Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-02-21
SEMINOLE ORATOR
RISES To REMARK
Harrison's Speech Ridi-
culed Efforts of Leg
islature.
WAS FULL OF TRUTH
Rang the Bell of Public OPP
inion in State of
Oklahoma.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Feb 2O.-At
the end of a busy day in the house Of
representatives recently the members
were given mental rest by Repre-
sentative Luther Harrison, the tall,
serious-looking orator from Seminole
county.
The subject under discussion was a
resolution memOrializing congress to
pass the ship purchase bill. 1t WASH
30 much the nature of the resolution
that brought the Honorable Luther to
his feet, but rather Il desire to unbur-
den himself of several matters that
had been preying upon his mind.
For genuine, original sarcasm, min
gled with wholesome humor, the five
minute talk made on that occasion
will go down in the history OF legisla-
tive proceedings as a gem Of the pur-
est rays serene.
In part, as near as an enraptured
reporter can remember it, his speech
was as follows:
what He Said.
"Mr Speaker: If the house will
pardon my pleasant drawl, | Will lend
emphatic endorsement to this sapent
resolution | really fear the American
senate will fail to pass the ship pur-
chase bill unless this house take some
directive action. In my humble judg-
ment, it Is high time we have notice
on the world, and all the inhabitants
thereof, that we are not only able to
manage our own busines, but also
able to manage the business OF every
body else.
"If we need any justification for
1, I,,t rs.lN
find 1t I'm the record we have written
In days gone by. on other measures
of similar grave consequence, we have
not hesitated to take affirmative ac-
tion, although our action involved the
necessity Of making large and lumi-
nious spectaCes of ourselves. We did
not hesitate to exclude the Tulsa star
from this exclusive hall-we did 1t in
order to preserve the unities and des-
TIMES of our glorious Anglo-SaXOn race
from the terrific onslaught Of a ne
groid plea plant at Tulsa,
This resolution is Of equal import
ance with the bill now pending pro
viding treatment at state expense for
diseased humble bees. 1t is Of kim
drcd character to that matchless piece
of craftsmanship now Illuminating our
calendar and levying a tax on CANNES
the amount of the levy depending
on the gender Of the canine.
Gentlemen: We must not hesitate
in this crisis-we did not hesitate
when confronted few days since by
the palmistry bill When advised That
certain frsky females were charging
toll for holding hands, we rose to the
supreme measure of our statesman
ship and declared to the world that
such pusillanimous practices must I'M
mediately cease and that the pleasant
pastime of hand holding in Oklahoma
must be hencefOrth and forever tree.
I'VE must be brave, even II we are
inconsistent. We have never PAID over
much attention to the virtue OF con
sistency. Invoking the shade of every
patron saint, we decentrallzed power
bv re-establishing school dlsJH't
treaSurers throughout Oklahoma, ana
straightway through the medium OF
so-called conservation measure we
conferred upon the corporation com
mission, power uhsuIpaSseu S'''0 Wv
DAYS Of Nero.
"Some weeks ago we appropriated
thousands Of dollars for the capture
of bank robbers, dead or alive. Win
the emphasis on the dead Ihen we
brought in a bill abOlishing capltaI
punishment in oklahoma. II TINS lat-
Ter bill is adopted, the only way 10
commit murder legally Is TO 'oIil'htt
murder for pay. our record on tillS
issue reminds us Of the humorist ue-
srriDtion of the California trail:
The wIndings in and the windings
out ,
Left ones mind I'm serious doubt
Whether the man who planned thlS
route .,n.
Was going to He'll or coming out.
..Put in spite Of the brazen assertion
Of Puritans that we should be con.
sistent, let us proceed to the pleasant
task of instructing the American i sea
40 that cannot possibly avoid obed-
,ence Although the president cannot
control the senate, we must remem Der
tbat President Wilson Is not the Okla
homa legislature where he falls we
viii no doubt succeed. by all me
saints that were ever stoned to deatn;
that august body must hear and OBEY