davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15
HOW TO RULE
THE CITY
OKLAHOMA TURNED COMMISSION PLAN"
ONLY BECAUSE SCHEME PROPOSED WAS IMPERFECT.

| have been required even then be.
fore the terms of these commits
sioners would end. This did not
appeal to the Oklahoma people as
being sufficiently democratic and
popular as a scheme of govern
ment.
The present government of Okla
homa is not so bad as that of many
cities of its size 1t is wabbling
along under the old village scheme
of mayor and a council and a
chief of police, all separately
elected, with health department
which is hitched on in some unex-
planned fashion. In the police de-
partment there is admitted to be a
reasonable amount of petty graft.
but the city has a fairly good fire
department; IL miles of asphalt
pavement-to which the citizens
point with pride; sewers in all the
streets, natural gas for fuel pur-
poses, a complete electric light sys-
TEN, water with some considerable
sediment in it and street railway
equipment which is rapidly pick
ing up suburban real estate and
making it available for residence
purposes.
The charter as it was proposed,
declared all street car franchises
at an end after a period of seven
years: all telegraph and overhead
electric wires were to come down
more or less at once. A set of
commissioners were to be voted on
at the same election at which the
charter was adopted (this feature
was at once set aside by the SUI
preme COURT and finally it was
provided that any man building an
extension to the local street car
tracks and putting cars on this ex-
tension would have a right to have
his cars carried on the tracks of
the old street car company into the
center of the city.
AS in other cities, the people of
Oklahoma have no particular love
for the street car magnates and
would not hesitate to put a crimp
into them of any reasonable tight
ness. But this seemed to be going
it rather strong. The provision
terminating all franchises at the
end of seven years, it was gener-
ally conceded, would either deprive
certain people of their honestly &C
quired property or it would result
in long and expensive and futile
lawsuit. The same appeared to be
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15
FATE CRUEL TO
SUFFERING GIRL

PORTLAND, Ore, Oct. 10
Death has ended the blighted ro-
nance of Sicily Fleenor, the Vir-
ginia girl who came to Oregon to
marry a man she had never seen,
was deserted by him, and was
forced to seek refuge at the poor
farm until her relatives sent her a
ticket to return home. The girl
was seriously Ill with tuberculosis,
and when she reached Portland
the man, whom she had met
through O. matrimonial bureau, re-
fused to marry her on account of
her illness.
Too proud to write her relatives
in Virginia that her romance had
ended SO unhappily the girl stayed
in Portland until all her money
was gone. and then applied to the
county for aid. She was sent to
the poor farm, and Secretary Carr
of the county board of relief wrote
to her relatives at Bristol. Va. Her
brother sent her ticket and she
started back to Virginia. Secretary
Carr received information that the
girl died at Omaha on her way
home.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15
.HISCEN BATTLES
BRYAN ONLY
HEARST CANDIDATE SAYS
STANDARD OIL HAS GONE
DEMOCRATIC AFTER. BEING
KICKED OUT BY THE REPUB-
LICANS.

Devoting the burden of his one
hours talk to an attack on the
Standard Oil Co, Thomas l.. His
gen, of Massachusetts, indepen-
dence candidate for presidents, last
night delivered most convincing
arraignment of the oil monopoly
before an audience that filed about
two thirds of the lower floor of the
armory
Mr.. Hisgen addresses his call
ers as brothers. which style of
expression is in keeping with his
clerical garb. 1t may be that his
ministerial appearance is due to
the fact that he is a native of
Indiana, where a politician some
times finds it effective to disguise
as a preacher.
Hisgen said that he was only a
plain business man, who when
given the presidential nomination
of the independence party felt
that he had received one of the
greatest honors possible for an
American citizen. He told the in
teresting story of his axle grease
factory and it's fight with the
Standard Oil monopoly, and users
of axle grease who might have la
bored under the impression that
the Oil trust had cinch on this
line of industry are now wiser. In
his dissertation on this point Mr..
Hisgen combined principle with
business and is getting the money.
According to the theory Of the
young Mr.. Rockefeller, as demon
strated clearly in his illustration
of the American Beauty rose, 80
out of every 100 business men
must fall" said the speaker. I'VE
have no such thing as land of
the free when you run counter to
the wishes of the Standard Oil. I
have seen strong men 60 bad and
commit suicide when
by the remorseless grip
of the oil monopoly. Crime with
these trust scoundrels is cheaper
than competition. Their motto is
not to live and let live, but live to
kill.
Trusts cannot live without the
railroads and for this reason the
Standard Oil has gobbled up the
control of two thirds of the rail
roads of the country. We would
like to feel that we live in a land
that has the same laws for rich
and poor alike, but the facts do not
bear out this assumption. tried
for two years to get an anti-dis
law through the gen.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15
Special Correspondence to The Press

