The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1899-01-13
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
PETITION REQUESTING SENSE OF
LEGAL VOTERS OF ARDMORE
AZ an Election to be Held for that Pur-
pose, and the Election OF school
Directors. Text of the Petition an
Presented.

The following petition has been
circulated for the requisite number
of petitioners and has been pre-
sented to Mayor Gait for his action
in the premises. This will be
found interesting reading, as it
cites the law governing such pro-
cedure and so plainly that child
may understand. While only 20
signatures is necessary to this petit
ton to make it lawful procedure,
this bears the names of John Me-
Neish, Don Lacy, j. B. Spragins,
Chas. l.. Anderson, c. P. Van
Denberg, Mike German, A. NJ.
Burch, w. T. Gardner, A. Kloski,
w. l. Cruce, w. A, Ledbetter, w.
o. Duston and fifty-two others:
Ardmore, 1. T.. Jan. u, 1899.
Hon. John L. Gait, Mayor of
Ardmore. Sir: We, the under
signed voters of the town of Ard
more, respectfully call your atten-
ton to the fact that the 18th see
ton of an act of congress approved
June 80, 1898, entitled, An Act
for the Protection of the People o.
the Indian Territory and Other
Purposes, commonly known as
the Curtis law, provides that city
or town governments in the Indian
Territory shall in no case have
any authority to impose upon or
levy a tax against any lands in
said cities or towns until after title
is secured from said tribe; but all
other property, including all i'm
prOvements upon town lots. which,
for the purposes of this act, shall
be deemed and considered personal
property, together with all occu-
pations and privileges, shall be
subject to taxation, and the coun-
ellis of such cities aid towns, for
the support of the same, and for
school and other public purposes,
may provide, by ordinance, for the
assessment, levy and collection an
nually of a tax upon such proper
ty, not to exceed in the aggregate
two per cent. of the assessed value
thereof in a manner provided in
chapter 129 of said digest entitled
Revenue, and for such purposes
may impose tax upon occupations
and privileges. Such council may
establish and maintain free schools
in such cities and towns under the
provisions of sections 625S to 627t
inclusive of said digest, and may
exercise all the powers conferred
uEon special school districts in cit.
les and towns in the state of Ar.
kansas by the laws of said state
when the same are not in confiict
with the provisions of this act, .
and that the Arkansas statute thu:
put in force in the Indian Terrific.
, ry provides that any city or towr
, may be organized and established
J as school district, and that upor
petition of twenty voters of sucI
city or town praying that the sens,
, of the legal voters of said city o.
> town may be taken on the adoption
+. of system for the regulation anC
j government of public schools
= therein, it shall be the duty of tn,
mayor of such city or town, within
five days after the presentation O.
such petition, to designate or fix
day, not less than seven nor NOR,
than fifteen days distant for hold
ing an election in said city or tow
for the purpose of determining
whether the city or town shall es
tablish and maintain a system O
free schools therein, and for tn,
. election, by ballot. at the sam,
time, of board of six school direc
tors for said city or town.
We also call your attention t,
the fact that the towns of Musco
gee, Wagner and Pauls Vale,
have already organized and estab
lished free school systems unde
i H. L.. =. IL