The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-03-11

tiary investigation has at last reach
ed the senate.
It is a long exhaustive report filled
with all sorts and conditions OF
charges against the present warden
OF the penitentiary and finally de-
ciares that Le has outliyed his use
fulness at that institution.
That is about as brief as | can
make it. | would hesitate to say
another word so far as the report
is concerned and absolutely refuse
to submit It even H. substance, be-
cause | am frank enough TO state
that reading between the lines w
looks too much like persecution, and
when Investigation reaches that
point it ceases to have its desired
effect.
do not know much about Bob
Dick. | believe have met him
three times in my life. | hope "
will not think me unnecessarily can
did if say that I have given him
about as little thought as any man
in the state until this investigation
arose.
was in the senate chamber two
weeks ago when a bill was intro
duced reducing the warden's salary,
taking from the governor the power
to appoint. 1t was stated at the time
hy- Senator Redwine and Senator
Thompson that the bill was the out
come of the Investigations under way.
That looked like taking snap judg-
menJ to me. 1t passed both houses
before this report was made and |
honestly believe that 1t only passed
the legislature because it was con-
ceded that it was necessary in view
of the investigation.
read the other day an editorial
from the Republican newspaper OF
McAlester, an article eXtolling the
virtues of Bob Dick and expressing
confidence in him. | was satisfied
that whatever his mistakes might
have been in life, his virtue of hon
csty was at least unseduced.
Republican newspapers are not en-
dorsing any democratic officer t.
there is a ghost of a chance of crit
icising them.
But how about the other side? |
heard it said that men who in the
ewes of the world are considered al
most past redemption, men who are
condemned to pass their lives or
large portions of them behind those
prison bars, for the first time in
years and years are on their knees
praying that Bob Dick is retained as
Warden. They hesitate to appeal to
investigating committees, but they
believe there is a great Chief In
vestigator" who holds the record of
every man in his memory who viii
listen and heed their applications.
| may be somewhat sentimental IN
temperament. but | cannot help but
sympathize with the captive regard
less oc the cause therefor. These
poor fellows in the penitentiary arc
but paying a debt they owe to so
ciety. Their humanity has not de-
Perforated nor have their feelings
been 50 utterly prostituted as to
make them Indifferent and callous -
their own unfortunate position.
| commenced by saying that knew
Roh Dick but slightly personally.
but | want to end by saying that
| know sufficient of his record -
warden of the penitentiary to make
this unqualified statement.
n every word in the charges
against Warden Dick is true, they
fail to support the contention made
that he has outlived his usefulness.
In the meantime since there IS
nothing brought to light which shows
him to be unfit to be warden, inca
pable of handling those poor pris-
oners, he should be left alone.
The governor has power and at
thority enough to judge for himself,
whether or not Bob Dick is the
right man in the right place and uu-
less he finds out to the contrary
Governor Cruce will be perfectly
justified in keeping him where he Il.
the report of the committee to the
contrary Notwithstanding.
Let us all remember that there
is credit and debit side of the
ledger in the affairs of humanity, and
Bob Dick has both sides which