The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-11-07

be sought other counsel he address
cd a letter 20 each Of the newspapers
! published In the state and requested
that interested citizens write him,
expressing their views The result
vas a complete reversal OF the judg-
| ment Of members Of the legislature
I OF the editors there were seventy
seven per cent who opposed the ses-
sion and Of the taxpayers who eX.
pressed themselves, there we're sew
| enty-seyen per cent who expressed
Views against the session The gov
ernor, In our opinion. will do well TO
90 10 the taxpayers vith this QueS
ton. and see how they feel about the
matter. II taxpayers in other por-
tions OF the state view the question
a. they do In this section. and the
goyerno! pays the slightest heed to
their desires In the matter there will
be no extraordinary session. Surely
the opinion Of a taxpayer, who will
have TO bear a portion OF the expense
OF a special session, Is entitled TO as
much consideration in the premises
as Is the member OF the legislature
who will consume a substantial part
OF that expense
Governor, what would you do with
a superintendent OF your farm, who
would submit the question of build.
ing new barn upon your premises
that you did not deem needed, to the
men who were to be paid for doing
the work, and entirely ignore you,
who must pay for the work? How
long would he remain in your en-
ployment? In this instance the tax
payers own the farm, you are simply
an employe OF theirs to look after
their welfare. while members Of the
legislature occupy the position Of the
people who want work at fixed per
diem.
Since state government was insti-
tuted In Oklahoma, not counting the
time the present legislature has been
in session. we have had 515 days Of
legislative session at total cost to
the taxpayers of more than 100000. !
If to that is added the time and cost
of the last session, the total time
spcnt i'm legislative sessions excluding |
Sundays and legal holidays, will ag' |
practically two years, whlle |
the total cost will exceed $1,1OOOOO. |
The taxpayers think this is enough. |
They have surfeited on laws made |
md re.made with such bewildering |
haste as to he thoroughly non-under-
standable, while they have frowned
at the liberty taken with their pur-
ses in paying for this ill-considered |
legislation. II will be noted that
some of the things that the governor |
desires to have the special session !
consider is TO amend laws passed at
the recent session Think OF the
situation, Calling together a body
OF men TO correct what the governor
conceives TO be blunders made by TINS
same body of Legislators What pru-
dent man, who, having employed
set Of men to build him a house,
after having inspected the house, finds
that It is worthless and must be
torn down and rebuilt, would again
employ the men who had wasted his
money in worthless structure? Why
not employ little Of the same sober
good sense in our public affairs that
a prudent man employs in his private
affairs? VIII We never in Oklahoma
break away from the idea that gov.
eminent is a political football to be
.oycd with by politicians, hangers-on
md political triCksters? Surely the
people who comprise the government
md whose toll and sacrifice furnishes
the money that makes possible its
.'IlluNdlNtt are tIluItu 10 mOlelN
Il consideration. II is their battle
We fight their rights We would have
respected. their interests We press
upon the attention Of the governor
There are various angles to this
question. all OF which cannot be dis.
'ussed in a single article, but they
an point unorriugly to a single con.
'lusion We shall probably have oc.
'asion to call further attention to the
subject, now that it is vital one
md In doing so We will Feep our
selves in line with the desires Of The
aNpayiug public. At present we
will content ourselves with the state
uent that. in our opinion, not twenty
per cent of the taxpayers cf the state
want a special session of the legis
aWre, and it one is called, il will be
n violation of the will OF an over
Nhclmug majority of our people
Don't do It,. governor
The Ardmorejtc would be pleased
/.