The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-10-08
TAXES THAT WOULD 2e
"sTAocER HUMANITY .

> hGGEh 1OmANt ~
The attempt by Republican news
papers to convince the people by
sheer force of reiterated assertion
that It costs less to sustain two states
than one and, thefora taxes would
be lower under statehood for Oklaho
ma alone than under 'Tgle statehood
would be treated only ~ bit Of drol-
Ilery were the subject not so serious
and so vital
Then, too reiterated assertion Of .
well recognized absurdity makes it
seem less harmful, principle OF
which these papers are most fully
aware, and which they constantly ap-
ply
The expense of administering the
state government under single state
hood would no doubt be slightly more,
than the expense of administering it
under statehood for Oklahoma alone;
but the rate of tax would then be
double, and very soon triple, the
amount OF property to bear The tax.
No amount of bold, brazen assertion
can escape The clutches Of this one
stubborn fact
Only few Of the items Of this
enormous expense, which is to stag
ger humanity" have been disclosed.
for to disclose their identity would
destroy their power as sort Of ku-
ldux
However. some have been mention
ed and first among mem is an item of
81 .OOO.O 900 to buy the public roads for
the Indian territory. This is a pure
'ertion without any foundation
whatever. Under the laws of the In
dian tribes thousands of miles of
roads were laid out and established
The Indian treaties provide for high
wayl along the sectional lines with
out compensation. And again it is
w Il known to every one that if any
special damages accrue in laying out
roads, that they are assessed by the
viewers and paid by the county IN
which the DAD is located and that not
one cent of the expense is borne by
the territory or would be by the state.
Still Dennis Flynn had the brazen ef-
frontery 10 spring this fake which has
been so persistently reiterated by the
Republican press.
The next item calculated not only
to "atagger humanity" but 10 com
pletely confound the people is the
court expenses OF Indian territory
which II Is alleged a.e not less than
81 900, 900 per year aud which they
claim would have to be borne by ok
ahoma under single statehood What
IN astonishing proposition to make to
people who are familiar with court
not only in the territory
Iut in every state in the union Ev-
srywhere court expenses are a local
county expense and horne by the
,ounty in which the crime IS commit
.ed. and the trial had. This is the
aw in Oklahoma now and viii no
doubt be incorporated in the consti
ution Of the ate. as IS done in every
other state. Il takes pure nerve TO
produce such an item as the court ,
expense fake. Yet that nerve is not
lacking and the result is thai such 4
lnfounded assertions are being daily
Haunted in the faces Of the intelligent
people of Oklahoma in hopes TO
tumble the Issues and attract atten-
ion.
These are first on the bill Of ex-
1ense that is to "stagger humanity"
+ the Hon. Bill Cross is elected and
oklahoma and Indian territory ad-
nitted into the union as one state
rhey are fair samples OF The kind Of
argument that Is being employed all
'ver the territory by the Republican
press.
A vote for Hon Bill Cross Is vote
or immediate single statehood and.
ow taxes
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