The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-08-09
DUNLOP REFUSES
TO LEAVE BOARD
In Letter to Governor cruce He Ex.
plains Position on Books
Letting Was Honest.

which he addressed TO Governor Lei
Cruce Saturday, State Treasurer Rob
ert Dunlop, one of the members of the
state board of education whose resig
nation was requested by Governor
Cruce and who later was removed by
the governor, fatty refuses to quit the
board and declares that he will carry
the contention to the supreme court
The letter follows
August 3, 1912 - Hon. Lee Cruce
governor, Oklahoma City Okla, Sir.
II have received recently three com
munications from you which feel
that It is my duty to answer: the first
is letter from you dated July 27 1912,
requesting my resignation as a mem
ber of the state board Of education
the second Is dater July 29, 1912, and
purports Ia me a summary of evidence
Of complaints made more than year
ago against me as a member OF the
state board of education; the third is
notice that you had attempted to re-
move me from the membership Of the
state board of education ana that what
ever | might do In this state as a
member of that board would be done
at my peril.
I eheerfully assume all risk which
may attend the course | shall pursue
in this matter. I shall not comply
with your request and | wish to CON
vey this information that ii you can
get my resignation before | tender il,
get busy. My reasons are as fol-
lows A short time after you had
concluded the investigation OF the
charges made against the members Of
the state board of education. you III
formed my attorney, w. A. Ledbetter,
that there was no proof of any wrong
doing on my part and that you had ae-
Quilted me upon all charges In counec-
tion with the investigation of last fall
Later In d conversation in your Of
fee you told me personally that the
investigation had revealed nothing
which In any manner reflected upon
MY conduct. honor or integrity as
member of the board, and you express
cd satisfaction that this was true
What want to know governor is this:
When did you tell the truth? When
you advised my attorney, or the other
day when you found me guilty? After
having been found by you guilty of no
wrong-doing. and having the approval
of my own conscience upon all past
matters when the proposition as to
when the text books should be adopt
ed came before the board gave it my
best though and Judgment; hence, the
only possible grievance YOU have
against me is that | refused to sub
nit to your dietation and voted against
the postponement Of the adoption.
Politics interesting.
The game of politics is an interest
ing one Possibly have not the in
teleet that is necessary to play the
game IN the role Of demagogue.
There are some men in this state who
have tried continuously since they
have been in Office to play the game OF
politics, but most of their plays have
been what the ball fans call a bone
head play" Governor, you made a
desperate effort to play the political
game with the board and the only
reason you gave the board for the
postponemeat of the text book adop.
ton was that to adopt the books at
this time would be bad politics You
stated that ma matter how success
fully the adoption might be made, not
how mitch money might be saved to
the taxpayers of this state, the board
would be criticized by the political
enemies Of your administration /
give you another opportunity to be
honest. Did you not make that claim
to the board, and is that not the only
reason why you opposed the adoption
at this time? Every member OF the
board believed that it was to the in
terest OF the schools to make the adop-
ton now They also believed that
they could make an honest adoption
oat q which no politician could make
capital for political purposes The
board believes that the responsibility
for the adoption, under the law, rest.
ed on its members They knew that
the governor is not member of the
present board They also knew that
the governor was member Of the old
text book commission, but that the
legislature, in its wisdom enacted q
law which was approved by you, leav
ing the governor of the board and put
ting the entire responsibility on the
new board whose membership was Sc
constituted that no governor coulC