Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1916-07-28
STATUS OF THE FIGHT FOR
CORPORATION COMMISSIONER

(By +. A. Wbitten state Secretary
Retail Merchants OF Oklahoma Ass'n)
There are iwo-one for the long
term. aud for the short term. TWO
positions. next In importance TO that
of Governor of the State.
As Secretary Of the Retail Mer-
chants Association of oklahoma. I
feel that u is my duty TO enlighten
YOU upon this one important matter.
I shall not attempt to tell YOU whom
TO vote for or against, but simply to
lay some facts before you that you
may not act blindIy and indifferently.
Henry Wilmering is a candidate
for the long term, bearing the en-
dorsemert OF Jack Love, Chairman
Of. the Corporation Commission. who
says "Wilmeriug is true and fair
friend of the people and his attitude
toward rate and service regulation as
applied 60 all utilities" Col Jacks
endorsement is preceded by the cap
tiou. ~ Man Who KNOWS Henry
Wilmering" This article is written
by another man who KNOWS Henry
Willmeriug. but knows the side that
Col. Jack has not pictured
In 1910 Henry Willmering, then
an emplOye OF the Corporation Com
mission. as one OF his duties, was
delegated to make a physical inven-
tory Of the oklahoma Gas & Electric
Company. a public utility located in
Oklahoma City Henrys salary as
an emplOye of the Commission was
$2,50O per annum Before the ply
steal inventory was completed at
any rate before it was filed, and, to
be exact, in April. 1911, Henry hired
himself to the Oklahoma Gas & Elec-
trio Company at a salary of $500
per annum. with a contract for five
years and a bonus of $4,000 as Chief
Accountant Now, that you may
know what the press thought of
this transaction at the time, l quote
an editorial appearing in the Daily
Oklahoman under date of April 2S,
1911. entitled. MEN WHO SELL
OUT"
When a detective who has been
working on case accepts employ
ment at the hands of the person or
corporation he has been following
and depriyes his first employer of
1he information they have paid him
TO secure. il is unjust, if not down
right dishonesty Most people would
consider it dishonest.
When the government employs an
inspector to investigate persons or
corporations who are suspected of
fraud or other forms of criminality.
and that person quits the govern
ment service to enter the employ of
the individual or corporation, with
out giving the government the ben
eft of the information he secured,
that inspector is dishonest.
THE same may be said OF the di-
vorce attorney who betrays one eli
ent for another And it applies to a
corporation employe or the emplOye
of an individual who accepts a bet
ter position merely TO sell the Sc
crets or Information secured Tor his
former employer.
Suppose. for instance, an employe
of the Corporation Commission were
given the task OF investigating a cor
poration. and, AFTER DISCOVER
ING SERIOUS IRREGULARITIES,
should accept employment from that
corporation and thus prevent cor
rection of those irregularities, is it
not plain that the act would be one
of dishonesty, and also detrimental
to the general welfare?
This kind Of betrayal is not un-
common. ana would seem to warrant
the discovery and application Of
some means to some means to pre-
went such RIGHTEOUSNESS.
To show how close the Oklahoman