The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-04-04

counter io the interest ~ every other class Of
.luzepahip Even that man who himself is
not engaged In an ul'g.umntc business but yet
patroniz,s such occasionally must, IN self Dc.
tense stand for a municipal administration that
ts at otorua' warfare with The corrupt and law.
icfp element
Lcer than This rouys not only In incf-
fie.cut government but unsafe r3,otdricit Ana
unsafe gD'rrumcnt Us always coFl government
.oxoossiycy costly government. Tho issue In
tho municipal campaign which ends with the
bauouur Tuesday H thoroughly understood.
shorn of an upcrfluous words 1t ia thiH'
30 the people desire more thorough en-
forccment Of the laws which their representa-
lives have cuactcd7
That Issue covers not only tho city ordinances
with reference 10 gambling and othsr forms Of
municipal vice. but tho state laws with respect
10 elections. motor car hofts aud the common
ana contemplate atick-ups that have VOL nigh
hccoms the rulo Instead Of the exception
The mere fact that administration supporters
hnvc eliminated CommlEioucr Bohn from tho
reckoning Ia In itsolf plea OF quit to the
charge that these laws have not been adequate
~ enforced Politically, Mr. Bohn is To- be the
Roat his elynlnalon ls designed TO remove oh
icctlona to tho recollection or Mayor Hubbard.
Others are trading literally the remaining
candidates on The Hubbard tckot on the
theory that tho mayor viii be all right II there
Is elected with him majority Of commissioners
from the other ticket.
The logic Of This sort Of thing is this. That
~ la. Ia
laws satisfactorily BECAUSE OF the Influences
which dominate his party and through his party
himself we think that line Of reasoning Is un-
assnilablo. too. Yet what appears on the face
Of the matter as a corollary conclusion, that to
elect the mayor on his individuality and with
majority Of tho officials against him win give
to the city the benefit OF such merit as he
possesses with none OF tho danger that accom-
pancs his election. appears faulty in the ex-
trcpc.
And for this reason. In tho Wooden case.
wherein Frank Wooden was removed from the
office of mayor OF Tulsa beoau,s the laws OF
the citys and state were not enforced, the court
refused TO entertain seriously the contention
OF counsel that tho police commissioner and not
the mayor carried tho responsibility for non-en-
forccmont OF the laws. holding that the mayor
was In fact general manager OF the municipality
and as such was responsible for the conduct OF
all departments.
This reasoning, we think IL sound too. II
may be that tho charter does not vest supreme
executive authority In tho mayor touching the
actual conduct Of the police department. but
that It does imply responsibility therefor Is
clearly perceived in the much greater authority
given tho mayor and the instant opportunity
he has by reason OF that excess authority to
call TO his aid an alert public opinion.
In view of the court decision In the Wooden
case It Is nothing short Of cheer folly 40 ro-oloct
system that has debauched the public service
OF Tulsa and then expect any considerable inn
provemcnt In that public service, Those who
salvo their conscience by such spccious reason
ing are inapabe, we think Of that heroic action
necessary to accomplish real reform; lacking
In that courage which alone results in defeating
onemy
But the Wooden case is a vital precedent in
quite another respect In that was established
not only the right ot the state to remove a
municipal executive from office when that exec
utlNc ~ DONG moro or less IMAM MS sworn duty,
but also the ability OF the people to bring about
such action by the state The scandal attend
ant on the Wooden case can be easily recalled
by the voters OF Tulsa
who wants another such incident in the life
OF this community? who will deny that such in
cideuts do hurt business, put the community
In an unenyiabo light and rctard Investments
and industrial expansion? Man,festly no one
But Who doubts that continuation Of
present common practices--or common practices
up to the time the present campaign opened
viii speedily result in the state being appealed
to again?
The city was on the verge OF that very thing
a tcw weeks ago.
The motor thieves are not going to be run
to earth and the practice stamped out when
protected vice attracts the criminal element to
Tulsa.
Election crookedncss Is not going to he Grad
catcd so long as a partisan machine Of no