The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-07-22
WILL ACT AGAINST
CRUCE PROTEST
STATE SECRETARY WILL CERTl-
Fly RIVER BED LEASE TO THE
STATE ELECTION BOARD.
July l6, 1913.

Notwithstanding the fact that The
governor has refused to sign the res
olution authorizing a referendum Oh
the proposed new section to the
constitution carrying into effect new
rules and regulations governing the
leasing of river beds for sand, gravel
oil and gas rights, the question will
be certified to the secretary of the
state election board some time Tues
day by Secretary Of State Ben F.
Harrison, according TO announcement
made by Mr.. Harrison late Monday
Whether the question will be sub
mitted to the voters at the special
election August is problematical.
This announcement from Mr.. Har-
rison came after a day of confer
ences between Governor Cruce, Attor-
ney General West and Seantor Camp
bell Russell, who is the prime mover
in the fight to have the question
submitted over the governors OBJ
lection, and in which the attorney
general submitted a written opinion
authorizing the secretary of state to
certify the ballot title to the secre-
tary of the election board.
Vests opinion.
The attorney general in a letter
to Mr.. Harrison early Monday holds
that inasmuch as the legislature by
a thirds vote Of each house au-
thoriZed the question submitted to
a vote of the people it is mandatory
for him to certify the question to the
state election board. Later, however,
the governor raised the point that
he had not in any of his messages
10 the special session opened for
the subject matter con-
tained in the resolution and for that
reason it was illega, Then Mr.. West
suspended the opinion given in his
letter until after conference with
Governor rCuce, at which the va
rious messages submitted by the gov
ernor were read and considered At
ter the conference the attorney gen
eral verbally informed Mr.. Harrison
that he still was of the opinion that
the question should be certified 10
the election board and accordingly
would give another written opinion
to that effect early Tuesday.
In his letter the attorney general
states: 81 do not know positively
but / am informed that this resolu-
ton was passed by a two-thirds vote
Of each house. Under section, ar
ticle "a of the constitution it be-
comes your duty in such case to refer
The same to the people for their ap.
proval or objection. The law re-
luires this of you and you are au-
.horized to certify the same to the
secretary of the election board"
What Opinion Means.
Although not stated in so many
words, the letter OF the attorney gen.
eral is accepted in official circles to
Indicate that he is of the opinion
hat it is not within executive prov
nee to either approve or disapprove
Icts of the legislature, which order
referendum. This is one of the
main contentious of Senator Camp |
'ell Russell, but there is wide diff
erence of opinion as to whether it
till stand up before the supreme
ourt where the matter doubtless will
ind its way within the next day or
wo.
Even after the question gets to the
ecretary of the election board, it is
OF at all probable that it will be
admitted at the special election Aug
st .. Ben w. Riley, secretary OF
lie state election board, stated Mon
ay afternoon that in his opinion 1t
ould be physically impossible to :
ave the ballots printed and distrib- :
ted in the brief time intervening :
efore the election. :
Riley's Side.
The arguments required by law for :