The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1916-10-26
BARRETT TAKES
HAND IN FIGHT
Democratic Leader Says Re-
publican Campaign Is Stale,
IGNORANCE OF THE LAW"
GeiSSler May Be Uninformed,
Says Democratic Leadeh

says Uem0CTatlC leddeh
{. + Barrett, director OF the demo-
cratic press bureau. Game back" at
Arthur Geissler chairman Of the re-
publican state central committee, this
morning regarding certain charges OF
the state chairman in connection with
his request for the removal OF certain
county registrars for failure to comrH
with provisions OF the registration law.
In some instances Geissler charges
that registrars have failed TO send in
lists Of the qualified voters of their
counties So that the secretary OF state
could furnish voters with arguments on
the proposed election law The fact
that voters will not get the arguments
lead, Mr. Geissler to the belief that
in case the election law is adopted.
failure OF voters to get the arguments
may be used as the basis OF an attack
upon the law in court
People misled.
This charge, Barrett says. "betrays
either a lamcntable ignorance OF the
law or a despicable and malicious de-
! sire 10 mislead the people"
| Continuing he said:
The extent 10 which the republican
( campaign IN this state has gone stale
and become matter OF empty effort
and cheap bumcombe. is emphasized by
the attempt of Chairman Gessles to
hoodwink the public with the story in
an evening paper that he had called
for the removal of the county registrars
of half a dozen counties for failure to
send lists of voters to the secretary OF
state In order that arguments on the
socialist election law might be sent to
voters
The reason given by Mr Geissler
for his action in demanding these resig-
nations is the gist Of the story. and be-
trays either a amentable ignorance OF
the law or most despicable and ma
iicious desire to mislead the people by
his insinuations Of a plot. on the part
of opponents OF the socialist election
laws. two revolutionary measures that
are now conceded to be the illegtimate
political offspring Of Pat Nagle and the
republican machine
Geissler Quoted.
"Geissler says in his letter 1t has
been intimated that failure to send ous
the pamphlets, may, by the opponents
of these measures be made the basis
tor claim that they were not legally
J adopted even though the people cast an
: overwhelming majority for them
e Mr. Geissler must know that by
virtue of Senate Bill No 49, Of which
h Senator Campbell Russell was the au-
y thor, that no failure to send out the
"a pamphlets could possibly invalidate the
= measures il they secured enough votes
d to carry Ii was the purpose of SEN
y ate Bill number VI 10 save the state
from another iiasco like the referendum
votes on the gambling acts OF the 1915
legislative session, and alter providing
. IN section three on the act that In the
event any official in this state shall fail
or neglect to prepare, print or distri-
! butte the state pamphlets, provided by
J law. or to perform any other duty re-
: quired in connection herewith, any
clector may petition the district court
without cost to him. to require such
: officer to perform such duty
Section four provides The failure
TO prepare, print or distribute the PAM
= phlrts as provided by law shall not
= invslidate the election held ON any mi
% tiativc or referendum measure or con-
Stiutional amendment proposed by the
!, legislature and no election on any such
); measure shall be declared or held in
valid on the ground that such pamphlets
, weie not so prepared, printed or dis
= trihutcd
Partisan Politics.
For partisan advantage Senator Rus.
sell and the legislature have been criti-
ciscd for the passage of Senate bill
number ~, and yet It's plain provisions
protect to the utmost limits the integrity
Of the peoples will as expressed by
, their votes OF an initiated bill, a refer
Il endum measure or a constitutional
Il amendment In private life and in
II saner moods the republican state chair
Il man will admit this, but he belongs tc
Il a school Of politics and trains with a
Il gang that has become so desperate In
II their desire to get back to the trough
Il that they eagerl, employ disreputabls
II tactics and twist and dstor, the law,
and the acts of their opponents to make
i their cheap charges and base innuendoes
L plausible in the hope that they may
H temporarily fool the people and induce
Il them to vote their way
i The democrats want the pamphlets
H distributed. They want the initiated
il measures and the arguments for and
II against them read, and II they carry or
il not. they want the votes counted as cast,
II and they will be II they carry they
i will undoubtedly be taken to eourut, but
\ they will be taken there on the conten-
\ tion OF able lawyers that they are ab-
\ soiu,ely revolutionary and subversivs
H OF our system Of government. and ii
|| plain violation of the fundamental pro.
l visions of the state and federal consti.
III ,,,,nnu "