Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-01-22
INVESTIGATION OF STATE OFF,
Gals DOOMED TO AN UN-
TIMELY DEMISE.
PREDICTS PARTY death
Smith of Shawnee the Only Democrat
in the House Who Had Courage
OF His Convictions.
(BY j. A. MckEENER)
(Staff Correspondent.)

OKLA ltOMA Cll1 !, Jan, l.-NSpe-
cial A specific plan Of investigation
of every state department and every
state official was adopted by the
house late today which the most ag-
gressive of the clean up agitators
declare will result In q virtual
"whltewash" of every person under
investigation and led to the destruc-
ton of the democratic power In Ok
lahoma. The plan as adopted, which
was bitterly opposed by the progress
sive democrats and republicans OF the
house. lead by II. II. Smith OF Shaw
nee, provides for the appointment of
a committee Of nine by the speaker
Of which the speaker shall be chair
man, to investigate all state depart
ments and all elective and appointive
officials 1t declares that the inves-
tigation shall begin at once and (
possible be concluded before this ses-
sion ends but if this Is not possible
provides for the recess OF the legls-
60 lature until they are ready to re-
port.
Smith Was Alone.
The plan was submitted and signed
by 81 members of the two judicial
committees of the house to whom all
investigating resolutions had been re
ferred. Representative II. II. Smith
submitted q minority report signed
only by himself.
The report submitted by Smith
called for n committee of seven, one
OF whom should be the speaker, and
provided that the legislature should
take a recess while the committee was
at work, for about three months, in
order to give this committee sufficient
time to make a full and complete
probe and then come back to hear
the report His resolution conferred
upon the investigating committee full
est authority possible under the con-
stitutlon including the right to have
district judges remove officials
against whom they might prefer
charges.
Declaring It the most important
proposition that would come before
the legislature this session. Smith
business has since shown a steady in
opened the debate which did not end
until two hours later. Referring to
the many scandals in the administra-
tlon of the democratic party In this
rate that had been brought to light
only to be quickly covered up, he
time and again brought cheers from
the gallery when he declared that
the people of the state would not
4 agp I've nI 10
manded a real investigation regard
less Of whom It might affect. Elo-
quently he pleaded with the house TO
give the committee full time and full
authority that they might make
complete and thorough investigation
and purge from the democratic party
the taint that had been attached to
It by the attempts to cover up the
many state scandals.
"Not a Whitcwashing."
lie predicted the downfall of the
democratic party unless they showed
their good faith and earnestly endeav-
ored to bring the guilty persons to
Justice
II plead with the party" he said,
10 WHICH you anu btlOiiB' W Hitht
n thorough house cleaning and not
a whitewashing because If we do not
we are doomed. We must rid our
ranks OF the thieves. forgerers ano
periurers. There has been a mighty
rumble in this state from every nook
and corner demanding clean up and
II we don't give It to them, the party
these men represent (pointing toward
the republlcans) will give It to them
and two years from now they will
occupying the seats We now occupy"
Tax Payers Cheer.
During his speech the gallery fire.
ouently broke into loud cheers and
finally Representative Hill, who led
the fight for the majority report,
asked that the gallery be cleared. Mr..
Smith responded by declaring that
the spectators in the gallery repre-
sented the tax payers and It was easy
TO see by their applause which side
of the question they took.
Not once during the debate for the
majority report did the galleries
cheer. The speaker allowed them to
remain. At o'clock this afternoon
the matter finally reached roll call
and the majority report was adopted
by vote OF GO to 20.
The committee will probably be
appointed by the speaker tomorrow.
--------------------------