The Mena weekly star., 1907-03-21
| MODERN CONSTITUTION
Some of the Features in the Docu ment Just Completed by the Ok
 lahoma Convention.
SOME RADICAL PROVISIONS INSERTED
New State VIII Probably be Prohlbi tion for at Least 21 Years--initia tive and Referendum and Norina. ton of United States Senators by People Among New Features.

state constitution to be produced tn der modern conditions, that intended for the proposed new state of Okla homa, has finally been drafted here The constitutional convention finished it's work Friday and adjourned after having been in session 115 days. The constitution will be submitted to the people of the two territories at 8 special election on August 9th One of the last acts of the convention was to appoint committee to solicit funds to pay the expenses of the cleo tion, the convention having exhausted practically all the money appropriated by congress.
 The convention was overwhelmingly democratic, being composed of 10t democrats and 12 republicans.
 Probably the mast important measure killed by the convention was the pro vision relative to separate coaches for whites and negroes although the democrats had been pledged to insert 1t. Several delegations alleged on the convention floor that President ROose welt would reject the constitution if the Jim Crow' provisions were adopt ed. and warning letters were sent del egates by Senators Tillman and Pet tus and others.
 Woman suffrage was defeated by . few votes.
 The initiative and referendum, pat termed after the Oregon law, was adopted, as was provision providing for the nomination of all state off cers and United States senators by primaries
 Succession in state offices is pro hibited. and it Is provided that the sen ate committee shall not be named ty 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 enab. ling act provided that Indian territory must accept prohibition for 21 years. The convention provided that the whole state shall vote on the ques, ton and there is no doubt that the terms of the enabling act will be made uniform over the whole state.
 Provision is made for a state rail. way commission, to be elective, and twocent passenger fare is ordered Railway companies are prohibited from owning any productive agency of a natural commodity, a provision particularly 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 corpor. ations are made subject. to inspection at all times.
 The organization of corporations to deal in real estate outside of the incor- porated cities is prohibited. A commission is appointed to negs- tiate the purchase of the segregated mineral lands in the Indian Territory. valued at many millions of dollars and state ownership and operation of the coal miners thereon is contemplated. The legal rate of interest is fixed at six percent and the contract rate at ten per cent.
 A committee Is appointed to nego- system Is established. Commissions are created on labor and arbitration. charities, insurance, railroads. agriculture, oil. gas and mines.
 The state is divided into 75 coun. ties, 21 judicial districts, Al senatorial districts and 105 legislative districts. The state seal adopted is a com. binatisn of the present seal of Ok. lahoma and the seals of the nations of the five civilized tribes.
 A majority vote is required to amend the constitution.