Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1907-03-29

Adopted-lnitiative and Referendum
Prohibition Of Liquor Trsfiie-Wster.
ed Stock Also Made Illegal.
The spirit Of the times aud the ex.
p rlence Of the people in the last score
! o. years are reflected in the constitu.
ton for the new state OF Oklahoma.
the only state constitution to be pro
/ d"ced under modcrn conditions. The
work is finished The constitutional
convention has adjourned after being
in session 1l5 days
/ The agitation against corporations
has left its mark. many parts Of the
/ constitution being devoted to restric,
1 tons Of the corporations. designed TO
prevent the possibility of their DONNA.
ton in state affairs.
Public ownership and operation of
coal mines in the state is projected.
The constitution will be submitted to
the people of Oklahoma ana Indian
| territories at special election Aug. &.
/ One of the last acts OF the convention
/ was to appoint Il committee 10 solicit
/ funds to pay the expenses of the cleo
ton, the convention having exhausted
/ practically all the money appropriated
/ by congress.
II the constitution is ratified, some
very modern applications of present
. tlup rafnrTgl- will a fpt. f,,
/ state.
/ The convention was overwhelmingly
! Democratic, being composed of leo
( Democrats ana twelve Republicans.
Probably the most important meas
/ ure killed by the convention was the
/ provision relative to separate coaches
/ for whites and negroes. although the
/ Democrats had been pledged to insert
/ it. Several delegates alleged on the
/ convention floor that President Roose-
welt would reject the constitution If
/ the Jim Crow" provision were adopt.
ed. and warning letters were sent dele
/ gates by Senators Tillman and Pettus
aud others
( Woman suffrage was defeated by a
few votes
The initiative and referendum. pat
/ termed after the oregon law. was
adopted. as was provision for the
nomination of all state officers and
/ United States senators by primaries
/ Succession in state Offices is prohb-
( tied, and it is provided that the senate
| committees shall not be named by the
/ lieutenant governor, but be selected by
/ the body itself.
Oklahoma will be prohibition state.
the most stringent liquor law in exist
ence, prohibiting not only the sale but
the Introduction of liquor into the
state. being provided for. The en-
abling act provided that Indian Terri.
tory must accept prohibition for TWEEN
ty-one years. The convention provided
that the whole state shall vote on the
question. and there is po doubt that
the terms of the enabling act will he
made uniform over the whole state.
Provision is made for state railway
commission, to he elective and a two
cent passenger fare is ordered.
Railway companies are prohibited
from owning any productive agency Of
natural commodity. a provision par
ticularly intended to cover coal lands
A fellow servant law is embodied in
the constitution.
Corporations are prohibited from
owning more land than is absolutely
necessary in the operation of their
( business.
The issuance Of watered stock is
prohibited, and the books of all cor
porations are made subject to iuspec-
tion at all times.
The organization of corporations to
/ deal in real estate outside of incor-
porated cities is prohibited.
A commission is appointed to nego-
tate the purchase of the segregated
| mineral lands in the Indian Territory,
valued at many millions of dollars.
ana state ownership and operation Of
! the coal mines thereon are contem-
plated.
The legal rate of interest is fixed at
per cent and the contract rate at 10
| per cent.
A compulsory and separate schn,l
system is established
| Commissions are created on labor
and arbitration. charities, insurance.
railroads, agriculture, oil, gas and
mines.
The state is divided into seventyfive
counties. twenty-one judicial districts,
| torty-on senatorial districts and 100
legislative districts.
The state seal adopted is a combina-
ton of the present seal of Oklahoma
and the seals of the nations of the
i've civilized tribes.
A majority vote is required to amend
| he constitutions