The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-10-31
PEOPLES INTEREST.

Henry Asp
Santa Fe Railroad.
W. A. Ledbeeter.
r. L. Williams.
c. N. Haskell
AN the above named are interest
cd Ia the statement made in the Ok
lahoma State Capital. prominent
newspaper Published at Guthrie and
which advocates the election OF
Henry ASP as delegate from that
district to the constitutional conven-
tion
Mr. Asp was nominated early in
September Immediately his nomina.
tion was generally criticized because
of the fact that he is and for years
has been the general attorney Of the
Santa Fe Railroad System in the new
state. and as such attorney not only
performs the usual legal service, but
acts as general lobbyist for his com.
pany
He is a man of great ability
shrewd, ingenious and effective.
This is clearly demonstrated from
the fact that he is able to induce the
tax appraisement board Of Oklahoma
to value his company's prope ty for
taxation at the insignificant sum Of
an average OF thiry-nine hundred
dollars per mile, rolling stock build
ings, cash on hand. included
The cash on hand was thirty-nve
hundred dollars per mile, leaving only
four hundred dollars per mile for the
valuation OF the entire railroad equip
ment and appmtenances.
Just about the cost of the fence
which encloses the railroad
And the total Variation is only
about ten per cent more than the net
profits earned by his company on each
single mile of railroad in one year
Also-Mr asp has been able to
prevent the passage of any law that
would prevent his company from
charging the most extravagant freight
rates and robbing every shipper of
freight within his territory
As a result of this uncontrolled
liberty, the Santa Fe railroad today
charges twice as much for hauling
bushel of wheat from Guthrie to Gal
weston as it charges for hauling
bushel of wheat frcm Kansas City to
Galveston, although theeKaneas City
haul is more than three hundred miles
longer and passes right through
Guthrie
Again-owing to this lack of CON
troll McAloster coal sells for eight
dollars per ton in Norman. Oklahoma,
q rail-haul Of about one hundred and
fifty miles. The same coal hauled
over three hundred miles to Kansas
city sells for about FIVE dollars per
ton.
These outrages ON the people OF
Oklahoma have been pemetuated by |
Mr.. Asp and the Santa Fe railroad |
is paying him Gt is admitted) a
salary of five thousand dollars per
year for his ability and success, be-
side furnishing the annual passes and !
ether Influences to be used in inhu-
encing public officials.
Yes, Henry Asp is "a smart man
and seems to earn his salary, but
can he serve the people in correcting
.hese evils, which he created, while
he Santa Fe Railroad company is
'till paying him - salary for perpet-
lating them?
The question is-Shall the Santa
'e Railroad company write the state
constitution or shall IL be written
~ the people Of the new state OF
oklahoma?
Mr. Asps company by his aid has
oppressed the people from the date of
IS birth.
Do the people believe Mr.. Asp's
ompany will voluntarily quit tax
lodging or quit freight rate robbery?
so, why don't they quit it today?
)r six months ago?
Reader they have no such inten.
ion.
On the contrary. they want Asp in
he convention in order that they
nay perpetuate their graft
To secure Mr.. Asp's election, the
auta Fe company seeks to link its
interests with the interests OF the
ity OF Guthrie by saying to Guthrie:
Elect Asp TO tho constitutional
aud the Santa Fe company
vim aid you TO retain the state
apital"
This IS like unto the Standard Oil
ompany saying TO the religious
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