The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-02-16
SAFE AND SANE IDEA PREVAILS
THROUGHOUT THE sTATE-pe.
CRIES RADICAL ACTS.
STRINGENT REGULATIONS
Then There Are Some Things Which
Oklahoma Should Not Do and Other
Things Which Should Be Done
Taylor's Bill.

Guthrie, Okla, Feb. 15.-The safe
and sane idea, now becoming preva
lent throughout the state. is being ad.
vocated more generally at the present
time in newspapers than ever before
J. o. Long editor of the Sayer Stand
ard, the official democratic organ of
southwestern Oklahoma has the fol
lowing editorial in mis- last issue. de-
crying radical anti.railroad legisla
tion:
"but the people of Oklahoma might
just as well begin now as at any time
to make up their minds that there
are some things that they cannot
force the railroads, the most import.
ant foreign corporations, doing busin.
ness in the state, to do even though
those things be right
For instance. the railroads, while
they are foreign corporations. cannot
build any more lines, cannot acquire
right Of way, nor condemn land for
any purpose. To do this they must
take out a domestic corporation.
But the people of Oklahoma cannot
compel the railroads to build any
more lines. And the railroads seem
to prefer TO confine their business 20
existing lines rather than TO comply
with the conditions of the constitution
as It already exists The proposed
law would simply intensity these con
| ditions.
so that the situation is this Eth.
er the state must surrender some OF
! its prerogatives in the way of rail
road regulation, or II must suffer from
the retaliation of the railroads. which
do not desire TO buld any more lines
unless legal restrictions are removed.
THE question for the state 10 de.
eide is whether the strict regulations
are of more benefit than the building
of new lines. However. as the matter
now stands, the state does not oven
| have the benefit of the regulation
that the law seeks to attain, but in
order 10 avoid the requirements OF
the constitution and Of such Jaws as
those proposed by Mr. Taylor they
have simply TO refrain from building
any additional lines.
There are many parts of Oklahoml.
which are desperately in need of rail.
roads There is no part Of Oklahoma
which would not be benefited by thc.
building OF an additional line
"lf these lines are to be obtained
from the present source of railroad
supply, it seems that the state w uld
he almost compelled to enter upon a
permanent policy of non-interfercuco
with the railroads, repeal the strin-
gency of laws now regulating them
and return TO the ways of the old
days OF high robbery and the control
Of the government by the railroads.
But there is yet another course op
en- 10 the state. II is not necessary
% give MP the regulation OF railroads. |
They can be mida to obey the laws
which are already in force, and such
others as the welfare of the state may
demand, and then If they are not dis.
posed to build needed lines, the state
can build them.
I'm fact it looks as II this is the
thing the state will have TO do II II Il
secures needed lines and at the same
time prevent abuses by existing rail.
roads.
"lt appears to MS that until the
state is ready 20 go into the railroad
business that the matter ot
stringent regulations has gone far
enough
In our opinion, however It will
only be a matter of a few years until
both the states and the general gov.
ernment will begin TO acquire existing
railroad systems and build new ones.
And the time will soon be reasonable
for Oklahoma TO break the ice"
c Boone Taliaferro's new line Of