Special Correspondence to The PresS
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla, Oct.
homa 15.-Within a few weeks
Oklahoma has rejected by popular
vote the commission plan of city
government. The rejection was
accomplished by majority of PA
votes. Oklahoma's population is
about $4,000.
In spite Of appearance this does
not mean that the people of Okla
homa think the commission plan of
government a bad o4,. The result
of the election is to be found in the
fact that the particular charter of
fered for a vote was imperfect and
lunwise In number of respects,
Even the best friends and many
stanch advocates of the commits
sion scheme admits this.
The free and easy and quite I'M
restrained radicalism with which
Oklahoma people go at every new
political proposition may be said
to be responsible for the fall down
of the charter business. Mixed
up with the commission plan were
some impossible election schemes
and a wholesale repeal of street
car and other franchises, which
would undoubtedly have been de-
clared by the courts to be unconsti-
tutional. These, combined. with a
provision for 81 poll tax, which
would be likely to disfranchise a
majority of the colored votes, re-
suited in the PA plurality against
the charter.
Another strong influence which
made for the defeat of the charter
was the fact that the first commits
sion would have to be appointed
by the governor instead of being
elected by the people, and that a
further act of the legislature would
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15

NEW YORK, Oct. 15.-Throw
away your Merry Widow waltz
photograph record and your Merry
Widow hat, says the press agent
for Mile Mischief"
According to the same reliable
authority, the next popular record
will be DO Nothing Until You
Hear From Me-" or a Kiss in the
Dark" and the popular hat this
season will be a "rosette cockade."
The reason of all this prophecy
ing is Lulu CHASER. She is a mus
ical comedy hit in Mile. Mis-
chief" at the Lyric. It's the kind
of musical comedy that New York
likes. 1t was written by a fellow
citizen of Franz Lehar, composer
of the Merry Widow. 1t rollicks
and gambols through three acts
with plenty of songs, gay costumes
and plenty of sparkle. Miss CHASER
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15

true of the provision for carrying
extension line cars free of charge.
But the 50 poll tax did more than
anything else to make votes
against the charter. The impe
cunious colored man did not see
where the 81 was coming from to
protect his elective franchise and
he was against it.
1t is the general sentiment of the
people in Oklahoma that the city
would be better off under a good
commission form of government,
and it is also admitted that on the
simple proposition presented by a
good charter-with no complicat-
ing questions-the commission
plan would win here as it has in
SO many other cities.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15

eral assembly of Massachusetts
and had about succeeded when the
Ctandard Oil got control of a gov,
ernor and defeated it.
THE independence party seeks
to restore the system of indepen.
dent competition that prevailed rs
years ago. Just as sure as right
triumphs over wrong our cause
will win out in the end. There is
one thing you can rest assured of
and that is that there will not be
one dollar of Standard Oil money
used to pay the bills of the in
dependence party"
Hisgen said that he had voted
against the Standard Oil for the
last 20 years whenever he could
locate on which side of question
they were. For this reason, al.
though a republican, he supported
Bryan in his first two campaigns.
Since then he said the Standard
Oil has appeared on both sides Of
the fence and he did not vote at
all. In the present campaign the
Standard Oil, having been kicked
overheard by the republicans, is
lined up with Bryan, as Hisgen and
the Hearst party sees it.
He accused Bryan of profiting
by his connection with politics and
said that even If defeated Bryan
could still make from $4,000 to
$4,000 per year because of his
prominence before the people.
Hisgen made but brief reference
to Taft, whom he denominated sim
ply as the messenger boy of Roose-
welt. The Hearst fight is made al
most solely on Bryan this year,
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15

sort of side issue to the republi-
can campaign.
j. /. Knight, of Seattle, state
chairman of the independence
party, presided over the meeting.
The Inland Empire band furnished
music between speeches. Clement
l.. Pollock, of New York, spoke
first, outlining the platform OF the
party, and was followed by 2. w.
Craig, of California, a labor union
man who presented the claims of
the party from the standpoint of a
workingman. George Hisgen,
brother of the presidential candi-
date, was the fourth member of the
party.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15
FINANCES
in BAD SHAPE

