The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-01-23
Oklahoma.
Some Facts About the New State
Which Has Just Been Added to
the Proud Sisterhood of Ameri-
can Commonweaiths.

the Proud Sisterhood of Ameri-
can Commonwealth.
The new State of Oklahoma has TO-
40 square miles. or an area greater
than the whole of New England.
Property value exceeds 81 ,O0O.Ooo,-
900.
Has nearly 5000 miles OF railroads,
Percentage illteracy I. In the United
States log
Cities range in population from 1000
to 40. 600, and rapidly increasing.
Indians number 5000 and comprise
Creeks. Choctaws, Chicasaws, SeminOles
and CherOkees.
State produce cattle, corn potatoes,
all cereals, coal, asphalt, oil, natural gas,
granite, marble, gypsum, lead, zinc and
valuable woods.
Indian Territory organized June 30,
1884: oklahoma organized May :,
1890.
Statehood bill approved June 10,
1906.
Constitutional convention met at
Guthrie, Nov. 20, 1906.
Consultation adopted and State oil
GERS chosen at election Sept. II, l3Oi.
OKLAHOMA'S CONSTITUTION.
One paper sums up the provisions
Of the constitution of the new State IN
the following which contains much tina t
is novel and of interest to the people OF
the older Eastern States:
1T is truly q new conception, but en-
tertained by progressive Americans and
entitled to trial before its social, pOilt-
zeal and economic value be finally passed
upon. In every way it is a significant
expression Of public sentiment as formed
in communities remote from money CEN
ters, trust headquarters and the forces
OF Capitalization and autOcracy. Itmay
prove to be a prophecy and it may prove
to be a-di-app0:ntment, although we
see little in it to condemn. 1t Is scheme
of government which acknowl 'dges no
obligation os tradition and older civlll-
zation; it is a fundamental law for and
by a new and wonderful empire i'll the
Southwest. The contribution provides
for direct legislation through the inltia-
tive and referendum; domination of all
State, county district and township OIL
iicers by direct primaries; prohibition OF
succession in office to State officers; pro-
hibition OF railway corporations from
owning any productive agency Of natu-
raj commodity; prohibition OF corpora
ton from owning more land than is alb
soutely necessary in the operation oil
their business; prohibition OF watered
stock and provision that the books OF all
corporations shall be open to examina-
ton at any time; prohibition OF the
employment of children under fifteen
wears of age in factories and mines;
abrOgation of the fellow servant law:
lectiye State corporation commission
IL ~ nn onr
tions; twO-cent railway fares; labor and
arbitration commission with compulsory
powers; agricultural commission; gas
and mineral commission; prohibition oil
the liquor traffic for twenty-one years in
the present Indian Territory and all In
dian reservations and Statewide pro,
hibition for the entire State as voted on
n special ballot; eight-hour day; establish,
ment OF n State printing plant. The
constitution provides that i'll civil cases
three-fOurths OF a july may give verdict
and also in criminal cases less than Il
felony. There shall be IL non partisan
election board. There shall be the right
reserved to the people OF the initiative
and referdum this to follow in principle
the New Zealand law, and the Governor
veto power is withdrawn from measures
acted upon by referendum. The political
power OF cities in State legislation is
regulated by restriction of membership
from larger cities. The commissioner o
charities and corrections may he either a
man or woman. There shall be com
pulsOry education. and no alien shall ac
quire title to land, and no corporation
shall own or deal in real estate except
within II corporate city or town. The
eight-hOur days shall prevail in State
work and convict labor shall not be- con
tracted for No public service corpora
ton or the lesses, purchasers or managers
thereof shall consolidate the stock
property or franchise Ofsuch corporation
with, or lease or purchase the works OF
franchise of or in any way control any
other public service corporation owning
or having under its control parallel
or competing line. No officer of a cor
poratiOn shall be an officer of parallel
Or competing line. No franchise shall be
granted to q street car line without the
consent of the local authorities. Cor
poratlons shall be supervised by cor.
poration commissioners. The prohibi
ton clause, which was adopted by
separate vote at the constitutional elec
ton is more stringent than the Maine
law. The manufacture. sale, barter Oh
giving away or otherwise furnishing OF
intoxicating liquor is prohibited in the
State for twenty-on years, and there
after until the State shall otherwise pro
vide by constitutional amendment Any
person or corporation who shall man
ufacture, sell, barter or give away. OF
who shall advertise for sale or solicit the
purchase OF such liquors, or who shall
ship or shall convey them from one place
to another shall be fined no less thar
$50 and sentenced to jail for thirty days
Tor each offense. An agency is established
IN each county for the sale of alcohol fol
medicinal purposes and of denatured
alcohol for mechanical and educational
purposes, for medicinal purposes &
reputable physician shall issue a pre-
scription and such prescription shall b,
a matter OF record at the agency. anG
always open to the inspection of the
public or of the officers of the law, anC
no prescription shall be filled more thar
once.
Shrewdness is frequently used as {
Charts hle term for dishonesty