The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-01-27
SENATE BILL NO 10.

NiNNII' BIIh NJ 7V
There is more than mere suspicion that
Senate Bill No 30 IL the piece de resistance Of
the Eighth legislative session OF oklahoma, at
least from the standpoint of the honorable gov-
crnor and his political and business friends now
that the state hospital bill seems hopeless.
It is the administrations good roads bill. and
on tho face of It Is an innocuous aud harmless
piece OF legislation The bin carries an nppro-
priation for 50 G5ooOOO ana il offered as the nee
essary Of securing Ike sum OF money
from the federal government, ana pcrfcctIng
way to construct good roads In Oklahoma with
ont bonds.
As matter of fact. the bill itsolf and the
argument offered In It's behalf do not square.
text, refers direcy Or indirectly to federal aid.
that 1t is in very substantial fact direct ap-
preparation OF s6,5OOOO from the state trtas-
ury to be expended under the direction of the
existing state highway department regardless of
any federal supervision or county supervision
either
Those credulous gentlemen tassuming that
there are sueh) who are under the impression
that the $6.60o,OOO appropriation will not he
effective unless ana until the federal government
matches the sum, OF who believe that the fed
eral government IL to In any manner supervise
the expenditure of the appropriation, or who
believe that the various counties that may be.
come bencfciarles Of the Appropriation will have
anything TO say concerning its expenditure un-
less 1t bc agreeable to the state highway depart.
ment. should study the measure anew with OK
ceedingly great zeal
Also Notwithstanding the fact that II Is the
avowed purpose OF the bin 10 construct road.
without bonds the very provisions OF 1t make
certain that no county will become a beneficiary
unless 1t first votes bonds. For the requirement.
is specific that every county claiming lts rights
under the bill must deposit in the state dcposi-
tory sum oc money equal TO said counties ap-
portionment before 1t can claim It's rights said
money to be raised either by "laNation bond
issues or public donations" which means that
it must be raised 10y bond issues
The effect OF which Is to make the road funds
available not the sG,5O0oOO appropriated from
the state treasury, but double that amount or
Si3o0o.0o0. assuming that the bin In its entirety
s carried out Aud the money is available. In
whole or In part, once the hIl! receives the ap-
proval Of the Legislature, regardless Of whether
not one dollar OF federal aid is secured
II IL section NJ OF the bill however that fuil,
dscloscs the cloyen hoot We venture TO quote
this remarkable provision in fun:
That on account of the prcs,tng mood M
the passage OF this hc. and the fact that the
provisions and the appropriations herein
contained could ana should not bee incnr-
porated in the budget bin. an emergency
exists Tor the consideration or this act he
fore the budget hin shalt bc acted upon
finally
You will search the history of legislation I'm
vain to find a more unusual provision than that
THAT Il meant In effect warning to tho Nom.
bers who have state institutions in their county.
that unless they give the governor She road hin
hey cannot expect appropriations FOR their st.te
institutions is construction as clear "A. thourn
1t were stated in precise words
Tho effect OF this is two-odged. For lt mo-,
only rcstrans members who have state inu.t,.
lions they are seeking TO benefit from VOTING
their Judgment. but 1t also invites them 10 de.
mand for their support Of tho road bin appro-
pirations in excess of the legitimate rcuuir,.
monts OF their state institutions. and arms thcu,
TO prevent the abolishmcnt Of such institutions
even though there is no justification for thv.r
existence
Singuiarly enough, the budget bill rs yct .n
the hands OF the governor, although the law
requires that he submit It TO the legislature
within five days after that body conyencs and
despite the fact that he gained some favorable
comment for himself because OF his published
and widely advertised statement that he had
cut the budget fifty per cent. Thus the road
bill is in committee and being hurricdIy cops,i-
cred with view OF securing a favorable report
while the budget itself in which appropriations
for state institutions are placed is stjl in tho
hands OF the governor,
Surely the members of the legislature are sur