TACOMA, Oct. 15.--Tacoma now
has a bonded debt of $3,S23,0
1t draws interest at and s per
cent and the interest bill every
year is in round numbers about
100000.
In 1911 $550,000 of these bonds
come due and there will be q
chance to pay them of and stop
interest of $33,5O0 a year.
The city council, against the
recommendation of both the city
comptroller and city treasurer,
however, is taking no steps to pay
these bonds. The council has cut
out Of the contemplated levy
everything for the sinking fund.
1t intends 20 allow these bonds
to mature and simply issue them
over again and perpetuate the in
terest bill. At the same time the
council expects to spend. just
about 100000 more the coming
year, just to run the city, than
was levied last year.
In the spring 1t is also expected
to ask for 100000 more bonds
to build bridges and sewers, and
this will increase the amount of
interest still more.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15
PEOPLE OF SEATTLE
A GODDESS OUTFIT

SEATTLE, Oct. 15.--That the
churches of Seattle do not teach
the Bible ordinarily, and that when
they do discuss Holy Writ. it is
with sacriligious tongue, is the
charge of Rev. M. A. Matthews of
the First Presbyterian church.
THE ignorance of the Bible in
Seattle is appalling" declared the
pastor. IF the lack of biblical
knowledge of those who sit before
me were brought out, It would cast
such gloom that the lights of
this church would not be able to
penetrate the darkness"
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15
THE
ONLY REAL
CURE

Editor, The Press-In the
Chronicle of the 18th appeared an
editorial entitled Invites a Big
Lobby" which is an attack on the
proposed amendment to the con-
stitution relative to taxation. The
objection urged in this editorial is
that because the amendment will
permit the legislature to classify
property for the purpose of taxa
ton, the Legislature would be
overwhelmed by lobbyists for spe-
cial interests seeking to escape
taxation because there would be
no constitutional restrictions.
Thus the editor seeks to alarm
the readers by inducing them to
believe that the amendment, in
empowering the legislature to
classify property, confers on it ad-
ditional and dangerous powers
which 1t does not have now. This
is not true. Under the present
constitution the legislature can
classify property for the purpose
of taxation.
The implied statement contained
in this objection to the amend
ment, that under the present con-
stition there is no danger of a
lobby influencing the legislature, is
VIGOROUSLY contrary to the facts.
At every session of the legisla-
ture in Washington a lobby has
been seen in attendance. That the
special interests represented by
the lobby have influenced the legis-
lature in enacting measures affect
ing taxation is conclusively proved
by the examination of the statutes
on that subject.
The existence of this condition
of affairs, while the present con
stitution is in force, is sufficient
to show that the danger from a
lobby, IT, to be attributed to the
constitution at all, should be at
tributed to the present constitu-
tional provisions. In every state
having a similar constitution to
ours in regard to taxation a lobby
exists, and in fact, only in those
states which have adopted the in
itiative and referendum have the
people been relieved from the
danger of a lobby.
The evil infiuence-the lobby ex-
erts may continue in this state
until the people adopt a similar
method of relieving themselves
from it. But that the danger will
not be brought into existence by
the adoption of the proposed
amendment relative to taxation is
proved by the fact that 1t grew
up while the constitution was as
1t now is and is now in full flourish
under the present constitution
George N. Maddox.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15
RECEIVER NOT NEEDED

The application of o. W. Melon
aid for the appointment of a re-
ceiver for the Eastern Grain &
Fuel Co. was yesterday denied by
Judge Huneke holding that the
firm was not SO deeply involved
as to require receiver. The
court said there was nothing to
show that the petitioner was eff
fected by the financial condition
of the company and that the COM
plant gave no reasons for the APP
pointment of a receiver.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15
OLD MAN STILL A TERROR.

