The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-07-09
C0NDONING CRIME;
COMP0uNDING FELONY!

Tom Waldrep of Shawnee, speaker
Of the Oklahoma house of represents
tives, was guilty Of most reprehen'
sble act when he granted, while for
one day he was governor Of Okla
homa, a pardon TO Fulkerson, the
Alva banker who had been found
guilty of the crime Of embezzement
and sentenced to serve seven years
in the state prison.
We would hate to believe that Wal
drep committed an Intentional wrong
doing; we want to believe that his
error was one of the head and not
of the heart that he erred through
sentimental promptings and not from
the intent to commit a grievous wrong
against the state Of Oklahoma, or
upon the law-abiding citizenry Of the
state.
But no matter how prone We may
be to believe the worst, the fact re-
m,ins. incontrovertible, that the in
tent of the law has been frustrated,
that the course of justice has been di-
verted, that a man found guilty or
crime has been turned loose upon
the general community unpunished
for his offense against society un-
whipped Of justice, and that this has
been done by a man in whom the
governor of this state had confidence,
confidence sufficiently strong TO cause
him to honor him through making
him, for 'one day, the chief executive,
armed with al executives powers and
prerogatives.
Governor Robertson had every reas-
on 10 believe Waldrep would act in
an honorable manner, that he would
discharge his duties as governor in
such way as TO reflect honor upon
himself and his state. should any COM
bination of circumstances place him
in the executive office at any time
the governor, the lieutenant governor
and the president protein Of the sen
dtt SHOulu Dc dDstilt, SLlluItdHeOuSiS
from the state. He had been the
speaker of the house of representa-.
tives Of the Oklahoma legislature
the executive head Of the lower body
Of the states law makers; he had
been honored by his party in being
els cted to the legislature; he held the
confidence and esteem Of his fellow
citizens
But the odium will attach to Gov
ernor Robertson, the odium which
will follow the condoning of the
crime by his legal representative, the
man who filled, for one short day
the governors chair who stood In
the governors shoes, who exercised
the prerogatives Of the governor.
Charity says the action, the errol
OF Acting Governor" Waldrep wa!
one Of sentimental parentage, that il
could be nothing graver than the con
doning Of q crime. But there ar,
times when the line of demarkatior
between condoning a crime and com
pounding a felony are so finely drawI
that 1t becomes almost impercepuble
that it is practically indistinguish
able to the naked eye.
In this instance the man pardone,
had been found guilty by a jury o
his peers he had been sentenced Il
serve seven years in prison, in atone
ment for his offense, the court o
criminal appeals had gone over hi
case, had studied every angle, ha,
found that he had been given a fai
and impartial trial, that the tria
Judge had committed no errors through
The admission OF improper testimony
hat he had been fair and impartia
In his charge to the jury, and the
this court OF last resort had affirme
the sentence of the trial court
Executive clemency had been d,