Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1912-11-14
CRUCES MESSAGE
TO LEGISLATURE
IooU0o IN ADVANCE or the lgo.
IOlATIve SESSION.
SUcc ESTS MANY REFORMS
0vNopels ~ the Chief Executive Mese
important Recommendation Gov.
srlnO Many Departments Of
state end County Gov.
ornment

latWee Convened In Regular ses'
ellen:
The Consultation Of Oklahoma pro-
oe the Legislature, and Immediately
upon its organization, the Governor
aAAl1 communicate by message, de'!v.
0eod 70 Joint session Of two houses,
uoOa he condition Of the State: and
GAall recommend such matters to the
Legislature - he shall Judge expedi-
eot." In attempting to carry out the
1uty thus imposed upon me. am ad-
dSoosing you this communication.
TIVE years Of close study from the
Vnntago position Of Chief Executive
ooavinoeo ne that much helpful legis-
latioa = nesded 70 bs enacted by this
oo1y. ladesd an convinced that no
otmilar body has heretofore Assem-.
NJ h Oklahoma, the work Of which
hae proved Of greater advantage to
~ poeD1e Of tn State. than your work
- ~. The opportunity for useful
Woek u at your hands. II you grasp
i - ~ entirety your efforts will be
oo0rociated By he people Of this gen.
esatjoa and revere6 81 those Of gen.
0eat1oas to come.
TAoro are certain laws that have TO
q 1leoetly with the moral conduct of
OuS citiSenshiD. and holding to the be-
Net herein expressed. ! do not hest.
eaeo - rocommend to you the pas
oaGo q such legislation % will re-
0trAia the viciously inclined and
oSing about q more wholesome re-
oDeet for righteous government.
have found that the laws which
oeo hardest to enforce are that class
g laws ] have Just enumerated.-the
DusDooo q which 10 to deflne the &C.
eloos OF our citizenship In it, social
n1o, and that undertake to put limit
uDoa The license IN which they shall
ln1ulse In this connection I invite
your attention 70 three laws that
0oA0l OeoeDineutly prominent: to-wit.
~ NV against prise fighting. the
NV against gambling and the prohi.
0ltioa law.
have hal mere complaints come to
- from various quarters Of the state
VttA reference to the reinforcement
g tAooo laws. than all others on our
Statute books for the prevention Of
crime. The reason for this 10 easily
ascSlbahle; In practically every com.
0ualty In the state the people are d.
Vt0o1 upon the wisdom and expedien-
q Of such laws. and in some eommu-
mites . majority Of the people. or at
least . majority Of those who are out
spoken In their opinion, 10 hostile to
Q rigid enforcement Of these laws:
aad In some instances the officers
whose sworn duty II 10 to enforce the
Aws are out Of sympathy with these
particular laws and make no serious
e9ort to enforce them. In fact. I may
~ that IN some instances instead
. onforcing these laws. they aid. in
0lroetly at least, and encourage their
violation. shall deal with these sub
9ooes separately.
PROHIBITION.
I've years % governor Of the state
= a attempt to enforce the prohibi-
t1oa laws. while that snforcement In
0aay instances has been weak. lax
oo1 absolutely Intellectual. has only
eeavinoed me that prohibition can be
0als elective. TO take any other
v1ow Of the subject u to say that hu.
0Aa governnent. especially govern.
neat q the people. is . failure. The
0a3eeity Of the people Of the state
= eWo separate occasions have voiced
Oooe approval Of statewide prohibi.
don. aAl have said that this must be
She Law In Oklahoma. To permit this
NJ 70 romaiA upon the statute books
. the s1prosssd will OF . majority of
tAe people ana not enforce she law
aod giva to the people the dement's
0oy expect and are ontitled to, 10 to
~ that the will Of the minority and
net the will Of the majority must pre-.
vall y Oklahoma. And here again We
oee brought face to face. with the same
eonditiens that prevail with refer.
oaee to the prise fighting and samb.
Mag evils.
In many localities public sentiment
eavors the open bootlegging joint. Re.
ooot statements made By oMlcialo ad-
hitting their impotency to deal with
M subject show the need Of further
94lelation upon this subject. make
0ae statement without qualification
~ after two years Of sxperisnce,--
0eee 10 not county or city In this
0eote where open bootlegging Joints
- be maintained II looa1 county and
~ o@ciAls, whose duty II 10 to en-.
oosoe the law, viii do their duty.
REMOVAL or OFFICERS.
TAe Constitution Of this state,
oootains the following:
"The supreme executive power
Q1au 10 vested In . chief magis-
egoeA who shall be styled The
0overnor Of the State OF Oklaho.
~"
'The Governor shall cause the
NM . the State 10 ~ faithfully
oDoouted."
0vl1Dntly II was the intention az
~ eo0erS Of the Constitution and
- Dooolo who adopted Il to clotho