The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-04-19

L1i NNhtHh VI the law Nul AAiaNiN VI
but sensibly and in the s9ris of tel
iow citizenship. If the courts OK the
col ntry are to be expected 20 upnold
rhe provisions OF the constitution and
tc sustain the legislation enacted Wit
alizing the same and no; to declare
wholesome legislation uncenstIJuHop-
al under the l4th amendment TO The
constitution of the United States, the
rock upon which more Wholesome
legislation has gone to wreck than all
Fothers, the people themselves must
be consistent upon the constitution.
When the constitution provided that
the secretary of state, the auditor,
and certain other state officers,
should not succeed themselves it was
done in response to the peoples de-
\ sire that political machines should not
be built up in Oklahoma, 1t was nev.
1 er once dreamed that these officers
and others should swap positions and
evade technically yet violate the con
1 stitution in spirit. II the peopla IN
their nomination and election fail TO
conform TO this provision. as we'll as
every other provision OF the cGnsti-
I tuition, in spirit, what may we expect
OF our judiciary when they come 10
deal with wholesome laws enacted for
the peoples welfare and benefit? |
may be excused TO show you my con.
slstency in obeying that clause Of the
constitution which had as it's original
intent the breaking down OF p0liti-
cal machines, which have always,
and under all systems OF government,
/ proven the most disastrous. II the
constitution Is followed 1t would Gu.
able any man to come fresh from the
people and rise to the highest o'fice
within their gift. | retired from OF.
flee on May Goth, 1908. Since that
date ! have held no Office, and /
have obeyed the technical provisions
OF that clause and oheyed it In
spirit | have no political machine OF
lineup Have made no private Iro.
mise to anyone--no promise OF at
pointment to office and | shall net
make any ! only have the most un-
selfish lot Of friends that ever follow
ed a candidate into political battle.
The makers OF the constitution CT
course understood that the "Commls-
soners,' or the heads OF the various
departments OF the state government
called commissioners, in their very
nature requiring technical informa-
ton would in many instances require
the reelection Ior many periods OF
years perhaps OF the men hast tilted
by reason OF that technical 1n;ol ma
ton for these various positions, but
four years is a term long enough for
every state officer who does not come
within that technical qualification,
Let the people set that pace OF con
sistency Of an honest effort to uphold
the officers hands and to decry
wrong doing and hold to a uniform
application OF law toward all citizens
irrespective of wealth, station in life
or political pull, and then elect Of
Ulcers from the lowest to the highest
who will keep pace with the example
they set themselves. In this connection
I might repeat TO you an Illustration
quoted by James Bryce in his cele-
brated work, "The American Common
wealth." written thirty years ago. in
which he says "a prominent New
Yorker once said TO me, speaking Of
one Of the Chief Justices of the city;
I don't think him such a bad fellow
he has always been friendly to me,
and would give me midnight injunc.
ton or do anything else for me at a
moments notice, but of course he is
the last person | would dream OF
asking to my house This was but an
indirect means OF telling Mr.. Bryce
that this Judge was a moral repro.
bate. And when Mr.. Bryce put IL in
to that splendid work, which, TO my
notion. is the soundest, clearest criti-
cism OF American Institutions yet
written in the English language.
what a scathng rebukc 10 New
York's Judiciary was thus placed in
PRINT VIII the people OF Oklahoma
by their actions permit such TO be
said OF their courts or their state of
ficers; their county officers or their
precinct officers. or will they look in.
TO their character for honesty, fair
cealing and moral rectitude; thaif
ability; their courage to do their duty
under fire, or will they by their ac-
tions permit repetition Of this same
statement In oklahoma?
Judiciary Reform.
The greatest need is the reform OF
our judicial system, and procedure.
A procedure suited for the citizen
ship four hundred years ago Is anti
qnated at this day Business is too
rushing, changes are too quickly max.
ing and forming to permit the con
tinuation of the defeat OF Justice by
mere technicalties in procedure.
The environment OF the candidate
for Judge" In his effort TO succeed in
the election, surrounded as he Is az
ter election in many instances render
1t difficult for him to do the square
( hing even when he is disposed to DC
so, especially II he lack that splen