The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-02-08
SENATE PUTS IN STRENU.
Gus DA DISCUSSING THE
DEFICIENCY MEASURE
CContinued From Page one)

preparation that will cover the certi-
ficates.
The question of whether the money
was properly used does hot enter into
the consideration of the deficiency
bill. he maintained. II money was
fradulently obtained or spent, he said,
the legislature could impeach OF prose-
cute the official :esponsble, and re-
imburse the state treasury by suing
on his bond. In voting the appropria-
ton, said Senator Rutherford, the
state is merely maintaining its credit
anC protecting the innocent holders of
the certificates. He maintained, in
opposition to Senator Fleming, that
deficiency certificates were legal claims
against the state, even IL the state
could not be sued.
Senator Wallace asserted the senate
should have evidence to satisfy II of
the justice of the claims for which
deficiencies We're issued before voting
money 10 take up the deficiency GER
tificates. He made a motioIi to post
pone consideration OF the bin until
the appropriations committee pre-
scented such evidence to the senate.
Senator McPherren of Durant, made
substitute motion that the senate con-
sidec the bill at once. item by item,
This substitute motion carried, the
vote being q to II.
So the senate began to consider
the bill yesterday afternoon, and was
still discussing the first item--a de-
ficiency Of $1,000 for the department
OF confederate pensions-when it ad-
Journed. The original question OF
whether the disposition OF the money
should affect the senate's action in
voting money to take up deficiencies
had pushed back into the debate. In
the item under consideration Senator
Fleming and Senator Wallace wanted
10 know more about a claim OF APP
proximately s40O for travelling ex-
penses. A renewal of the contro-
versy was thus precipltated. One point
made by Senator Nichols OF Euraula,
was that the legislature was not pay
ting the bills by passing the deficiency
bill; II was merely making the money
available with which they could be
paid after the auditor had passed on
the validity and business of the claims.
He declared 1t was the duty of the
state auditor ana not OF the legis-
lature to audit the bills.
The lineup in the fight was what
might be expected; the administra-
lion Democrats supporting the bill.
Fleming and Wallace fighting it, the
Republicans keeping silent but indi-
eating in q test vote their opposition
10 the measure. There might be an
exception to the general attitude OF
the administration Democrats in the
case of f. p. Hill of McAlester. ma
jcrity floor leader; while not actively
fighting the deficiency bill, Hill asked
a number Of questions that indicated
he might be classed as doubtful In
the Republican camp also, there may
be an exception: on the McPherren
voted yes" while the others Of his
party voted no.
Senator Durant's action may have
been due to the treatment his bill
had received O short time earlier at
the hands Of his own Republican col
leagues. This bill. which sought to
appropriate $500 for a heating plant
for the presidents home at the
Northeastern state normal, was UP for
final roll call yesterday-the first one
Ct the day, Durant very briefly ex-
planned the purpose of the measure.
and called attention TO the weather
TO support his statement that this
was true emergency matter.
Senator Fleming then raised point
Of order against the bill, asserting
nothing but an emergency approprla-
lion could be taken up before the
general budget bill. under the terms
Il tt- budget law. ana contending
rhis was not an emergency. Ed Tr3pp
lieutenant governor. ruled the point
not wei. taken, on the ground that If
It WAS PASSED as an emergency by
the senate that would make II, from
parliamentary standpoint, an emer-
sency sucA as provided in the bud
get law. Fleming appealed from the
chairs ruling. and the ruling was
sustained by ! vote OF 90 TO 8. Trapp
then announced he would consider
thls vote justification for making sim
liar rulings in case any objections 10
bills on the same score were raised
in future.
This avenue of attack being closed.
economy was used as an argument
against the Durant bill, Fleming thus
argued. asserting the presidents house
could be occupied without a heating
plant--that thousands OF Oklahoma
homes have no furnaces. Senator
Woods, Republican floor leader, fought
the bill. lie said many measures Of
this kind were coming up--,hat their
sum would reach about 5000 ,O00--and
the senate should set u precedent OF
economy at once.
' When the votes were counted, II
was found the bill had failed to pass.
II voting for 1t and ~ against. The
Republican senators gave an exhi-
bltion OF team work In their negative
votes-with the exception. of course,
Of Durant. Among the Democrats who
voted against the measure were Sem
ators Harrison, Lillard, Cordell. WAL
lace. Fleming, and Rutherford. Sena-
tor Davidson gave notice he would
ask for reconsideration of the vote.
1t Is not surprising tlht Durant
failed to vote with the other Re.
publlcans when they lined up against
consideration OF the deficiency bill.
In spite Of the record for economy
the senate made In turning down
this appropriation Of $500 1t voted
yesterday an emergency appropriation
of s35,9s9 for the support OF the
school for the blind at Muskogee for