SEATTLE, Oct. 15.-Taunted by
an acquaintance, who told him that
he was too old to fight as he had
done years ago, when he was cock
of the walk" Joseph Brown, So
years old, of 1927 Vine street, a
sturdy old civil war pensioner,
gave battle to his tomentor, age
49, His opponent died from the
effect of terrible right hand
punch to the Jaw.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15
SUPPLY HOUSE ROBBED.

The Great Northern supply
house was robbed last night by
some one who stole three chisels,
a saw and screw driver Special
Officer DeWolf investigated and
found that entrance had been gain
cG hy forcing open a window
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15
TAKE YOUR FRIENDS TO THE
NOVELTY

Entertain your friends with a
visit to the noZy new Novelty
theater and let them see the won
derful Synchroscope, the motion
pictures that sing, dance and talk.
It's the latest sensation of the
theatrical world and can be seen
only at the Novelty. Next to Pal
ace building on Main avenue. ***
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15
HOBSON WANTS $4,000.

BOSTON, Oct. 15.--Congress-
man Richmond Pearson Hobson
has brought a libel suit for $4,000
against Congressman John A. KEEL
liner, who he alleges intimated
that he was liar.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-15

Knights and Ladies' of Security
will pay their dues at the Office
of Samuel T. Crane, attorney at
law, 410 Columbia building.
New-York tribune., 1908-03-17
gf3 921 Totals .... $50 95s on
FINAL STANDING oF THE CLUBs.
Gross Country Run Will be Feature of 22d
Regiment Games Tonight

Silas H. Jenkins and A. den Ende repre-
sentatives Athletic Club of Paris will be the
guests of the games committee of The I'D Regiment
Athletic Association the annual indoor meet to-
night at the armory, 6Sth street and Broadway.
Two special events have been added to the pro-
gramme which have created considerable interest
among the athletes. The triangular Australian
bicycle pursuit of the 18th, 22d and 23d
regiments is practically a contest of champion
cyclists of America. The other event will consist
Of entirely race, indoor three-mile cross
country run, which promises arouse great in
Members of the Amateur Athletic Union, the
Catholic Athletic League. the Military Athletic
League the 69th Regiment Athletic Association and
the Dominican Lyceum Will enter the special events
the big indoor meet of the last named organiza-
ton, which will be held the 69th Regiment
arnory April L.
Entry blanks and all other information with
reference TO the games can be had of ?. A. Maher
No. $50 Lexington avenue, or ID. j. Degnan, NO
Isl East 65th Entries Will close on March 80
The syring games of the 18th Coast Artillery
will De. held the armory Sumner and Jeffer-
son avenues Brooklyn, Saturday night. Harry
Hllman will try for new indoor records in the 440-
yard rum the 900 yard hurdle and with Lawson
Robertson In the threelegged race as the track Is
the biggest in the country. Robertson Will also go
worlds indoor record for 22o yards. and is
quite likely to make new figures, as the race Will
be with cnly
Hasklns. White. Berker. Sullivan and others
have b7on invited to take part in the one-me
handicap. with 50-yard limit. Other features will
be bicycle pursuit and a match relay
between teams of the I'D and 2sd regiments.
New-York tribune., 1908-03-17
FOR BANK LAW CHANGE
Savings and Loan Concerns Need
Vnformity, Says Williams.

