Edmond Enterprise and Oklahoma County News. (Edmond, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 19, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 11, 1903 Page: 1 of 18
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I - I
EDMOND
THURSDAY,
EDMOND, OKLAHOMA.
AND OKLAHOMA
COUNTY NEWS.
JUNE 11, 1903.
THE CONDITION OF AFFAIRS.
y ^P1
HE COMMUNITY, in which is
located a Territorial educational
institution, owes certain duties to the
Territory. One of those duties is to
see that there is a correct and compe-
tent administration of affairs. While
the community has not the administra-
^ tion of affairs, it has, under normal
conditions, the power to correct evils
by reporting them to the governing
powers. It is the duty of the com-
munity to speak openly and fearlessly
for a correct and competent admin-
" ^ Istration of affairs. The penalty is
certain, if the community does not
perform this duty. This was felt last
winter by the men who labored night
and day for the appropriation for a new
building. Although the necessity for
the building was imperative, still there
was so much dissatisfaction expressed
as to the management of the school
that it was only by great effort and by
the strong personal appeals of the citi-
zens who were at Guthrie that the ap-
propriation was passed. If the truth of
the condition of affairs here had been
known, the appropriation could not pos-
sibly have been secured. So now as
f it is vacation time, school over for the
year, and no legislature in session, it is
time to arrange matters so that we will
not be embarrassed again; so that we
can go before the legislature with clean
hands and ask for our just wants.
Some people are inclined to set idly
by and let things right themselves by
time. But such a policy is dangerous.
If the vouchers of any quarter had
been examined by a member of the
legis'ature last winter, right then and
") there would have went up a howl to the
roofs of the legislative halls that would
have been heard in Edmond and con-
vinced the people here that they had
delayed too long, and that the law
* v making body of this Territory regards
the Territorial Normal school as a
place to train young men and women
for teachers, and not as a lying in hos-
pital for money makers. The people
here tho' are not altogether to blame
as the present management was forced
upon the institution by Governor Jenk-
ins over the protest of the clear he&ded
and far seeing men, who have always
done the things for the school. And
too some people are not aware of the
true condition of affairs. But now
there is a hew administration of affairs
J and it is up to the people to be true to
their duty and call for a clean and
capable administration of affairs. The
time is now at hand when this must be
done. Governor T. B. Ferguson is
going to accompany the board of re-
gents to Edmond and is going to make
a personal investigation of affairs. At
that tirhe the citizens of this commun-
ity, who are responsible for the care of
the institution in their midst, are all
invited to tell the chief executive
of the territory of the true condition of
^ affairs.
Complaints had reached the execu-
tive office, and the regents received a
communication from the Governor that
caused the board to pass the following
resolution:
"Moved and carried that the presi-
dent, treasurer, and secretary of the
Board be appointed a committee to in-
vestigate at once and report in writing
at the next regular meeting of this
Board as to any and all errors and
frauds, if any, that may be found to
exist in accounts that have been pre-
sented to this, board for services per-
v. formed and supplies furnished to the
/ Territorial Normal School at Edmond,
especially supplies furnished and ser-
vices performed by the Janitor of said
school and all similar supplies and ser-
vices perfcrmed by others; and said
committee are directed to request all
persons possessing or claiming to pos-
sess information, of whatever charac-
ter, tending to show whether any such
errors or frauds exist to give written
information of the same and to be
present at the said meeting when said
report is to be made and acted upon
by the board."
A copy of the above resolution was
sent the writer with the following letter:
Edmond, Okla., May 27th, '03.
Mr. E. R. Felt,
My Dear Sir:—
Kindly give me by mail within ten
days all information you may have and
all names with addresses of others
possessing information tending to show
that errors and frauds, if any, may ex-
ist in accounts that may have been pre-
sented to the Board of Education for
Normal Schools for services and ma-
terial performed ?nd furnished to the
Normal School at Edmond. This let-
ter is in pursuance of a resolution of
which a copy is enclosed,
Yours Very Respectfully,
E. B. Rankin,
Secy. Board of Education.
Remembering the fate of a com-
munication sent the board by J. B.
Smith, which communication was
given to the secretary and never pre-
sented to the board, so we were in-
formed by one of their number.
No reply has been made as yet to
the above letter, but the following com-
munication has been sent to the Gov-
ernor.
Gov. T. B. Ferguson;
Your Excellency:—1 beg leave to
call your attention to the following facts
regarding the management of the Nor-
mal school at Edmond.
That the secretary of the board of
regents uses the janitor of the school
for his personal servant. A notable
instance of which was his sending
said janitor to Anadarko to pack and
ship a buggy which had been stolen
from said regent. And said time be-
ing paid for by the Territory. The
said janitor, while receiving a salary of
$1,050 a year, is allowed extra pay
for many services in his line of work,
which was to include messenger ser-
vice, and that while he had time to
engage in outside business, he was al-
lowed for extra help to perform the
services he was supposed to perform
for the Territory. This is evidenced
by voucher No. 370 where his father.
