and technical errors disregarded'
Ii will be hard to make the people
OF Oklahoma believe that in defiance
of this plain section of law the su-
preme court of our state has declared
the vote upon this bill void merely
on technical defect" For days be-
fore the June election called to the
people from every available platform,
and published in every newspaper
that would give me space tand that
was not very many that one page of
the initiated bill as filed with tae sec
retary OF state had been omitted from
the pamphlet (presumed to be
furnished to the yoters), and that
the ballot title was wholly defective
and misleading, and that we were
only enacting farce, and buying a
law suit, when we went through the
motion" OF adopting this bill. This
statement was at first denied. When
| ! came to Guthrie and secured the
certificate of Bill Cross and the seal
iof the state OF Oklahoma thereon
showing that my copy was correct,
then il was stated that was present
and agreed to the change. Phew.
These We're not the governors
statements, in fact | never heard any
statement from the governor on this
point.
In my debate with the governor at
Norman. ] laid on the desk before
him the official pamphlet" and the
initiated bill, with the secretary OF
states certificate as to its correct
ness, and asked for an explanation OF
the difference, also called attention,
as elsewhere. to the defective ballot
title.
The governors answer was some
kindly compliment for my good work
and intentions and the statement that
ought to be excused for having "One
dream in three years
believe have established repu-
tation over Oklahoma as a dreamer
and crank, and with some as boost
er for impractical schemes We
are all more orless prone 10 become
impressed with the Importance of the
idea which we espouse. Is il not pos
sble that the governor has become
over enthused over the plan which he
has seen fit to champion?
Is It not possible that lie is mistak-
en- about being the only man able 10
handle proposition OF that kind?
Most Oklahomans have agreed all
along that the enabling act was not
legally binding and that we could vio-
late our agreement ii We decided to
do so. Very few Oklahomans have
agreed so far that the location OF
the state capital properly belongs to
the legislature.
The decision of the supreme court
now shows us that our written law
does not forbid the legislature locat-
ing the state capital but we all
know that since the day when tho
constitution was adopted by the c>n.
yention and submitted to the people
for ratification, II has been told us
upon every hand that the location i
a permanent capital was the prero l..
tive OF the whole people.
AS | view the situation land "A
glrat many citizens he az thick
headed as ann the legislature can
not afford to do more lhan TO ro
vide fair and equal opportunity ttO
those who may desire to compete for
capital honorsl TO fle a definite op.
ton covering such sites as they may
see fit to offer. and then permit the
people to choose between them. We