The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-12-06
STAR CHAMBER
IN STATE SENATE
Motion to Abolish Executive Meetings
Loses After Much Debate
seeve Vandeventer

pF0C66uluBS Ol lu1 SSltsttR all executive
session the afternoon before, when
the first official action was taken in
the board of education controversy,
was the cause of a tRo-hour's discus
sion in the senate Thursday forencoA,
during which both sides of the qaes-
tion of the right of the public to have
information of the senatorial deli5era-
tions ON the board of education ap-
pointments were thoroughly debated
A motion by Senator ]. II, Thomp-
son 10 make oil sessions of the senate
open to the public was defeated by
vote of 12 lte 25. A subsequent mo-
ton by Senator Anderson that the
newspaper men be allowed 10 attend
tho executive sessions also was de-
feated. The matter is likely to come
up again, however, as many OF the
senators recognize the advantage t0E
permitting the newspaper men to get
first hand and accurate reports of the
executive sessions rather than the er
roneous reports that necessarily will
result from being forced to get news
at second hand.
Under the constitution, all delibera-
TiGnE Of the senate i'm passing upon
gubernatorial appointees are required
to be held in executive session The
reason is plain, AMID is indicated by
the constitution itself, that such
privacy is required both to protect
from publicity aHg 'appointee whose
character should be assailed in op-
posing his confirmation and 10 give
fthe senators perfect freedom in ex-
pressing their convictions concerning
the men whom this goVernUr,Eay have
nominated for confirmation.
Executive Session Necessary.
Some of the senators, especially Cau-
Gus Chairman Reuben NJ. Roddie, have
taken the position that under this con-
stitutional provision, whenever the
ssenate takes up the matter of the
board of education, or any of the gov
! ernors appointments, that the senate
must go into executive session, from
which the public and newspaper rep
resentatiyes are excluded.
1t is in accordanee with this reason
ing that the senate closed the doors
against the public Wednesday after
noon when the governors message
first came up for official notice, and
i also that the Thursday sessions, when
the board of education case was up
for consideration again, wsRe held be-
hind closed doors
But the impression is gaining among
the senators that this may be wrong.
The board of education controversy,
Us one prominent senator said Thurs
day, is matter in which the state
has been Interested for more than a
year; it involves q number of promi-
nent men and several very intricate
legal questions; Il touches upon con-
stiutional rights. 1t is of such i'm
portance that the ;goyernor has even
thought it best to call the senate in
extraordinary assembly to end the dis
! pute The questions of personality
and character are & aainor part of the
controversy, if involved at all.
~ am of the opinjon therefore" con-
eluded this senator, that just so long
as the senate deliberations do not
touch upon any mames character yor
hinder any senator from expressing
himself as to the fitness of the gov
ernor.s nominees, the doogs should 'be
opened to the public 1t must be TO
membered that this entire controversy
is over public matters and between
servants of the public, and fear that
we, the senate, who are also servants
of the public, will do wrong If we con-
tinue to exclude the public from the
court in which this big case has now
come to trial
Vaudeventer Aroused
The debate was started as soon as
the senate convened at 10 o'clock
Thursday forenoon, Senator Vande-
venter Immediately arose to point
of personal privilege, and read The
Oklahoman story of the executive ses-
sion which told of the passage of SEN
ator Roddie's motion calling upon the
secretary of state for the commissions
which were issued to the board men,
bers whom the governor afterwards
attempted to revoke, and other mat
ters which happened in the executive
session.
Senator Vandeyenter said there was
"a leak" and that If it occurred again
he would ask for an investigating COM
mittee. He inferred that members Of