The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-11-11
BOARD ANXIOUS
TO BACK TRACK
Members Want to Retract
Call for 11a Mill
Levy
HUNTING A L00PH0LE
p;o Levy Would Put Ammu.
nition Into Hands of Re-
publicans in Legislature

-.,.r members Of the state board OF
,siiyatton and which was the
~ contention between mem
vuns s NJ tho board for several weeks
ossin become the leading topic
n ,Se state capitol building. The
that a republican legislature Is
IL to be In session and that sucn
H,ia,ive body will have the right
a say how the $2,6OO,O ,OVO 10 De rais'
"a by such levy Will be expended
n both political and economical Inn
nortance. In fact, SO great Is the
interest that meeting or the state
hoard Of equalization was called Tor
The first OF the week, and all OF the
members were present except Gov
ernor ]. B a. Robertson, who was
represented by ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
NJ L. Trapp, due TO Robertson be-
lng absent from the state.
While It was an executive session
and no definite action was taken,
tba, was not due to the fact OF the
members not desiring to do 10, but
i because Attorney General s. Z. Free
ling ruled that the authorization OF
The levy could not now be revoked
BY resembling order. 1t was agreed
,fn the levy will raise a trifle in
e.ces OF S2.500,000 and that there
s no legal excuse for raising this
enormous sum by ad valorem tax
alton, as there is now in the treas
ury sufficient moneys to meet all re-
| qlirements for the fiscal year and
the income from other sources for
The remainder OF that fiscal year
ending June 80, 1921, Will augment
the present balance by several mil
lions OF dollars.
The four members OF the board
Of equalization who forced the au.
horization OF the levy are Governor
Robertson. state Treasurer Leecraft,
Secretary OF state Morris and John
Whitehurst, president of the board
agriculture. The dissenters to the
levy are Frank Carter and Fred
Parkinson, respectively auditor and
state examiner and inspector. AT
the time the levy was made Attor-
ney.General Freezing was in WASH
ngton and 1t was not uhtil his re-
turn and had rendered an opinion
that the state auditor must spread
the levy regardless of whether the
board had lawful right to author
te It or not, that Mr.. Carter. who
by virtue of his office, Is secretary
Of the board, fulfilling his duties as
ordered.
The meeting held this week was
for the purpose OF making peace
and TO ascertain IL there were no
way by which the order might either
be rescinded or some other loophole
be found. This could not have been
possible with Governor Robertson
In the state, as he and the auditor
have cut off all diplomatic relations.
Trapp Is peacemaker and the other
members OF the board are not un
friendly. The fact that the money
Is TO be raised when not needed,
and perhaps when II Is done in vio-
laiion Of the statute which says that
leyies can not be made unless the
moneys so collected are legally need
ed TO carry on the expense of gov
efnment) is one towering reason
why the board now is a unit In
wishing the levy had never been
authorized. Another compelling
thought, is that the republican leg
stature can either tie up these funds
W The state treasury, or, even more
alsconeerting appropriate TO pay
/ oIi the bonded debt of the state.
therefore those who before the cleo
uon Imagined this sum of cash in
me strong box would be a delight
n'er being properly appropriated.
are very anxious 10 reconsider.
Ihe bonded debt is la excess OF
$4,000 and there would be jus,
soSvt enough from the one and one
naA NIL! levy authorized. together
wig the other surplus In the treas
40 10 wipe II out, as the bonds are
par.
Ihis would not be spending the
money In accordance with the states
n4nilke views Of those who made
p.yHsion to secure it. Also. IL would
SSr'ng a train of political sorrows.
tor the republicans. with only one
, nouse OF the Legislature under con-
WI IN one short session to wipe
WI ue state debt which the demo-
Sauc administrations had accumu-
,s'eG IN period OF thirteen years,
,VuIu mean that the campaign of
.st! would fall into the lap OF re-
fort u' o'eh seiiouS ei'
Nobody Loves Him Now
hese facts stick out so plainly
~ even the members OF the board
,NuallSation who stood by the gov
baa'i IN his determination to make
NVy see and understand. I'm.
|. nsahding, H. they are anxious that
l sIIovp opposing political party he not
thsi"'u 10 reap so rich a reward at |
s,, party's expense-also at the
bass or their own shortsighted- |
as public officials.
on, Consequently they seek some way
FAM the dilemma. To rescind was
W. impossible and now a method |
bs 10y lhe attorney-generaI may
to. oe 10 show that the authorize
Tblv vas Illegal is even prayed for. |
RcS.. would be hard on Governor
adoIsIson and blow at his whole |
As.H"'nistration. But the other man.
nlnp ,ne board are agreed in one |
tsnoc,en,Iat whatever is left Of the |
"a, ,.auc party must be brought |
l Cd bo.on under Robertson's crush |
,oir Us and even II II requires he
o. lo,tt and forgetfulness OF days |
| 4 hstns friendship, a strong mill |
hing '''ue 70 accomplish some
s,''lth "nh Its few proposals for a ron.
dated administration all repu.
son ao,o the people. the, Robert
those rssl's'rauon ~ is dragging and
terye h,v were so ambitious 70 |
senSsn nin before the disaster Of No
trsa,ss are hunting cover. No