The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-06-23

Bennett of Muskogee, the republican
member of the commission, will alsC
resign.
An unsuccessful attempt was made
at the last session of the legislature tC
pass a bill abolishing the capital com
mission which was created by the last
Legislative session under Governor
Haskell. The commission was to have
charge of building the state capital
1t is the intention of the governor
to place the work of supervising the
construction of the state capitol in
lcharge of the members of the state
board of public affairs, who will be
Appointed ex oficio capitol commits
sioners in order to comply with the
Iletter of the law, which provides that
the capitol commission shall build the
Icapitol.
In long letter to the governor the
two members of the old commission
who have resigned warned him that
capitol buildings are the special
Hobby of the unscrupulous" and ex-
lpress the belief that the state board
of public affairs cannot legally build
the capitol. The commissioners also
intimate that the state cannot use a
single dollar of the $4,000 to be paid
into the state treasury by the Capitol
Building company each month to be
fused in the construction of the capi-
ltol unless a special session of the leg
Iislature is called and the money is
specifically appropriated.
A movement is said to be on foot to
avoid this difficulty by depositing the
Imoney in bank to be drawn upon by
checks approved by the proper state
officers. The law, however, states
specifically that the money shall be
paid into the state treasury and it is
learned that suit will be brought to
enjoin the expenditure of the fund if
not so deposited.
| The governor states in his letter that
Isince the Capitol Building company,
which has agreed to erect million
dollad structure free pursuant to it's
contract with former Governor Has
kell, has signified its intention of car
Trying out its part of the contract, some
thing must be done that will place the
state in a position to fulfill its part.
THE governors letter requesting the
commissioners resignation in part
says:
''You know how | have stood with
reference to the capitol commission
since the Putnam site has been aban-
Idoned, and the real estate feature con-
Injected with that property is no longer
Ito be handled by the capitol commits
lsion. have always felt that the con
ltinuance of the commission was an ex-
Ipense not to be justified and that the
building could just as properly and
lcheaply be erected through the state
Iboard of affairs as the capitol commits
Ision. I shall hold to that position, and
believe that by putting this work into
the hands of the board of affairs that
lit will save considerable money to the
Estate. ! think that my ideas can be
Icarried out only through the members
lof the capitol commission rendering
their resignation. In making this re-
Iquest of you want to state distinctly
there is no fault found with any mem.
ber of the capitol commission; you
are all personal friends of mine. and
if the commission was to be continued
there would be no change in the com
mission by me-"
Commissioners Brady and Williams
in acknowledging the receipt Of the
governors letter say that it is taken
'as notice of our removal from Office" /"
land that they are ready to deliver the
Irecords to the state board of affairs.
The people first created the capitol
commission, says the letter. It was
again created by the legislature in
special session, the regular session
having declined to abolish the COM
mission after the governor by special
message requested that it do so.
1--WE believe the two offices are IN
compatible and cannot be filled by the
same persons" says the commission
ers' letter. IF not so, why did the
Legislature and the people create two
such Offices? Your views do not there
fore coincide either with the people
or the legislatures.
The commissioners say they cannot
see how the governor can hold to the
strict terms of the contract, which
provides that the company shall pay
to the state $4,000 monthly, without
further legislation, since the constitu-
tion provides that no money, even
-