The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-08-22
MORRILL, FUND
eli ST D DIAN
CONTROVERSY
PRESIDENT GAULT EXPECTS TO
QUIET AFFAIR BY TAKING THE
CASE TO FEDERAL COURT, IF
NEED BE.

OhldHOuld NllS, AuS' 81 NOut4 "
versy relative to the proper custo-
dian for Oklahoma's portion OF the
Morrill, fund has reached a point
where it rivals in public interest the
imbroglio involving Governor Will
liams and Supreme Court Clerk w.
NJ. Franklin.
President F. NJ. Gault ot the state
agricultural board has asked for, and
expects to receive today or tomor-
row, an opinion from Attorney Gen
eral P. S. Freezing on the point at
issue, ant if favorable to the agri-
cultural board, says he will bring suit
against State Treasurer w. L. Alex
ander and his bondsmen foc the $780,
600 involved and three per cent in
terest on that amount since July l,
1915.
The custody of this fund, said
Gault this morning, has been a bone
of contention for two or three years,
and | believe that it should be taken
up at once and carried to the federal
court for final quieting. That is
the course of procedure | have de-
termined upon. Moreover, the state
treasurer has given no bond in con-
nection with the holding of this
money"
The agricultural board also is await
ing a decision from the interior de-
partment at Washington relative to
the demand the state of Oklahoma
has made for its pro rata share in
the Morrill, land grant. This claim
was finally argued several days ago
before the department by Senator
R. L. Owen.
Under the act of 1862 each state
then in the union or afterward enter
ing the union was to receive 100000
acres of land to be used for the bene-
! fit of their agricultural sCools. All
states except Arizona, New Mexico
I and Oklahoma have received their
proportions of the land grant. A
special provision in the enabling acts
for Arizona and New Mexico pre-
cludes those states from participating
in the grant, but there is no logical
reason that has been offered why
| Oklahoma should not be permitted to
participate. Under the law, scrip can
be issued in any state where there is
government land for tracts not eX
ceeding in one body fo2r congress
ional townships, but this script car
be issued on land in any state in the
union or in Alaska.
The state agricultural board sen
Judge J. II. Spillman to Washington
to present the states demand fol
the grant. The last legislature pass
ed a joint resolution authorizing the
president of the state board of agri
culture to take such action, an(
Judge Spillman was selected for thu
work because he had prepared th'
brief in the attorney geHaral's Office
when the case was pending before
the general land office at Washing
ton
Recently Governor Williams, who il
said to be interested with other stat
officers in securing the deposit o
state funds in certain banks discuss
ed the matter with President Gaul
of the agricultural board, and the LAT
ter intimated that he might serv'
both as treasurer and president o
the agricultural board, To this th'
i governor dissented vigorously.
t 'Why not?' asked Gault. 'Is no
W. L. Alexander acting as state treas
urer and as state depository"
The governor, it is said, was non
plused and walked away from the in
quisitor