The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-01-16
CHARTER MAYORS
IN STATE SESSION
QUESTIONS OF THE RECALL AND
EXCISE BOARD ARE THE CHIEF
TOPICS.

OhlauOud lily, Jan. 4O.-SuSsuOAs
of the recall, which so intimately
laffects office holders under the COM
mission form in Oklahoma cities
lcropped out as the chief feature OF
the meeting of commission city Off
cials of the state at the city hall
Wednesday.
Time in discussion was divided
chiefly between two subjects, recall,
and excise boards.
A state organization was formed
with Mayor Z. S. Ratcliff of Ada,
president; Mayor P. P. Duffy of e.
Reno, vice president and Guy Black
welder, commissioner of public works
lof Oklahoma Cinty, secretary-treas
iurer.
The opening session was devoted
to discussion principally OF proposed
purpose of the organization through
speeches by Mayor Whit NJ. Grant
of Oklahoma City; Mayor d. H. Daw-
son OF Ardmore; Mayor c. \. Lamm
of Bartlesville; Mayor Duffy Of Ell
Reno; Commissioner W. H. Hampton
of Oklahoma City and A. R. McLen-
mon of Oklahoma City, commissioner
of finance of Lawton.
The Excise Question.
The afternoon session was to be
devoted in part to the consideration
of bill drafted by Mayor Duffy, pro-
yidng for the abolishment OF the
county excise boards of the state.
Duffy, Is here to represent the bill
to the legislature. In speaking for
his measure, Duffy said that the
county excise board, in his opinion,
is bad, in that cities should be left
alone in the matter of levying taxes
for municipal expenditures. He stat
ed that the city of El Reno had
had a bitter experience with thc
county excise board of Canadian
county overriding the city officers in
cutting down municipal appropria-
tions.
Grant in Favor.
Mayor Grant endorsed Duffy's ideas,
but explained that the county COM
missioners of Oklahoma county had
taken the position that their whole
duty law in simply certifying the
budgets of city officers without at
tempting to make changes therein
There was a note of opposition to
the recall in all speeches. While
none of the speakers expressed the
hope that the legal clauses in char
ters might be qualified with certain
Limitations to the benefit of both
officers and the public.
Mayor Grant expressed the belief
THAT the organization should name
lcommittee whose duties should con-
sist of mapping out plan for max
ling charters of commission govern
ments in the state, uniform. He
Thought until such time as charter gov
lernments are reduced to uniformity,
that not much good could be accom-
plished for mutual good.
The Ada System.
In this connection President Ratlift
speaking of uniformity in the mat
ter of recalls said that he believed
the city of Ada of which he is mayor,
had a recall system that was eff
cient and one which the right kind
of an officer need not fear, or one
which could not be abused by dis
gruntled former employees or ire
sponsible citizens.
The Ada system, he said, had been
copied from the Lawton charter,
which eliminates the circulation OF
recall petitions.
The petition, he said, must be orig
mated and signed by 10 freeholders,
and filed with one OF the city COM
missioners not affected Specific
charges must then be formulated
! and published for a period of 10
,days. During the Today period the
accused officer is given opportunity
to publish a reply.
Also during the Today period at
least 80 per cent of those voting at
the last city election must sign the
petition in the presence of the city
commissioners. When this is ac
companied the matter is then submit
ted to the voters.
Other city officials present were:
George Short, commissioner of pub
lie safety, Lawton; F. M. Wooden,
mayor of Tulsa; w. r. Scott, COM
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