The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-03-12
Then here is one that is harmless,

lHtu mere Is Que IlldI 10 htl luiSoo'
J but it always has the effect of say
: ing sick 'em" to a pack of dogs
rs there a political machine be-
ing maintained at your expense in
the city of Ardmore?"
but it always stirs people. The
old convention days made and un-
made many political rings, but the
direct primary leaves 1t all with
the people. AS long as you stick
to the primary you need fear no
rings.
You will all remember | got into
this fight two years ago on the
primary proposition. / wanted a
blanket primary, in which all Repub-
! licans, Democrats and Socialists
could vote. i got into this fight
because l opposed five men naming
a city ticket We finally got it into
politics, because the Democratic club
declared for primaries. We have a
primary this time where all may
vote They tell me Mr.. Dawson has
the promise of the Republicans and
Socialists, but l don't believe it. l
think they are going to select the
man they think best fitted to be the
chief executive of the city
AI,y hn ,Nt-;,, hnc
since been made. Let us look at
Mr. Dawson. Let us see if he is
adverse to ring. If you are going
to form a ring you don't want to
take the people with you. You
want to keep from taking the peo-
| pie i'll with you.
Now, as | said before when Mr.
Dawson put all the commissioners
and myself in one boat and struck
out in his own craft, he called for
men from the high seas to man
his craft, but remember he reserved
the right to select them.
Now, if he had not wanted to form
a ring he would have resigned as
commissioner to take effect May 1st,
when the new officers are installed
missioner from the First Ward to
the people. All the commissioners
and candidates for commissioner
would have agreed to appoint the
man selected by the people. But
no sir, he not only wanted to con
troll one office, but two.
Who is to be the commissioner
from the First Ward? l bet he is
some fellow that is afraid to trust
the people for his selection.
1t looks to me like Mr.. Dawson
is crying Ring! Ring!!" so he
could attract attention to the other
fellow while he is organizing him a
ring.
Wants Wider Scope.
Then Mr. Dawson states that he is |
asking to be your mayor because he
wants a wider scope in winch to
endeavor to nelieve your municipal |
burdens and to enforce your laws. |
He says that the office of mayor is
the keystone of the arch of munich
pal government under our charter. |
He says that single-handed and alone |
his power for good would be cir
cumscribed.
Now, this is new doctrine for Mr.. |
Dawson When we FIRST went into
office he insisted that each man in
his department was supreme. You |
remember the article in the papers
about the -Four Little Mayors"
Well, that was It. Mr.. Dawson read |
the provision in the charter about
each commissioner being supreme |
in his department with great gusto.
He insisted that that was the let
ter of the charter and that the may
or was to be merely a figurehead. He
was to sign contracts, warrants, etc,
when ordered by the board of COM
missioners, but as to other matters |
he was to have no authority at all; |
that the commissioner for each de-
partment was to be supreme.
Now, l have always contended that |
that was not what the charter
meant. Cities get all their powers
from the constitution and the sta
tutes. They are delegated powers.
They have no inherent powers. 1t
is contrary to the American form
of government to delegate legislative
power to any one man. The nation
legislates through congress as
body of men. The state legislates
through its legislature, composed of
the house and senate. Cities legis-
late through a city council or
board of commissioners. 1t is ridicu-
lous to say that the state intended