The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-10-01

AAk bF&EkN So Assf "a 49, 49, +FF# 49,
per~ ira the United states p~~fiiienins
congrs%v & repeal all duties ~ print
inS paper. wood ulp and AL material
entering into thc production II print-
ing paper Thai resolution Nas en-
dorscd rs Republican a. well -
Democratic editors The parcr tru~f
IA rahbsug the newspapers. a. Well a.
al other trusts agc rohesnE other pNP-
Pie These Republican editors haVr
nos seen the trust esfl until taoee eut
laws Of put Their hands IN
the editorial trousers and robbie
them Their demand fer free ivads
for themselves - = Just ono. but r.
cannot be consistently maintained an
less We have free trade for every othe-
article monopo!Ized by a trust The
advocacy b. great Republican news
papers of free paper and free pulp is
sure e result "a a sentiment Tor the
Democratic program ~ taking away
all duties from trust-controlled a.
ticles. and tho day IS not FAR distant
when this viii be done Democratic
principles are becoming more popu-
lar
The second significant straw - thr
sweeping Democratic victory in OKLA
homa The Republicans tried iu the
last Congress 10 prevent tho ~organiza-
tion Of this new state Western fic-
pubncanS and tn" Democrats defeated
cannon and Roosevelt and tho en-
aiding act passed. Then the Rcpuh-
lican leaders used every influence e
carry the new state and failed The
story OF the conflict there and tn"
crushing defeat administered 10 the
administration is thus told b. Nj
Bryan IN The Commoner
1T is not necessary 10 say that the
result in Oklahoma is "A great victory
for Democrats The victory speaks
for itself.
1t is not necessary To say that the
faithful Democrats of Oklahoma and
Indian Territory are entitled To ths
highest praise for the good work they
have accomplished. From every sec
ton Of the country come words -
c"ongratulatton 10 the Democrats OF tho
New state that is prepared To enter
the Union under particularly forum
ate conditions.
Particularly fortunate. we sat. be-
cause Oklahoma's brief history IL In
separately associated with the idea of
popular government. When II came
TO the selection of men who were To
"T1lt the constitution Tor the new
State it was urged by many that Okla
Romans, regardless Of political pre1u-
dice, ought 10 entrust that duty IL
the party Just then dominant IN the
Federal Government. But in the cam
paign for the Constitutional convention
the promise of Democrats seemed to
accord with the purpose OF the Okla
Romans to obtain a charter that would
make II plain TO all men that govern
ment of the people, by the people. for
the people was To he the ~shtbboleth /
for the new State.
The result was the Democrats won
by a large majority in the constitution
al convention.
1T is not an idle statement TO say
that the proceedings of Oklahoma's
constitutional convention were marked
with a determination on the part OF It's
me to repair a constitution
that would insure to the people OF the
new State practical control, for 81!
time, over their public affairs and their
public servants
1T is no idle statement to say that
never in the history OF deliberative
assemblies has any body of men been
accorded more general recognition for
patriotic effort than was given by
men of all parties to Oklahoma's IN
stitutional convention.
In all the proceedings of that great
gathering there was no breath OF scan
dal. No one complained that the
members Of the convention were look
ing out for special interests. No one
suggested that their work left loop
holes for corporations. II was said
that the constitution was too long but
some who made that complaint meant
that it was too explicit in its efforts
to safeguard the public interests.
When the Attorney General for The
United States pointed out what ha
conceived to be certain defects the
constitutional convention made correc-
ton accordingly.
1t is not strange then. that it was
with srme degree of confidence that
the men who wrote this constitution
unlimited their work for the approval
their fellow citizens. With signi-
ficant emphasis the people OF the new
state have approved that work AMI
threat that approval of the constitu-
ton and a Democratic victory meant
rej"ct1on of the constitution by q
President elected as a Republican.
The strong personality OF MI
Roosevelt figured conspicuously in the
Oklahoma campaign. Every Federal
OfiiceholdeT in the two territories was
fighting hard for Republican victory.
and not only was the great prestige
Of q national administration employ
ed at every point, but the administre-
was represented in a particularly
way by the personal participation
Of the heir apparent to Mr.. R~oosevelt's
party robe. And when Mr.. TAFT
AoftAi ~ hlD1h u dfloIlldIfE u D
against the Democratic constitu-
ton his advice was freely interpreted
as d reminder that the Republican ma
-lonal administration had the power u
Inmake the constitution.
But these influences were of no
avail. Oklahoma and ndian Terrific
~, ambitious for Statehood, wanted to
insure for the new commonwealth (;
popular government In it's best sense.
this end they entrusted the woi!
II making a constitution 10 the Demo I.
party and the Democratic party
itself faithful To the trust. f.,
The fidelity shown BY the Demo
constitutional convention and F.,
he purpos displayed by the Demo !,
candidates for Office have been {
recognized and rewarded by a victorv .
% complete that il must give encour- :
gemcn TO all men who participate :
n politics in the hope Of deriving from =
government the greatest good 10 tn. (,
,~reatest number :
Is the lesson The Demo- {
ratio party must be Democratic au.i 5
a.yc+ &c reEaI,%.1- -. I