The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-06-12

LEADERS
Are in a cOmbsaliOn with Corpora
lions 10 Defeat Statehood

uons 70 Defeat Statehood
). B. Thompson, chairman Of the
democratic state committee, gives out
the following statement;
I went to Washington for the pur-
pose Of consulting with the managers
Of the national democratic committee
and the national congressional com
mittee relative to the campaign upon
which We are about to enter, and see
how they felt towards US and what
assistance we could expect from
them. I was cordially received by the
representatives Of both, and went ov-
er the constitution in detail with
them. They expressed great pleasure
that our organization was in such
splendid shape, and when told that our
people had been in this campaign con-
tinually for the past year, they as
sured me that they would render us
such assistance as we felt we must
have.
] found them perfectly familiar
with the constitution, and they uni
versally commended the splendid con-
stituti0n prepared by the convention.
Senator's, congressman and veteran
newspaper men all said it was the
most thoroughly democratic constitu-
tion they had ever read.
Ny visit had no connection what
ever with the visit of the committee
appointed by the constitutional con-
vention. / saw neither the president
nor the attorney general while in
Washington.
The correspondent Of the Baltimore
Sun, after the visit Of the republican
delegation to Washington, wrote a
letter to his paper covering the situ-
alton in Oklahoma, which reflected the
universal sentiment Of the newspaper
men at the capitol. In that article ht
said:
Nevertheless, it is definitely plan,
ned by the republican leaders that th'
constitution shall not be approved anC
that Oklahoma shall not have th'
privilege of casting its democratic
vote for the democratic candidate il
1908. It appears there is a communit!
Of interest between the corporation
Z and the republican party in this mat
: ter. The corporations enjoy priv
leges in the territories of which the
will be deprived if the new state !
formed under the constitution Adopt
ed. The railroads and other corpoi
ations now do practically as the
: please, being subject to but slight tax
alton and free to assess almost an
; charge they want upon the communit
for services rendered The grea
= abuses in this direction are respons
bic for the public sentiment whic
gave character to the constitution;
= convention and compelled explic
provisions being put into the const
= tuition for public protection. The co
Z porations desiring the present sta
of affairs to continue in their own i
terests and the republican nation
leaders not desiring the intro iuctic
Of new democratic state on the e'
Of the presidential election, these tv
,s forces find common interest"
The people of Oklahoma and India
= Territory may be surprised to leal
"a Of this combination, but it is the ur
n versal opinion among the vetera
to newspaper correspondents at Was
IN ington. The people may rest assure
that we will get statehood, and thi
= speedily. The constitutional convei
p tion will act cautiously but coura
er eously. In the meantime the 2O0,0I
school children in the Indian Territol
lg part Of the state, without one cent
c school revenue and no method Of tax
&c ton whereby money for the suppo
be of common schools can be levied, W
is wonder if their little minds are to
It left uncultivated, that the railroads
m Oklahoma may avoid the just pr
n visions Of the constitution with refe
IN ence to the corporations"
T. J. B. THOMPSON.