The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-11-23
Anxiety
Causee by Some Pro
visions of McGuire's
Bill

one provision in Delegate McGuire's
statehood bill for Oklahoma is caus
ing anxiety among Republican poll
ticians. regardless Of factional sffin
ations One OF the moblems of state
hood will be whether the school lan-s
In Oklahoma shall be sold and the
money held as a permanent fund for
the support of the common schools
and the higher educational insttu
tions. or not sold and the annual rent
las used for that purpose Again. il
they are 10 be sold. shall preference
right of purchase be given to the les
see occupant, or shall the lessee be
ignored after be has been compensat-
ed for his improvements and the land
sold at public auction to the highest
bidder without further restrictions?
Control 10000 Votes.
The 1000 school land lessees OF Ok
Iahoma. controlling 10000 votes. are
organized to secure ownership of these
lands at the lowest possible price
They take the radical position that the
lands belong to them more than 20 any
other person. and will fight to the last
ditch to gain their point On the 9th.
er haud, there are more than Y mill
ion people in Oklahoma who hold that
these lands belong alike to all the
people OF oklahoma that the lessees
have long enjoyed the use Of the
lands at rdiculously low rentals,
amounting in most instances to about
what the taxes are on adjoining lands,
and that after the lessees nave been
paid for their improvements they
would in equity be debtors TO Oklaho-
ma Tor benefits for which they did not
pay a fair or reasonable price Poliu-
cally, the leasees' organization holds
such a balance Of power that neither
the Republican nor the Democratic
party has dared to antagonize It. No
legislature has had the courage to
enact laws for the regulation AMI con
troll of the school lands. AA Republic
can party manager said last week that
the Republicans won In the last con-
gressional campaign only by buying
influence that controlled the lessees.
Neither party dares 70 take the initi-
ative for or against tAe lessees in
statehood legislation. and both trem-
Bile at the thought OF being forced to
declare themselves.
Mooulre's Bill for the Lessee.
The statehood bill introduced by
Delegate Mcclure, as repor ed IN
Washington dispatches, provides that
the school lands. If sold, shall be APP
praised and sold under rules and reg
ulations prescribed by the legislature.
and that the preference right To pur'
chase shalt be given TO the lessees
In measure. this commits the Repub-
lican party TO the lessees. In taking
any side of the question. the Republi-
cans invite defeat The same would
be true Of the Democrats Republican
leaders, alarmed at the prospect, are
preparing to secure modification of
This provision In the Mcclure bill, and
the delegation to be chosen TO so TO
Washington and assist Mcclure will
be urged to recommend change that
win enable the Republican party TO
escape the threatened danger.
oae plan. favorably discussed at th.s
tine. is that the commission author
lied TO call the election for naming
delegates to the constitutional con
yention shall sabmit to the people of
Oklahoma at this election the question
oi what disposition shall be made of
the school lands This would permit
both political parties 10 proceed with
ont fear OF the school lanl lessees III
ighting for the control Of the state
government and the election Of SEN
ators and members OF congress. Any
concession 10 The lessees in the state
hood bill gives them a political ad
vantage that would almost destroy the
party receiving their support. The
mass of voters in Oklahoma are de-
termined that the lessees shall re-
oeive fair treatment. but nothing more.
and win eliminate fron p1Dlic life
any man who attempts to cons1mmate
any plan that woull sacrifice the
school lands