The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-29
RAILROAD NEWS.
State Constitution No Barrier
to New Roads.
Senator Gore Comes to Defense
of Oklahoma.
THAT RIPLEY LETTER
LIS Made Subject of Newspaper
Controversy.
Other Items of Interest i'm Rail-
way Circles.
THAT RIPLEY LETTER

Washington Dec. 29-Using a letter
OF President Ripley, of the Santa Fe
railroad as basis, the Washington
Post carried half column editorial be-
wailing the fact that Oklahomas con-
stitution is such that railroad building
in that state is precluded. To this edi-
torial Senator Robert L. Owen has
written the following reply in defense
of his state
You quote President Ripley of the
Santa Fe, in which he appears to have
stated that extension of railway lines
must be chartered as separate rail-
roads, and each branch line would
have to be chartered as separate
corporation, with general officers, and
a full set of officers maintained within
the state. and on the basis of this
statement you indicate that Oklahoma
is embarrassed by it's constitution, and
that railroad building will be stopped.
The Oklahoma constitution does not
prevent the Santa Fe, or any other rail-
road, from extending it's lines.
Section eight of Article nine, pre-
vents the consolidation of parallel or
competing lines, and provides that the
legislature shall not permit the con-
solidation of foreign corporations with
any public service corporation in the
state, owning or having under it's con-
Strol a parallel or competing line and
section nine provides that no railroad
company organized under the laws OF
OKLAHOMA shall consolidate with rail
road companies organized under the
laws of other states The purpose of
this law was to put a check on the
mergers which We're being threatened
and contaminated, until the state could
have time to digest this matter, and to
enable the state to require decent treat
ment by railway companies chartered
under the state, and to retain control
through the state courts.
Railroad building has not been
checked in Oklahoma by its constitu-
ton, am very sure, except as the
panic last fall checked railroad build
ing generally throughout the United
States. No constitutional convention is
necessary to eliminate any feature of
the present constitution, the people
themselves can do it under the initia-
tive, if they want to. without the con-
sent of the legislature, and without a
constitutional convention and the leg
islature can submit any amendment to
the convention by a majority vote of
the members of the legislature to be
voted on at the next general election, or
by two-thirds vote, they may order
a special election for that purpose,
and a majority of the electors voting
at such election can amend the consti-
tuition.
1.-The people of Oklahoma are well
satisfied with their constitution, and if
the Santa Fe railroad can discover any |
defects worth mentioning the people |
will unquestionably promptly change |
it. and in short order, as Oklahoma is !
capable of managing its af- |
fairs. having within its borders men of |
as high character. as thorough educa- |
ton, and of as enlarged experience as
any state in the Union.
1T is very natural for the so-called |
old states to imagine that Oklahoma is |
young. The truth is Oklahoma is very |
old, because the meaning of age, in re-
gard to the conduct of government, |
rests upon the question of experience,
and Oklahoma has available for its |
government the experience of every 9TH
er state in the Union. being composed |
Of the most self-reliant and intelligent |
sons of every other state The consti |
tutional convention awaited itself of
the constitution and laws of every other
state in the Union, together with the
court decisions relating thereto. Okla
noma, has, in sober truth, the best con-
stitution the world has ever seen, and
With its present laws. and its natural
resources presents the best opportunity
Tor making money in railway construc-
ion of any place in the United States
without an exception. make this state
nent on the authority of one of the
greatest railway builders in the coun-
rX.'' |