The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-05-12
A JOKE ON THE PUBLIC.

A joke on the public as a rule
proves vGry serious and expensive
II is not like a paltry jest worked
off on some individual who can go
down in his own personal pocket and
pay the freight. The public joke is
paid for out of the public treasury.
And the public joke. when settled by
the taxpayer. soon loses its kumor
and becomes a nightmare, which
causes others to laugh at the people
of the state upon whom it was per-
petrated.
The greatest public jokes which
have been perpetrated during the past
several states of this union, are the
state legislature with which the
public have been inflicted. Small
wonder is that the governor of Kan
sas has indicted a message to the
legislature of that state in which he
seriously advised that body to enact
a law which would bring about its
own abolition, and creating a COM
mission to act in its stead-a COM
mission of men-cool- Drained, level
headed and imbued with a spirit OF
state pride, of justice and of a de-
sire to see laws enacted and enforced
which would rebound to the credit
of the state in place of making it the
laughing stock of the people of other
states. '.sj
Kansas might do well to adopt the
plan suggested by its governor ana
other states might do well by follow
ing such lead on the part of Kansas.
Missouri might do well with such
commission commission which
would unburden the pages of her
statute books of the multitude OF laws
and legislative acts, one of which re-
peals the other either directly or by
implication, while both are left on
the pages of the statutes TO tantal-
ize and harass the public and the
courts of law. And Oklahoma might
do well to follow the suggestion OF
the Kansas governor. Oklahoma
with her voluminous statutes-her
laws copied bodily from the statutes
OF the state OF Texas by men whom
the people have elected as lawmak- |
ers and representatives of the public |
veal. 1t has been urged by the peo-
ple-by the thinking people of every |
state, for the past half a century, !
that better fitted, more able and bet |
ter qualified men should be elected !
to the bi-annual general assemblies
but such a movement, If movement
it may be called, has always ended
il suggestions without action, Each
succeeding election sees a repetition
OF its predecessor in so far as the
election of the members of the leg
islature' is concerned. The man who
is gifted with a flow of language, the
man with the supple jaw, the man
who can shout from the stump "E
Pluribus Unum" and translate it TO
mean the eagles flight is out OF
sight will be returned to the legis-
lature and continue to misrepresent
the interests of the people who have
voted for him-will continue TO sit
in stately ignorance and vote for
foolish and burdensome measures
just as long as the present system
Of legislation exists.
The thousand Philistines were
slain with the jaw-bone of an ass in
he days when old Sampson lived and
he same weapon is used in Staying 4
he best interests of the taxpayers
If every state in this union today. ,
The Timber jaw of the unsosrupulous
,r the incompetent, are numbering {
he best interests of this state right
low and have ever since the state
ecame a state. I
In commenting upon the ridiculous s
ess OF the present system Of state '
agislstion in this country the Sat /
rday Evening Post Of recent issue c
omments in the following versatile /
lngusge: 1
This new amendment to the fed
-al constitution means simply that,