The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-03-15

=
cratic members were pledged to the
adoption Of the provision and all came
to Guthrie with no other idea than that
of inserting it In the constitution.
When they arrived here and the meas
ure was under consideration II was
I discovered that whore TIE enabling
ict made the customary req ,rement
tbout conformity with the fourteenth
amendment that ths word distinction
was used where discrimination would
naturally be anticipated The section
read "there shall never be any dis
tinction in political or civil liberties
On account of race color, etc Max
ing equal bit separate coaches would
not be a discrimination but IL would
be distinction. Delegates began TO
feel uneasy about inserting the meas
ure in the constitution for fear of con-
dict with the enabling act. Newsp1-
| pers began TO agitate leaving it oat
because of the recent Brownsville
trccble In which the President and the
negro troops were Involved and Sen
ator Tillman the greatest living advo-
cate of social distinction between the
races wrote the convention stating
that he was afraid that President
Roosevelt would reiest the constitu-
! lion to square his trouble over the
Brownsville AFFAIR About twenty-five
other Southern senators wrote warn
lngs 10 the convention and as a result
e was passed up to the legislature to
deal with after oklahoma is mem-
Der Of the federal family.
al. r.l
much debate and agitation during the
early days of the convention and for
time Il looked as II the delegates
would provide for it, The advocates
maintained a strong lobby here and
worked night and day IL tie interests
OF the measure Il was finally defeat
ed by aboat twenty votes. Women
viii. however. be allowed to vote IN
hool elections.
The state constitution has a pnoyis-
ion for sn elective railway coInmis-
sion with full power to regulate
freight rates. The fellow servant
doctrine making contributory negli-
g nee no bar to recovery Is incorpor-
ated In the states organic law. One
very important provision Is that rail-
roads are prohibited from owning
agencies Of production particularly
coal mines. The constitution also pro-
vides for a two cent passenger rate for
all railroads doing business in the
state unless the railroad company an
show the state commission that they
ere not netting receipts enough 10
allow them a fair interest on the in
yestment.
A novel feature in this connection
IS the faet that gas pipe lines are not
given the right of eminent domain
| thereby compelling all the natural gas
production to remain in the state for
home consumption
Commissions to deal with the vari
ous economic feaures of state govern
ment are created as follows. Mines
and Mining, Oil and Gas, Charities,
/ Railroad Insurance. Agriculture. and
Labor and Arbitration.
The legal rate OF interest in the
new state is fixed al six per cent and
the contract at ten.
The section relating to private cor
| pOratlons provides that no stock shall
be issued except II shall represent full
face wake.
lt IS provided in the section relat.
| ing 10 taxation that the taxes shall
never exceed 81 and one-half mills on
The dollar. The state 10 allowed to
select the objects of taxation inde-
pendent of county and city. A state
income tax Is also provided. The
convention passed a resolution favor
ing q national income tax az the early
part OF the session aud later made a
state income 9ax. Ex-Confederate and
ex'union soldiers are exempted from
all formF OF taxation
The governor and other state ofll
GERS are to hold Office for term OF
fonr years and with the exception OF
the attorney general and state super
'rtendent are not allowed 70 succeed
themselves.
A novel feature In the state sena,e
Is thai the members Of the standing
committees OF the body are not select
ed by tho lieutenant governor, who BY
virtue OF his ofIice is president of the
senate, but shall be selected by the
senate body
In .he bin OF rights. Imprisonment
for debt Is prohibited and another
novel feature Is that the judge OF !
court can not commit a person 10 jai
for contempt Of court without a hear
Ing.
4 The convention closes today ans
precipilates 4 Harlp state cpmpaie