A. J. Huffman, was allowed $5.00 for
cle?ning and oiling in building, and E.
H. Berkstresser $ 13.75 and $6.00 for
cleaning, carpentering, and putting coal
in building. The same voucher con-
tains a number of drayage items.
Other vouchers allowed by the
management of the school covering
pay for time already paid for is evi-
denced by vouchers Nos. 420—for
$76 25; 441 for $148.09; 504 for $60;
572 for $524.58, and other vouchers
each quarter down 1o the present time.
In voucher No. 441 is one indefinite
charge of hauling chairs at various
times $25. and such charges as in
December, 1902, when $1.00 was al-
lowed the janitor for cleaning paint off
the model department windows.
Not only were these allowances
direct to Mr. Huffman but there were
other vouchers in the names of his
hired men used in his freighting busi-
ness from Oklahoma City to Edmond.
Notable of such instance is voucher
No. 494 to John Long for $123.10.
Attached to this voucher are many
little receipt with Mr. Long's name
but which M r. Long says he did not sign.
Neither did he advance the money for
the various items set forth therein, he
did fix a side walk once—(this being a
$2.50 item charged at $1.25 a day
while he was working by the month at
55 cents a day for Mr. Huffman) but
the twenty five or more charges such
as mailing catalogues, etc. were for
services performed by Mr. Huffman
and not by Mr. Long. Mr. Long says
he was asked to sign the voucher and
order for warrant by Mr. lmel and he
did so but never saw the money, nor
did he ever render services or furnish
money or material to the territory as
set forth in sai.1 voucher No. 494 and
dated March 31st, 1892. It is evident
that this and similar vouchers were
subterfuges to get additional allowances
of money from the Territory and done
with the knowledge and consent of the
secretary of the board and president of
the school who had intimate knowledge
of Mr. Huffman's affairs. Mr. Long
informs me that similar vouchers
were made out in the name of Joe
Scroggins another hand of Mr. Huff-
man's.
The engagement in other business
seemingly is encouraged by the man-
agement of the school. Members of
the faculty are interested in various
enterprises for which they exert their
influence given them by their positions
in the school and to which they devote
their time while not in the class rooms.
I would a'so respectfully call your at-
tention not only to the mismanagement
in a business way but to the lack of
dicipline in the conduct of the school.
Respectfully submitted,
E. R. Felt.
The above letter does not give any
idea of the true condition of affairs.
Only an inspection of the vouchers for
every quarter will give any one an ad-
equate idea of the true condition of
affairs. All of these vouchers contain
dozens of little item# that are simple
astonishing. Items like charges of 25
cents drayage on $1.40 worth of mus-
lin from Forster &. T hompson's.
Everyone knows that F->rster & Thomp-
son and all the other merchants deliver
goods free. And most people have
supposed that those little errands down
town were covered by the salary of
$1,050 a year. It don't stand to rea-
son that the president of the school and
local regent were not aware of the fact
that merchants deliver goods free. If
they don't know it, their powers of ob-
servation are so limited that they
should not be trusted with the expendi-
ture of thousands of the Territory's
money.
Under either condition the men at
fault should be summarily dealt with.
These bills ' ave been discussed by the
board of regents and voted against by
one of the members, Hon. L. W. Bax-
ter. But the other members of the
board voted for them on the ground
that the president of the institution had
put his O. K. on the bills. The exec-
utive officer of an institution spending
the money the Territorial Normal does
should certainly know whether men
who put in bills containing hundreds of
items performed the services, furnished
the goods, or paid for the things men-
tioned. But there were bills allowed
to men for services they never perform-
ed, and for goods they never delivered.
True these services were performed
and the goods were furnished, but not
by the party named, but by a party who
was already on the payroll of the terri-
tory. In other words these subter-
fuges were made to deceive the terri-
torial auditor and other members of the
board of regents. Now, there is no
use of mincing matters. The time has
come in public affairs when the people
of this territory can not afford to have at
the head of affairs men who will toler-
ate such subterfuges. Men at the
head of educational institutions should
be men of high ideals. The youth of
this grand Territory must have before
them as teachers men of strong and
high personality. As Miss Heitholt
said in her graduating address, a
teacher that has his heart in his work
has no time for other occupations,
The root of the entire evil is the idea
of the management that it is all right
for the members of the staff of the
Normal school to engage in outside
business. The money making idea
prevails, instead of heart and head be-
ing devoted to school work. If a man
has time to conduct numerous out-
side affairs, it is no wonder that the
Territory had to pay outside help for
putting up stoves last fall. It is evi-
dent to anyone that good business
management would have demanded
the undivided attention of employees
receiving from $ 1,050 to $ 1,200 a
year, instead of paying out money for
outside and additional help in order to
relieve members of the staff so they
can look after one or more outside bus-
inesses.
The majority of the faculty are hard,
conscientious workers and the school
has dope good work on account of
their effort, but a continuation of the
policy of allowing some to be In money
grabbing businesses on the outside will
sooner or later lead to a demoralization
of the entire school. Men with differ-
ent ideas should be at the head of one#
of the proudest of the Territorial insti-
tutions.
