Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-05-07
CONSTITUTION
OF OKLAHOMA
IS NOT LEGAL
Washington Bureau Of
The Ottumwa Courier
Washin pfnfl Nav 4


The Oklahoma constitution will
have to be tested under that provision
Of the federal constitution which guar
antees a republican form of govern
ment for all states.
The chief of all the arguments
against the Presidents approval Of
the remarkable instrument which the
constitutional convention had adopted
,is that 1t includes a gerrymander of
the new state in legislative districts,
under which the people of some coun-
ties will have two or three times as
much representation in the legisla-
ture as those of other. counties. 1t
happens that the counties which got
representation out Of proportion to
their population, are all democratic,
while these which get representation
much less than their population should
Justify are republican.
| For example. Greer county is solidly
democratic, being made from piece
of territory carved off the old state of
Texas. 1t is given four representatives
| in the legislature, while Oklahoma
county, which is alleged to have a
much larger population, but to have a
habit of going republican as often as
otherwise, gets only two. Other dis
ftricts are said to be equally unfair in
their arrangement.
District Fixed by Constitution.
| These districts are fixed by the
constitution. To amend 1T, a majority
vote of the state must approve a plan
| adopted by the legislature. This is con-
sidered to be an almost impossible
proposition, and would keep the demo-
Gratis in control of the legislature
even though the republicans might de-
velop an immense majority in the
state. If the President vetoes the In
strument, it will be chiefly because of
this proposition. The various rodical
measures for control of railroads and
other corporations have not weighed
nearly so much with him as this ap-
parent denial of a republican form OF
government. He was much offended
with the provision that soldiers and
sailors of the army and navy could not
vote within the state, but would not
have declined approval Of the instrl-
ment on that account. 1t is believed,
\ however, that there is an excellent
chance that the measure will be re-
| jected because of the constitutional
gerrymander.
4 First Campaign is on.
i The Oklahoma campaign is already
opened In anticipation Of the cleo.
} ton for state officers and a legisla
Iture, Lee Cruce of Ardmore and c.
I'm. Haskell of Muskogie are the chief
'icandidates for the democratic nomina
'l,tion for governor. Haskell was the
Header in the constitutional conven
ltion, and despite that he secured in.
sertion in 1t of an immense amount OF
y radicalism, his opponents are now &C
cusing him Of making the constitu
ltion a railroad instrument. Likewise
The is accused Of being an opponent Of
union labor. Cruise is accused Of being
!, opposed to the conventions coEstitu
ton, and with being usurer. IL is al
J, legged that he once declared himself
cpposed to public education
1 Haskell challenged Cruce to O joint
debate, and the challenge was reject
, ed. Haskell repeated 1T, and has had
no acceptance. The glib meetings and
, enthusiasm on the Haskell side thus
:. lar. and everything indicates his nom
ination.
ASPIRE TOT tHe 1ogd.
The candidates for the democratic
| nomination for senator are Morton
Rutherford and Robert Owen, OF Mus
/. cogee, Henry Furman Of Ada. James
Turner, of Oklahoma City, Roy Hoff
, man. Of Enid, and T. p. Gore Of Law
ton. Gore is totally blind, and Ii
: known as the blind orator He is elo
: quent. was once Mississippi populist
and is one of the strong men in the
, race. Gore, Furman and Owen are the
leaders as the race now stands. Over
lin part Indian, so that the new state
. has an excellent chance of being rep
| resented in the upper house by an In
. dian and blind man, Owen being 9
legal member of the Cherokee tribe
OF Indians.
j. E. Welliyer.