The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-05-08
WILL LOCATE
The CAPITAL
VOTERS LIKELY TO HAVE A
CHANCE AT QUESTION.
New Jerusalem" Plan Now Talked
More Than Before Beau OF
Mention by Haskell's Mes
sage-seversl Candidates.

certain tnai the people Will nave an
opportunity this fall OF passing upon
the question if not I'm one shape, then
in another, of permanently locating
the state capital. From reliable
source IL is known the legislative com
mittees on public buildings and state
institutions will not recommend an
appropriation for the erection of tenn
porary capitol quarters in Guthrie. on
the contrary a majority of the com
mittee favor immediate submission OF
the capital question to the people a
joint resolution by Mr.. Bryan OF Shaw.
nee has passed the house, submitting
an amendment to the constitution al
lowing an early vote, and there is
disposition to determine the location
at the same election.
1T is generally understood" said
Mr.. Bryan, that an amendment to the
constitution is not necessary in order
that the people vote prior TO 1913,
which date is recited in the congress
sonal enabling act, but we think a
more explicit removal section in the
constitution will obviate all doubt
The idea of building an entirely
new town for the capital near the
states center has enjoyed much st.
lent support, but an additional i'm
petus dropped behind the movement
when IL received favorable mention"
in the governors message a few days
ago In legislative parlance, it Is
called the New Jerusalem" plan,
for the reason that the capital city is
| TO be both ideal and model, and ruled
/ over by state commission. Reve'
nues from the sale of town lots II is
/ hoped, will reimburse the state for
| its expenditure for government build
ings, waterworks, sewerage and other
municipal conveniences.
The New Jerusalem plan is be.
| lieved to have originated with Gov.
Haskell's paper, the Muskogee New
State Tribune, shortly after the elec
tion last summer; however, during
the legislature the scheme has been
/ energetically espoused by Senator
|. Campbell Russell. He and Senator
Brownlee have bills looking to the
submission of the capital question in
November and Senator Russell an
nounces that unless ihe Legislature
agrees to do so, the people will pre-
sent the New Jerusalem plan by
an initiative petition. Fifty OF the
1853 legislative members have agreed
to join Senator Russell in the ven
ture.
More explicitly, the bill proposes q
locating board, to consist of the gov
ernor, secretary of state, attorney
general president Of the board of ag-
riculture and the labor commissioner.
They are to find some spot easy of ac.
an existing town and the influences
attending private real estate
scheme. Location on state land is
preferred There are to be located
there the state capitol, governor
mansion, supreme court, public libra
ry, penitentiary, insane asylum, re
formatory, deaf and dumb institute
and state fair grounds. Normal
schools are district institutions, hence
are not included.
The bill will probably provide that
voters may choose between the
ideal" scheme and any other town.
which by a prescribed rule happen tC
} get on the ticket
! The New Jerusalem scheme, o
course is an idea for tho sssple,' eX
I planned the farmer senator from Mus
kogee, who usually adopts the near
J est word route in expressing himself
} If the legislature does not submit
, the question, the people thcmselve,
: will We want the institutions 10
Gated in one spot, so the legislatura
, If II desires, can take a belt line ca
/ and see the whole layout in a singl
day. People of Nebraska, in orde
to dodge legislative intrigue, haulet
the records onto the prairie with al
OK team and said, Here shall the car
ital be- The result was the town o
Lincoln, and | am informed that othe
states did the same way. Unless Oh
lahoma wants the words locate an
pie to be synonymous, she had BET
ter look to the New Jerusaler
scheme"
In the meantime Shawnee, Guthri
J and Oklahoma City are avowed cat
! didates for the permanent capital.