The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-02-04
DEMANDS SPEEDY HEARING


lhc case Of the absence or disability
OF the governor 10 temporarily per-
form The duties of governor, and the
constitution, unlike the provisions for
other state officers, does not give the
legislature power TO require addition
al duties from said lieutenant gov
ernor without additional compensa-
lion.
Iii support OF this, the. practice in
several other states of the Union,
where the legislature has rendered
additional duties to the person hold
ing the Office Of lieutenant governor
al the time, inya iably pay him addi-
tiona compensation for the additional
duties. Also. all other state officers
it will be observed ARE required to
give their entire time TO the service
OF the state, and therefore could not
be given additional compensation.
but where any new duty involves
personal expense, such personal ex-
pense involved by said new duty is
invariably paid
While the legislature, by its acts
above referred to, made the lieuien-
ant governor a member Of the bank
ing board these laws did not impose
upon him the additional duties and
expense Of performing the work o.
chairman Of said board, and that
having been elected chairman Of said
board, the said George w. Bellamy
was required TO incur expenses and
TO devote time to the duties and wei
fare of the banking department. OF
this state, which the state, in our
Judgment. should not rxpect 70 BE-
bcrue without just recompense,
However, the only question invov-
cd under the charges OF Mr.. Maris "
based upon a technical construction
Of law, ana whcn this question was
first raised so as TO come 10 the at
tcntlon Of the banking board, the
board promptly, to-wit, IN July, 1909
caused further payment 70 said
George w Bcllamy 10 be wilhhell
Iuntil such timea The courts Of our
state might settle the disputed ques
tion Of law and such case 10 settle
said law was promptly instituted, ans
Is now pcuding in the supreme cour
of Dur state, and 0lr board awaiting
such decision expects TO be guided
by lie action Of said court.
We submit that in the organizu
/ ton or greai stale this is only ikt
! unto many questions OF constitution
a construction and legal procedure
which piOeolses discussion and differ
/ cnce Of opinion, and are properly pre-
santed and settled only when Che
/ Judgment Of public boards and state
T officers are brought in question, and
then promptly submitted for adiud
cation, and that This board has ney
er at amy time approved the paymen
! to its chai man Of any OF said SUM
I fur expense and compensation fo
t time given 10 the duties or chairman
in excess of that which would reason
ably compensate him for such eX
pense and time devoted to the serv
4 ice. and al no lime in conflict with o.
detrimental to the duties as lieuten
/ ant governor.
We further call your attention tc
the provision Of The constitution
quoted by the Hon Lester A. Maris, {
part OF which is as follows.
Except wbe eiu otherwise proyid
ed la this constitution, in no cast
shall the salary or emoluments oI
any public official be changed afte
his election or appointment, or dur
ing his term Of Office" etc
We submit that this provision doe
lot apply, as the reference therein
made would be to the official position
Of lieutenant governor, and The por
tion Of the time when he may be re
uuised 70 serve The state as lieuten
ant governor, and that like the sey
i eral other statdg referred to, whal
additional WORK performed by TIL
liCuteGant governor not required b.
the constitution, that he Is not actin'
in that official capacity and there
fore is not limited to its compensa
tiCn.
And We ask your direct attention &
he fact that at the opening OF th
first session OF thc legislatu Q, aGte
The passage OF this banking law tc
wit on January 1909, that the mes
sage of the COVE 10 the hon0rabl
Legislature was accompanied by
report from the state banking depart
ment, wherein the fact was clearl
sci forth. showing the said payment
being made 70 the chairman of th
state banking board and that said rt
port was p inlcd and laid upon th
desk .rf every member Of HE lcgisla
tuc. including said Hon. Lester A
Mgris and hal from said report an
al said date, more than one year agt
said Maris and the whole legislatnr
we'll Knew ihal said chairman OF IN
hauking board VAS being paid Tor li
lime and expenses aud that by th
failure Of said Ma Is and % Tile iegls
laiure To raise any objection 10 th
facts and proceedings as clearly Sc
forth in said report at that time, o
duting said entire Legislative session
that this board had right 90 %
ume that IL was the opinion of sal
Maris aad all ether members of sal
legislature that The y oceedings Q
said board and the payment OF lai
compensation aud expenses 10 tn
chairman of said boagd was jus; an
proper and that his hoard is inform
ed and believes that his complaint 4
this late date is not in iacl The con
pAlnt Of said Maris, but that he !
nsbited shereio by persons outsid
the membefship Of your honorabl
house 10 make said complaint an
Z wi hotl haVlhg' anheaft Or Win il
bhf 0ihdnelit the hhbilt sefplce.
n lslghedy 'Aa f@ftio h3aa9gfa
G w. BELLAMY. Chm
G. n. HASKELL.
j. A MtfNFFlris,
AT E. TRAPp