The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-04-10
BY /. T. sALTER.

BY J.. T. sALTER.
Mr. Speaker, / move that the
mousse OF representatives do now ad-
Journ sine die"
so spoke $. d, Bailey. chairman OF
lne committee on APPROXIMATIONS.
shortly after midnight Saturday.
Aprll 2. A dozen voices seconded the
motion. The question was put by
speaker Schwabo and carried almost
unanimously by rcsounding chorus
or ayes In which democrats and re-
puhlicans alike Joined
The gavcl fell and thus ended the
eighth session OF the Oklahoma Icg-
lslature-the most thrilling. the
most disappointing and yet the most
enltghtening assembly in the history
Of the state.
Thrilling in that Speaker Schwabc
ana his loyal followers in control OF
the lower house dcfied and yielded
not TO the whiplash OF the demo-
cratic administration: Disappointing
IN that not one piece OF constructive
legislation was enacted into law and
not one cent OF money was appro. /.
priated to maintain the state de-
partments and state schools and in
stitutions for the next two years; en-
tightening because there has been
shown to the people OF the state one
body of men, the republican house.
who kept the faith" who had tho
courage OF their convictions aud
needing the earnest prayers OF a tax
ridden people stood against and
blocked tho bourbon machine n it's
biennial raid upon tho public
treasury
People Demanded Rctrcnchmcnt.
No one pretends to believe that e
will take S10,0O0,00O per annum for
the next two years to run this state.
But that was the appalling figure
which the administration forces de-
manded.
The demand from the people,
however. was for policy of re-
lrenchmcnt, a cutting off of useless
expenditures OF public money. a re-
lief from grievous burdens OF taxa
tion. The people OF this state. know
ing fun well that the present demo
cratic administrations would con-
tinue TO spend millions In excess of
the actual necessities, have watchod
and prayed for the moment when
someone would come with a message
OF hope. And. be II said to their
credit, they did not pray one way
and vote another. They sent a re-
publican majority to the house 10
deliver them from bondage.
II was this obligation upon the
house to keep the faith that brought
about tho deadlock This was the
rock upon which the crew ~ pirates
plotting the ship of state met
disaster.
Senate Pads Bill
The bone of contention was a cool
100000 of the axpayers' money.
The senate insisted upon the appro-
priation OF s2.00O,0O0 more for the
maintenance and opertion of state
departments, schools and institutions
than the house honestly and con-
sCicntiously believed was necessary.
For 40 days and 40 nights the appro-
priations committee of the house la
bored upon the budget bill for the
operation of state institutions. The
bill passed the house without a dis
senting vote. providing S9.400,000
that the institutions might be main
tained in a liberal manner. In the
closing hours of the session, as has
been the pernicious practice. sthe
senate padded the bill approximately
a 100000 and forced IT into SON
ference. This was In opposition to
the efforts of the chairman of the
senate appropriations committee ard
Luther Harrison, the dean OF the
senate.
Meanwhile the house was con
sidering the budget bill for state de
partments prepared and passed by
the senate calling for appropriations
OF s6.600,000, an amount far in ex-
cess of their most extravaEant needs.
This the house pared down over
a million dollars to an amount con-
sistent with the needs for the ade-
quate and efficient operation of the