The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-11-22
GOVERNOR CRUCE AND
STATE SUPERINTENDENT
Engage In WOrdy Combat Anent The Remoual
Of The State Board OF Education.

~ NNNAAo NaN NCNAAPNAhE AuO
ceivable task of filing the office of
one board, with the result that mails
are held up the various departments
of the public institutions of the state
and heads of departments OF the state
government are driven here and there
and labOring under the uncertainty of
possible liability on their official bonds
resulting from recognizing either one
or the other OF the two such boards,
and the presidents an dsuperiatend-
ents of the various sstitutions of the
stace, under the direction of the state
board of education are distracted from
the performance o fthe normal duties
docking to the benefit of their students
and charges by the consideration of
which board to recognize, which con
sideration is affected by bread and
butter principle to say nothing 'eS the
humiliating spectacle presented to the
outside world.
My suggestion is simply to avoid
these distracting circumstances and
place the bur6ens OF responsibility of
choice of membership upon the peo-
pie, upon whose shoulders it should
rest; and ,ts assure That itise educa-
tional interests of the state shall have
the benefit of the unffettered exercise
of discretion OF the membership of tine
contrasting board, SO essential to the5r
we'll being. And in the premises, j
deem atfn1y duty tO suggest you reeoml-
mend TO the Legislature this ome
method ! have been able ,so conceive
|of IT, bring about ss essential a thing
as sEhe Freedom ar our educatirnal
interests from political dominance.
Yours truly, n. H WILSON,
State Superintendent Mlstructinn."
The Governors Reply
Hon. K, H. Wilson,
-yEercsntile BuiHtsng,
oklahoma City, Okla.
"Dear Sir: lnbye 1nst reesxr ed
your letter of November 10 advising
me thai you desiue to nuke a change
lin your recommendations submitted
some time ago. The Recommendation
that you formerly snade have already
been printed and Ii will be impossible
TO change them al this time or to cem-
brace in. them the suggestion contained
in your letter.
Z am glad To nNae that you at Hast
have come to the conclusion that d1e
governor of the state has authority TO
remove members OF the beard of ecu-
cation. TO hold to any other view
would make your letter of the twelfth
idle and silly. II no authority rests
in the governor TO remove appointive
members of this board, then your en-
tire argument about coercion fails.
This contention having been agreed to
by you, the only remaining issue in
your recommendations is whether on
not that board. if elected, would be
further semoyed from political infiu-
ences than il appointed
Upon fhis proposition, 4 vail state
to you that my experience of the past
two years has convinced me that cleo
tive officials are just as ready to re-
spond to pCaitical influences as are ap-
pointive officials. The idea. of appoint,
ment has this added argument in its
favor: Should the appointive mem
Der undertake 10 use his position in a
pofStical way, as has been done in the
past, the governor, can remove him and
protect the pubiic service and the
schools of the state from becoming the
plaything of politicians. Should mem
bers BE elected an dthen fail to be true
to their trust, the only relief the peo-
pie could have would be to resort to
the courts or to the legislature. Either
process would occasion delay, during
which time harm might result to the
interests of the state
Situation Regretted.
NO one regrets more than / the
present spectacle that is given to the
world brought about by conflict over
the board of education That there
is no excuse for this condition every |
thinking man will concede. That you |
are largely responsible for its exist
ence is known to all men who have
watched your course in dealing with
this matter You have used all the |
power of your Office in vain endeavor
to thwart the efforts of the governor
to purge the board of political infu-
ences. and have gone out of your way
to interfere with my actions in dealing /
with nay appointees.
abe laws and the constitution inn
pose upon you no obligation to under
take to dictate to or instruct the gov
ernor whom he shall appoint to or re-
move frofh any position under him.
ieIf you would follow The law in this
case as plainly interpreted By the at