The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-12-13
SENATE SIDESTEPS
SCHOOL BOARD TIFF
Cruces Appointments Are Referred
to Committee BY Oklahoma
Legislators.

Oklahoma City, Dec. 5.-In execu-
tive session today the senate con
tirmed the governors appointment of
the following district judges submit
ted by him in the first special execu.
tive message: w. r. Taylor, Okla
homa City! Preston S. Davis, Yinita
Jesse Hatchett, Durant; Frank Mat.
hews, Altus, and ]. w Steen, Enid.
No legal objection was raised against
any of the appointments.
The board of education controversy
was referred to a special committee,
of which Senator Roddie of Ada is
chairman, to make an investigation
as to the legal status of persons com
missioned under the act creating the
board. The resolution was by Senator
Thomas of Lawton and contained the
further instruction to advise regard
ing the governors authority to make
vacation appointments and later with
draw them. Other members of the
committee are Senators Burford
Jones, Vandeyenter, Mcintosh, Car.
penter and Horton. A report is to be
made at 2 p. m. tomorrow, to which
hour the senate adjourned.
Legal Question Looms Up.
The resolution and the report will
bring before the senate the one legal
question upon which the controversy
will turn, that being whether the gov
ernor, possessing the power to ap.
point, also has the power to remove
prior to confirmation. 1t has been the
contention Of the attorney general and
the governors other legal advisers
that the dual power existed. Attor.
neys for the old board members held
that the issuance of commissions to
the first set of members ended the
governors control of the situation.
Appearance of a statement in one
OF the local newspapers, purporting to
give what occurred in the senate's ex-
ecutive session yesterday brought on
a long senate debate this morning
whether the doors should be opened
and the public allowed to hear the
consideration of special session bust
ness. The old senators admitted that
in the past they found that frequently
executive session action would beat
them to the hotel lobbies and some of
them advocated casting aside the rule
of secrecy. Others believed that the
public ought to know all about what
the Legislature did and the members
said in and out of session on public
matters The motion to admit the
public, however, was beaten by a vote
og II to 25
Executive and secret sessions are
relics of the dark ages. according to
Senator Barrett. They smack of the
star chamber" he said. The repor-
ters will have the news, and it is com
paratively easy for them to find a
babbling senator"
Motion is Tabled
A motion by Senator Anderson that
representatives of daily newspapers be
permitted to remain in executive ses-
sions with the understanding what the
senate did not want printed would not
be, was tabled.
New members of the senate will not
allow the controversy of Wednesday
over the appointment Of committee
to select the standing committee to
gauge their action in respect to the
binding effect of democratic caucus
action. This statement was made by
one of the new members last night
Others say, however they are not
bound to observe rule that the elder
ones repudiated when they went into
the senate with the express view vi
"overturning the boat"
The Aycock-Langston contest. in
volying the seat in the senate from the
First district, probably will go over
until the regular session, which means
that neither claimant will be given a
seat during the special session.