0!
NE of Delegate McGuire's first
official acts shows splendid
jndgement. He has appointed Myron
A. Boyle as private secretary, and this
appointment is a good thing for every-
one concerned. A good thing for the
people of Oklahoma as Mr. Boyle Is
thoroughly conversant with conditions
throughout the territory and is in sym-
pathy with the lives and purposes of
our people. It is a good thing for
Congressman McGuire as he secures
an assistant that is reliable, sober, and
industrious. Moreover he is "level
headed." On a number of occasions,
when exciting things were doing in
Oklahoma, we have had conversations
with Mr. Boyle that showed that he
had a comprehensive and far sighted
view of things. It is a good thing also
for Mr. Boyle. His work as territorial
representative of the Wichita Eagle
has shown superior ability as a news-
paper man, and now this work in Wash-
ington will present an opportunity for
him to familiarize himself with Wash-
ington life and National affairs. This
kind of an opportunity is of great value to
a growing newspaper man. So all part-
ies—the people, Congressman McGuire
and Mr. Boyle—are to be congratulated.
o:
|NE of the most essential things
in this representative fcrm of gov-
ernment is that public officials have a
clear decernment of what is right and
what is wrong. Men that do not man-
age public business as carefully as pri-
vate business should be managed, can
not expect to be retained in public ser-
vice. What would be thought of the
management of a large business
concern that paid its janitor extra for
every errand when he was already being
paid a salary of $1,050.00 a year?
When Prof- Butcher was acting as
secretary of the teachers agency, the
doctrine was declared that professors in
the Territorial schools could not have
outside occupations. Still the abuse
has been contined by the management
here in bold defiance of the Governor's
expressed wishes.
V*
When students observe members of
the faculty neglecting their duty, the
student has an example to do the
same. Is it any wonder that they ex-
pect to graduate without doing their
full duty, when they see their preceptors
prosper without doing their full duty.
THE TENDENCY of the times,
the issues to be presented to the
people are such that public officials
must have considerable power. The
power will not be granted or confidence
given public officers unless the people
know that public officers are upright
in their official conduct. This high
ideal of the duties of pubic service
should prevail from the smallest to the
highest office. Any dereliction of duty,
any use of office for personal gain other
than the pay authorized by law should
be rebuked by the people in unmistaken
language Personal acquaintance
should not be permitted to Interfere
with public duty. A great public re-
sponsibility faces the people on a ques-
tfon of this kind and they should arise
to the occasion and declare for a purity
of public service. It will take some
casting aside of past personal friend-
ship to do this, but a great principle
and not a man is to be considered.
Men may come and men may go, but
the principle of right must prevail in
order to preserve a great public institu-
tion around which the entire community
fs built.
They are jolly good fellows, yes and
that makes it hard to say any thing
about it, but remember that as a
citizen there Is a duty to the stato
that permits of no personal friendship
s'anding In the way. The members of
the legistatore are not influence i by the
jolly good fellow part, he has not been
on terms of friendiy greeting day after
day, and he will just see the cold
blooded ethics of the matter. Permit
abuses now and you are contenancing
a condition that will some day he used
to our ser'ous dertiment.
v *
li some of the money spent paying
for extra help, to give members of the
Normal force time to indulge in out-
side business, had been devoted to ath-
letics, the people would not have had
to have been charged admission to re-
citals of various kinds. And perhaps
a better atnletic spirit might have pre-
vailed so the school would make a
better showing.
The amount of money received by
charging for music, would more than
be equaled by cutting off the extras
paid men already drawing good salaries.
Has it been necessary to pay a real
estate commission In order to hold a
job? We would like to hear about this
point.
<f v
We would like to meet the gentle-
men who have been selling wood for
the Normal.
Lack of decipline in a public institu-
tion soon leads to demoralization.
No more half ripe lawyers will be
permitted to hang their shingle to the
sportive Oklahoma breeze to entice the
unwary litigent into a tangle of cost
and trouble without end The supreme
court, acting under a law enacted by
the last legistature has appointed a
board that will give imports and native
products a rigid examination, $15.00
per exam. The board named is as
follows: Frank Dale, Guthrie. M. J.
Kane, Kingfisher. Frank Wells, Okla-
homa City. H. B. Martin, Perry.
P. C. Simons, Pond Creek. T. J.
Womack, Alva. E. E. Grinstead, Ana-
darko. John W. Scothorne of Guthrie
and C. B. Ames of Oklahoma City.
This is a good board of capable law-
yers. The two men named from
this county, Frank Wells and C. B-
Ames are the strongest men at the bar
at Oklahoma City, Mr. Ames is one of
ablest democrats of the territory and
Mr. Wells one of clearest headed
republicans, and it would not be
surprising of these two men are some
day opposing candidates for con-
gressional house,
• ■. ■ - .. ■.
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Edmond Enterprise and Oklahoma County News. (Edmond, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 19, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 11, 1903, newspaper, June 11, 1903; Edmond, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc140118/m1/1/: accessed April 17, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.