The Home Journal

STRANGE BEHAVIOR

A lot of people, who had great admiration for Governor Gordon are fast losing respect for him because of some strange actions which he has taken during the last several weeks. We are at a loss to see the change that has come over his attitudes, policies and principles. If the legislature, in exercise of its prerogatives, rejects a nomination, he flouts the legislative will and installs the nominee in office anyhow. If he makes a recommendation and the legislature, exercising its own discretion, changes a comma, he disapproves the whole works. We believe that Gordon is a prisoner at Government House, surrounded by advisers with whom he is afraid to disagree, and he will do any and everything he is told to do, no matter how ridiculous it makes him.

One of the first things he did upon arrival here was to repudiate and cancel an executive order written by Gov. Alexander ordering officials and employees not to appear before committees of the legislature without the Governor's written consent. Mr. Gordon said that Alexander was wrong to withhold information from legislative committees, and that he would never tolerate such a practice.

He kept faith with that position because on May 24, 1956, the Governor signed into law a bill passed by the legislature requiring all officers and employees of the Government, and all other persons, as well, to appear and give and furnish to the legislature or any of its committees, upon request, such information, records and documents as the legislature or the committee may deem necessary or proper.

A few days ago, when the Legislature's Finance Committee started to investigate the expenditure of funds based on a directive from the legislature, Gov. Gordon was persuaded, to the utter consternation of many persons, to eat his words and put into effect the same executive order that he had assailed Alexander for issuing.

It is disheartening to see the Governor, in an effort to do everything to prevent a scandal from coming to light, violating the provisions of the organic act.

The Governor has authority to issue executive orders, but Section II of the organic act provides that such orders cannot be issued when they are in conflict with existing law. And there is no question that Executive Order No. 14 is in conflict with Act No. 86 which gives the legislature and its committees power to hold investigations and subpoena officials and others.

These are the abuses which got Alexander into trouble. We are sorry to see Gordon making