The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1906-09-02

the coal in the Eastern part Of the
state, or purchase fuel from distant
states and territories at prices which
will be almost prohibtiye.
The Constitutional Convention
would be false to its first and most i'm.
portant duty if it did not require the
Legislature of the state to create rdu-
road commission with power to make
rates upon all transportation between
points within the state " course as
TO freight which Originates In one
state or territory to be transported
into another state or territory. the jur-
s,diction is with the Federal govern
mon, and oar state railroad commits
sion would be without jurisdiction.
When the Santa Fc railroad had a
complete monopoly on all kinds of
transportation in Ardmore. our ciu-
zens purchased coal for domestic pur.
poses at Si15 and $500 per ton. Aft
cr great effort We secured two other
railroads. both Of which pass through
coal fields We thought we were go
ing to get q ar-r coal, but instead
of getting ca aper coal. these roads
combined ana ever since that time
We have been paying from 5000 to
$500 per ton. # we had had rail
road commission authorized to reg.
| ulate rates, people in all this section
of the country would have been saved
thousands and thousands of dollars
wrongfully eNtorted from them by the
l'lrOads, hence ! say 1t would be the
uuty of the Constitutional Convention
TO see that a railroad commission
with the very strongest rate making
powers be- created, and no member of
that convention would give such a
matter more earnest support than !
would.
As matter of fact it is not neces-
sary to mention this matter in the
Constitution at all. Under the rule OF
construction, which ! stated in the be
ginning. the legislature would have
the right 70 create a railroad commits
sion, but it is a matter Of such trans.
cendent Importance that think the
I Constitutional Convention should re-
quire the creation of one.
In connection with this coal propo.
sitiOn, ! desire to say that il YOU
elect ne to the Constitutional Convcn-
tion, and do not instruct me to the
contrary ! shall introduce a rcsou-
tion, and support it with all the power
within me, to create a commission
charged with the duty of negotiating
with the United States and the Cboc-
taw and Chickasaw Tribes of Indians
| for the purpose of acquiring for the
state OF Oklahoma the coal fields in
| Indian Territory. II has been suggest
ed that it would be socialistic for the
state TO own and operate a coal field.
| do not think It would be any more
suculistic for the state to own and
control the operation of the coal lands
/ than it will be for the state to own
seven million acres of land given It.
| by the government of the United
States for educational purposes. It
will have to control tn euse of the
school lands. They will have to be
leased out; or il they are sold, the
proceeds will have to be Invested.
These coal fields are almost ineXhaust-
| ible. They are going to become the
subject of angry contention il the
are left to be controlled by coal op-
Grating corporations II seems to me
| that they ought to be under the con
/ troll Of the state so that the people
of the state would he protected against
/ the eXhorbitant prices Of coal which
| the corporations that would other
wise contrcl them, world exact The
state could lease the coal illd TAX
ling the place of the Chickasaw and
| Chuctaw Nations as to the royalties
present leases This is a matter of
vast importance, and ! would like
for the people to think about it,
I There is another provision that /
am going to try to put into the con
stitUtion of the new state, if elected,
ana that is provision wi Interference
to separate coaches and separate
schools.
The constitution should create a
department for che control Of Corpo.
rations, requiring the legislature to
pass such laws as will forever keep
corporations of all kinds in their le-
gitimate lines of business, and com.
pei them to keep out OF politics. Trusts
and Illegal combinations Of all kinds