S,,o, March 1s-A general revision OF the
banking laws affecting cooperative saVihsS ~
loan associations is recommended py oupeii"
ent Clark williams of the State Banking Dep"i'
,oent i'm his annual report transmitted to the Leg
islature tonight, on building and loan anu oo-op
erative and loan associations The report say
that this class Of financial institu'ions :
through the recent financial disturbances VIII" @
greater increase of assets than In any o'iei E
cent period of duration In discussihs
| national and local associations 'he iePoi' " P
says:
1t seems almost an abs,t1ity that these smah man
associations organized for the same T no less
than FIVE different laws; There shouio pc a S,ions
Tevs1n re rer Of 10 tne bomoe nnifoity and give
lie generally a better understanding oi ''
merits.
The supplemental report Of superintendent WIZ
Jams also sent to the Legislature tonight on
savings banks, trust companies, safe deposit coi
panies and miscellaneous corporations contains ~
recommendations 1t simply consists OIL s'".0
ment of the conditions of the institutions uhuer
.bis head The general recommendations of Super
intedent williams all banking questions were
embodied the main report. submitted January
last Commenting savings banks, the report III
part, says:
tie and other unusual conditions character
izing the yeay necessarily had Inc tner hr classes
of financial institutions Though the aggregafe os
in any one year except in 1906 the withdrawals q;
were altogether without precedent exceedlng ttle t
record of any former year by sBWJ,WD, ana LOT
the first time since 1893 overtopplns the deposiits
received This excess of Withdrawals over deposits
for the wear amounted $3l 609. .S97-the deposits
having been $3.50 0357 and the Withdrawals $iZl.
70i ei6 Dividends credited prevented decrease
for the year in total reserves. which were slieo,
2q5 677 a gain of only S34i,SH since the preceding
Tanuary though the amount due deposltors IN
creased SIS 1863 253 in the same period , -
The surplus of the savings banks DaSed upo1I
the reported market value of their stock ana oond
investments, decreased sls.93s9ss during the year,
while par value surplus gained 81 1SSOS1l; IN Jan
uary 1907 the market value Of the stocks ana
bonds held was something like s36,000'0 under cost
and in January 1908, the difference had increased
to nearly $50 100000 during the year The NUMBER
of savings banks paying interest to deposltors az
the rate of per cent on at least some part OF
their deposits increased from seventy-sx 10 ninety
New-York tribune., 1908-03-17
CONKLIN BE4TS G4RDNER
Passaic Nan Oufpldyed in National
Billiard Tourney.

Chicago March &c F. Conklin of Chicago
won the second gam. in the national amateur
billiard championship tournament to-day, defeat
ing E W. Gardner. OF Passaic, N j., by the score
of 400 10 z7I. Conklins average was II S-Si and
Gardner's 23-31
Conklin took ,he lead in the first inning with a
brilliant run of lil. His stroke was excellent and
OF his counts made at close quarters.
although when it became necessary TO drive around
the table for position he usually landed the balls
where he wanted them. He missed difficult two
cushion shot by small margin. During the re-
minder of the game his average was low.
Gardner's playing mostly of the open table
kind only innings he able to hold
the balls together for of any size In the
first he collected forty and in the twenty third
fifty-one. The follows
Conklin-I41 = . O. J. 10. .. "a &c /. O. T. 15 %,
q l3, o. l. B. g 10 0. - 13 1, Is. 2. 1s Total.
high run. I4I average. II IS 81.
Gardner-4o. o. Is o. o. - .. o. l. %, o, l. j. IL. 3.
o. ~ l. . 81. 10. o. % Il, II, o. 4 l. Total 2I1;
high 81: average. 23 81
Harry Wright of San francisco, defeated j. T.
Poggenburg. of New York, in the evening game by
the score 100 to l65 Wright's average was 20
fat and Poggenburgs $40.
New-York tribune., 1908-03-17
TITLE FOR ELIZ1RETH.
Wins the Athletic Bozcling League
Cham p;0nship an Close Fight.

The Elizabeth club the Athletic Bowling
League championship last night by earning one
game in the final series the alleys of the Rose
Vile Athletic Association. This gives the Eliza
beth team standing of twenty-eight games won
and fourteen lost Roseville gets second place with
twenty-six and sixteen lost, Il game better
each WAY than the New York Athletic Club five,
which comes in for third prize.
The second game, which gave Elizabeth the title,
was sensational. At time RoseVille led by sew
enty-odd pins, but the visiting combination began
hunchng strikes and had slight lead going into
the tenth frame. No one missed, but Clauss, for
Elizabeth, got hole, while Crum had split on
the other side.
When it got down to Pierson ii seen that
the Roseville man had TO get double to win, but
the he could do 20 all The totals read:
Elizabeth, 1863; Roseville 95S. Clauss averaged 200
and the individual average prize In the last
game Crum punched six strikes and got 263 the
highest of the season.
The alleys were packed to the doors, the Elizabeth
delegation going Roseville in a special trolley
car The scores follows: