The daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 190?-1908, 1907-06-03
Oklahoma and The
Eastern Paper

be OF interest to the Demo-
crat readers. Please note
the appearance OF unfavor,
and how, when the article is
read throughout, this ar
raignment OF our constltu-
ton dwindles down to one
clause, that any corporation
appealing to a Federal court
from and decision OF "a state
court shall forfeitits charter.
1t would seem that Collier 5
desires to attack the work
of the people OF Oklahoma
done through their delegates
but finds somewhat to its
embarrassment that upon
honest examination the facts
are such as to justify praise.
The remarkable constitutional
convention that adjourned IN
Oklahoma may have succeeded
in depriving the democratic party
of seven sure electoral votes IN
the next presidential election
Republican politicians are 'nX'
iously looking for pretexts TO
keep this great commonwealth
out of the Union as long as pos
sible, and they have succeeded
in convincing the administration
that the constitution adopted IS
fatally defective. There has been
some difficulty in finding the
pf6per grounds upon which to
base this decision. The fact that
the convention had shamelessly
eerrymandered the new state IN
the interest OF the democratic
party was exasperating, but
could hardly be made reason
for excluding a state on the part
of an administration supported
by four senators from Rhode Is
land and Connecticut. The gro
tesque ggestion was offered
that a provision for the initiative
and referendum violated the rule
that every state must have re-
publican form of government in
volved rule by representatives,
seemingly ignorant OF the rae!
that the very name republic
came from those ancient city
states of Greece and Italy In
which the people acted directly
withoutrepresentative tivemachlnery'
The fact that Oklahoma ex'
cluded solliers and sailors or the
army and navy from the franc
hise gave a CLEAN of hope, but a
little investigation disclosed SIM
liar disqualifications, not only IL
States. but even in a Territory
under the direct rule of congress
Several clauses are called Pop
uljstic." but the Enabling Acl
does not give the President the
right 10 exclude tho state on tht
ground that its economic ide rs
are not orthodox, One provision
however. which may bring th'
Oklahoma Constitution into az
rect conflict with the authority o
the United States is that ordain
inc that any corporation appeal
inc to a Federal Court from any
decision of a state court shal
forfeit its charter.
A temporary injunction ha
been obtained forbidding the suo
mission of the constitution to tn
people before November, l9Oo
and the question of sustaining o
dissolving this order is now pend
ing. No population approaching
that of Oklahoma was ever De
fore kept under Territorla
government, and very substan
tisl reasons will have to be toun
for delay in this case. Ther
are at least / 100000 inhabitant
in the Territory, a number sur
passing that of any one of TWEEN
ty States, including six oil IN
original thirteen.
As to the question O
state corporations appeal
ing to the Federal courts tn
people OF oklahoma hav
possibly had more expert
Ence with Federal &C court
than has Collsr's Weekly
and are il a position to
- 4ho,v MON 4 80.