The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-03-03
Echols' Eloquent Plea for School

9hofe has never been decision In
Michigan or in Oklahoma which
would give TO the board Of agriculture
he powers and authority they con
tend for in this cause
Il is said that If you pass this bill,
and il you relocate this school in the
Filth Supreme court judicial district
ou jeopardize the location OF every
o'her school IN the state. and while !
will say that is not the intention oil
the bill il might Justly be construed
20 be just that
am a Democrat and want to say
rght here. Mr.. President, that | have
slood and defended Democracy when
It was right, and | have defended De
mocracy when had my serious
doubts about whether II was right or
n0t, and have defended Democracy
when knew damned we'll it was moi
right but | say to you | am not go
ing 10 do 1t in this case.
The purpose of this bill is not to
locate school in another district
hat TO relocate the school in the
Eth Supreme court judicial district
where there has been such flagsant
end manifest violation of the rights
/ cf The people OF that district that the
way-farlng man, though a fool, could
! ncl err in attacking IT, But back 10
i me legal proposition that is the
4 only point | intended to discuss, as
4 covered all the territory | cared
\ TO cover IN my remarks Of this morn
ing. | repeat that there is not a
lawyer in this body. or in this state,
who cares anything for his reputa.
I, tion as such, who would contend that
Where It Is necessary to have the
sanction of the legislature to do or
30 complete matter that the legis-
lalure cannot withdraw its sanction
or revoke the authority given to Il
/ board by priof act, and that is so
p'ain as matte. of law and common
sense and right that even corn.
4 iield lawyer can understand it.
No,S the case that comes more
clearly home to us, and the one upon
which we have the right to base our
4 actions in this matter, is a decision
Of the Supreme court OF Oklahoma, as
ciied by Senator Thomas. We have
4 read that decision, and | know a
, number of the senators have had oc-
casion to read it, because you have
interested yourself in it, You heard
Senator Thomas read il on the floor
fol this senate, and at no time, and in
no line of that decision nor between
the lines, is ii written that there
was any question involved in that
t1Gn pVrpnf tha nxnap Il t,,ro or ,,,th
lie funds and contracting for build
inas Not that the board of agr =
culture should have located the instl-
tuion, but simply that the board
should supervise the expenditure OF
ine money, and therefore that they
SHOULD have lei the contract for the
blildngs. The Legislature located
The institution involved in that very
case, and that authority was not ques.
toned. and the only question was who
had the right to spend the money,
and challenge the record on that
point. That decision went to the
question as to whether or not the
alditor of this state would be justified
In paying warrants issued by the
lOard of public affairs in paying fot
. building instead of by the board
0l agriculture or board of control.
Can you imagine by direction or in.
direction how question Of the pow
oi OF the legislature to locate school
cuUld have been considered in that
case? The contract had been let
no question raised as to the location
bu, they did go into court and deny
the right of the board of affairs to
lot the contract and supervise the
work and the expenditure of money
That was the only question raised in
that case | must confess that if the
! bill passes and The school located al
e ls.k City that perhaps the board OF
agriculture will have to expend the
; money-that the money for the build
/ Jugs will have to be expended by this
+ board that has been put in The atti
p tude on this floor of saying, IF you
r lass this bill will defy you and
llaunt II IN youc faces that do not
? have TO carry OUT the expressed will
D OF The legislature of the state OF
I Oklahoma"
s. There may be some question OF
loltical propriety in this case, but
u Ii II Is | want to say Il is rather late
} u the day 10 raise that question, be
r cause this question has been pre-
G sehted to YOU before today. You have
/ had an opportunity to voice your op
n POSITION and | have never heard Il
l. rniil today on the floor of this sen
= a,o. ] want to refer again to what
+ said this morning in regard To the
: political aspect OF this matter. There
e may be some politics in this matter
} but from what | have observed an
+ constrained TO say that | do not be
!, llcye all the politics is confined to
/ tie Democratic side of this chamber
Il because YOU find Democrats On bot
L sides Of the matter. but YOU fir
,ho Republicans lined up in a sol
I phalanX on the other side. Ii there
g are no politics in ii how does that
e lappen? ! do not remember on the
! iloor OF the senate To have ever seer
e time when matter was up thai
+ Ga not have some political bea.inl
Il That yon would see all the Democrats
L on one SIDE and the Republicans on
T. 'hA other.
e If YOU vote against this bill you
G must say you done a wrong. and must
9 say this Legislature gave those fel
! laws authority to do a wrong that
8 this legislature cannot correct. This
: fOard may have violated our conf
. Gence and done what they should not
G have done, but you say to us that as
+ sod Democrats we must stand up tt
]. and say II is right and althOueh