The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1913-02-13

mittee appointed for that purpose in
any manner can.
Defends p. D. Norton
Another statement that is as inten-
tionally libelous as it is false is where,
in the resolution, he states it is cur
rently reported that P. D. Norton,
while secretary of state, received GER
tain fees for the years 1911 and 1912
under the provisions of Section 6 of the
laws of 1911 that were not turned over
to the state treasurer according to the
provisions of section 379 of the revised
codes of 1905, plainly intending thereby
to lead the members of the house of
representatives and the public gener-
ally to believe that Mr.. Norton, while
secretary of state, had received these
fees into his Office and had failed or
neglected to turn them over to proper
officers, provided by law; all the while
knowing that these fees, under the pro-
vision of section Ia of said chapter 6,
should at the end of every month be
paid into the county treasures and not
to the state treasurer.
Knew Import OF Charges
''Mr. Fox himself being member of
! the legislature that passed the law and
voted for the bill as it reads, therefore
knew of his own knowledge that the
import of the statement was false and
libelous no claim being made by him
that all of said fees were not in fact
turned over to the proper county treas
urers, as under the law it should be
done. 1t also appears in the resolution
that no officer is to be investigated ex-
cept such as belong either to the pro
gressive wing of the republican party
or is democrat.
Stalwarts Not HIT.
"Two years ago a similar resolution
of investigation was introduced in the
legislature, and under its provisions no
officer was investigated except those
who were known to he progressive re-
publicans. The Office of no stalwart
republican was investigated. The
same is true this year. | do not intend
further to rest without public protest
against such a condition.
Wants Probe Made.
81 am willing and anxious to have
the investigation made, not only of
my office-but ali the offices mentioned
in the resolution. and in the interest of
fairness to the state and to it's officers,
l demand that all other officers of the
state be put on the same plane as my
self.
Wants Others in Same. /
eff have IN any wise violated any
law of the state in respect to the ad-
ministration of my Office, l am inno-
cent of that fact and am perfectly will
ing to suffer the results and conse-
quences of any such violation, but
want the other state officers put in the
same boat with me, and l brand the
resolution introduced as false, and the
person introducing it knew it to be
false in the particulars that l have
stated. and that it was introduced with
no other purpose than to satisfy the
personal and political animosities that
he and the person who instigated the
same held in relation to the officers
they sought to have investigated
As to Mr.. Fox.
II could as truthfully say, without
any evidence before me of the facts,
which have none, that it has been
currently reported to me that Mr.. Fox,
while sheriff of a county in the state
of South Dakota seriously mismanaged
the affairs of that office in the collec-
ton and payment of the public taxes,
as he could make the statements made
in his resolution, and have no knowl-
edge whatever as to the truth of such
current reports nor have investigated
them, nor know aught of the truth of
the report.
Cowardlce is Charged.
"He had less right, without any
knowledge of the facts himself or any
investigation on his part, to make the
charges that he has made in his res.
olution introduced in the house of rep
resentatives for the purpose of having
the same 60 on the public records of
the journal and in the public press of
the state against the various officers of
the state, that would have to publish
the unconfirmed rumor as to himself
above mentioned without any investi-
cation, and indeed much less, because
should publish such rumors as facts,
or allege them to be true, or in any
way give credence to them, l would be
liable in the civil courts, but he, as a
member of the legislature, knew that
he was immune from being called to
account either in the civil or criminal
courts, and in cowardly manner took
advantage of that immunity to slander
men who have for years held the con-
fidence of the public and none of them
so far as known have ever failed to ac-
count either to the public or to private
individuals for single cent that thev
own.
Let Chips Fall Anywhere.
$50 far as l am concerned, l say, let