Rocky Ford enterprise., 1907-11-22
TWO FORMER TERRIFIC Ries
. UNITE IN GENERAL cELEBRA-
TIoN OF THE EVENT.
INAUGURAL IS RADICAL
GOVERNOR HASKELL cRiTicizEs
THE GOVERNMENT AND DE-
q. NoUNcEs THE TRUSTS.

/
exercises. n parade and barbecue in
this city.
Governor Charles n. Haskcli's In
augurai address was radical In the es-
treme. lie denounced the combina-
tions that have fattcned by unre'
stricted robbery OF our people" dc
ciarcd In favor Of prison sentences for
offending corporation officials and an
nounccd that the liquor prohibition law
would be rigidly enforced.
The governors first act WAS To or
der the county attorney Mt Bartlcs,ili.
to take steps to prevent the Standard
OIL Company from completing "a nat
urai gaS pipe line across the border to
! Kansas. II being the policy Of Okla
homa to prevent the expectation OF
sas.
There bcin. n LEGAL question as To
the hour when Prohibition took effect.
whether ut noon or midnight. Governor
/ Haskell ordered that tho saloons b"
permitted to remain open until mid
night.
The retiring officials Of Oklahoma
Territory took no part In today'H In
nuguraiion. Governor FraniE was IN
yItc,i. but declined. The other rctir.
Ing officials were not invited. bccaus"
one OF them. u. II. McCabc. deputy ter
riioriai auditor. is n negro. AMI the
new administration draws the color
line sharply.
In his address the governor said:
"in Its course through the day the
sun will have lighted the pathway Of
n million and half people cmcrRin.
from the disorder and the disconicnt
Of bureaucratic government. restricted
to the point of hciplcssncSS. and neg.
lcc,cd to the point Of oppression. into
n condition OF liberty and Sclfgo,.rn.
mcnt.
I'VE are no, assembled here To wor.
shin the public officer who ultimately
conceded us our rights. especially
when we reflect That long ago, from
every standpoint OF population. wealth
and Intelligence this area was entitled
to nil the blessings and privileges of
statehood. and now to thank the public
officers In oycr.Eracious terms who
have finally performed long and I'M
us,ly.icfcrrcd duty. would he In tho
nature Of huggin. the feet Of dila.
tory debtor who finally pays on his
lust Indebtedness"
Governor Haskell discussed the re-
lations between the state ana fcrcd1i
governments and continued:
1T IL with regret that VIC notice n
disposition on the part Of some one
high In authority to look upon the con.
stitution of the United States Itself as
even n little thing TO be used when II
meets the wish of It's executor. and
to be construed and bcndcd when ut
variance with his will.
"Thcrc IN no more dangerous prnc-
ticc to be tolerated in any public ON.
Ger. care not whether he bend for
good purpose or for n bad purpose.
than to assume the right to construc
the constitution from time to time To
meet his own desires. Those anxious
TO centrallzc power in the federal gov
ernmcnt must blush when they view
the conditions under which VIC have
lived for years. Our freight rates are
double those in the adjoining states.
The lumber trust. the coal trust and
other like combinations fattcncd by
unrestricted robbery Of our people. II
federal control is good thing in n
state why has II proved 30 utterly In.
efficient In territory?'
Governor Haskell dwelt at length
upon what he termed the oppression
of the country by the trusts. and then
discussed the financial situation. say.
ing:
"You can look for immediate relief
wherever you please.
when you tire OF looking elsewhere
you will agree with me that the quick.
est road to financial relief is to close
the New York Stock Exchange and
free the currency that It dominates
gitimatc commerce.
Let the eastern banks pay our
Oklahoma banks what they owe them
and should pay in currency on demand.
and we can market our products now
ready for the buyer and vastly In.
crease our own wealth"
Governor Haskell promised fair
treatment of the railroads.
But" he added, II hope that the
railroads will assume that official con.
duct In Oklahoma is like unto court
of equity. where justice Is to be meted
out to all. and that these railroads.
asking justice in that court of equity.
should enter that court with their own
hands clean, and to make them clean
I trust they will begin by obeying the
laws of Oklahoma"
When they had finished, the gov.
ernor announced that the appointment
of Robert l.. Owens of Muskogee and
Thomas p. Gore of Lawton as United
States senators.
Following prayer by clergyman,
and before the address was delivered
the proclamation of President Roose.
welt admitting Oklahoma and Indian
Territory into the Union was read by
Charles Filson. secretary of Oklahoma
Territory.