The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-06-28
URGES
LOWER TAXES AND
FEWER OFFICIALS
Reduction of Fifty Per Cent of State
Jobs Would Leave Plenty,
He Says.

Oklahoma City, June 20.-Sweepins
changes in the administration of pub
lie affairs with special emphasis OF
the reduction of offices were recon-
mended by Governor Cruce Thursda,
morning in an address before the Citi
zens' Protective League convention
repeated applause interrupted the gov
ernor and often he was compelled to
wait for quiet before he could make
himself heard The crowd seemed 10
agree with him throughout in the plans
he suggested for the reduction of tax.
alton
Following a plea for greater eff.
cheney in public service, the governor
said there were far too many offices
in Oklahoma and that a reduction Of
90 per cent could be made and still
give the people as good government as
they are getting at the present time.
Not only would the governor make
general decrease in the number of
oHlces but he would abolish all town
ship offices, consolidate the offices of
register of deeds, district and county
clerk, abolish all superior judgesbips
discontinue the Office of lieutenant gov
ernor, consolidate the Office of sheriff
with that of tax collector, and reduce
u
the membership of the legislature to
90 in the house and Is to % in the sen.
ate. In addition to these sweeping in.
novations the governor said he favored
cutting from 10 to cents the mileage
received by members of the legisla-
ture In going to and from sessions and
placing the members on salary instead
of per diem.
This method" he said, would dis.
pense with all the annoyance about spe
cial sessions, since we could then call
the legislature together at any time
without additional cost to the tax pay
ers." We could easily do away with
the Office of lieutenant governor and
should abolish all the superior courts.
In my judgment we could combine the
offices of state mine inspector, commits
sioner OF labor and commissioner of
charities and get just as good results
as we are getting now.
The chief executive was cheered
when he advocated a reduction in the
number of state institutions. "You
can't build up satisfactory education.
al system with so many would-be state |
Institutions, = he declared. "They are
menace to good government by rea-
son of the manner in which the repre-
from counties with such in
stitutions combine to vote for various
A vigorous side swipe at the grand
Jury system was also taken which in
'luded some spicy comment on the
grand jury in Oklahoma coun-
y. I'm this county 11O men petitioned
or grand jury" he said. Two names
ire not legible on the petition, but of
he-lOS others who foisted grand jury
lpon the people of Oklahoma county
'aid taxes ON $10,7S5 worth of personal
property.
Thus, for every $3.50 that the
'rand jury costs Oklahoma county.
hese 1OS men will pay just l cent each.
II nearly every case the resulting pros
could all have originated upon
Information, but the grand jury system
5 used as the cover behind which q
owards hide when they have enemies
pom whom they are seeking revenge"
The governor stated that on July Y
e would issue to the public a state 2
lent showing just what the admins :
.ation of his office had cost for the
asst fiscal year. He thought every \
ther public official owed it to his con-
.ituents to do the same.