The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-09-12
,rdmore. Sunday, September IL, 1915.
CRUEL ECONOMY

The present unfortunate controYer-
sy between the gOVerno: and the
clerk Of the supreme court has again
brought the phrase cruel economy
10 the attention Of the taxpayer, tor
behind this bulwark the governor
plants himself, and undertakes to
Justify his official acts b. declaring
that he ls simply trying to redeem
his campaign pledges.
II will be recalled that during the
primary campaign Of last year the
present governor declared that If nom
mated and elected as CHIEF executive
OF the state, he would in6ugurate
type OF state government fashioned
along lines OF such rigid economy as
To make It necessary to use the WORD
"cruel" in properly characteriz II.
The platform Oi the dern"c, atic party
upon which he was elected to office,
declared for rigid economy and hon
esty," and efficiency in the admins
tration OF governmental AFFAIRS and
stated that the state government
must be administered 30 as TO re-
duce expenses" and "lighten the bur
dens OF the people" It further de-
cared Every unnecessary board, OF
Gcer or employe of the state, county
or municipality, must be abolished.
Every good citizen, without regard to
party afhliation, is interested in see
ing that these declarations are car
rIed into effect. We all want and are
entitled to a strict adherence to the
principle of economy In the admins
tration OF our public affairs We don't
care whether you call It "cruel," ="
sane" or use some other equally i'm.
pressive, appealing and euphonious
adjective in describing IT,
What does cruel" as at present
applied mean? Is 1t cruelty to the
tax-eater or cruelty to the taxpayer?
Or is It a sedative to lull the citizen
TO repose while the cost Of state gov
ernment mounts higher?
The Ardmoreite proposes to discuss
the situation in a fair and candid
manner. in a series of articles in the
immediate future. We shall call at
tention to what has been done In the
way OF lessening or increasing the
cost of state government, and in doing
80 we will rely upon the record made.
Whatever element of criticism may
appear will be for the sole purpose
of bettering the situation from the
taxpayers standpoint, and aiding
state officials. n possible, to more
clearly understand and appreciate
their responsibilities to the people
whom they serve.
This is a democratic administration,
and The Ardmoreite, democratic
paper. Is Interested, not alone from
the standpoint Of good citizenship
but from political considerations as
well. in seeing the very best pos
sible administration of public affairs.
We are Of the opinion that the people
comprising our voting citizenship are
too intelligent and discerning to be
permanently deceived. It will serve
no good purpose. politically or other.
wise to undertake TO keep the facts.
as they exist. from the people. To
attempt 10 do so is to invite the dis
trust Of the citizen.
SO far as political organizations 20,
the democratic party is entirely re-
sponsIblc 'or what has been accom-
uished In the state in a gov ernmeutal
way, for that party has bcen in con
tinuous power from the b:th Of state
government This continued manifest
alton Of the peoples cor lideHce is
due to the fact that there have been
no state governmental secrets. The
public records have been open TO the