Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-12-30
Oklahoma Horrible Example in
More Than One Way.

1870
The republicans Of Oklahoma have
bright prospects of winning the state
in the general election Of next year.
Two years of democratic incompe-
tency II extravaganza have con
WINGED the close observer that the time
is ripe for the emancipation of okla
homa from the rule of demagogues
and radicals under which II has sur
fered 80 long and SO patiently. Among
this number can he found many DEM
ocrats. some Of whom have come out
openly through the press of the state
and otherwise. and declared hat a
change 10 repubIieanism would he
preferable to the continuation Of the
present regime.
There are many reasons why the
republicans Of oklahoma believe that
they viii be able to redeem the state
in the next election. The attempt of
a democratic legislature to thrust up
on the people the Taylor election law,
which was framed with the idea of
disfranchising a large number Of re-
publican voters by placing absolute
ana arbitrary control of the election
machinery in the hands OF the demo-
Gratis, has met what is generally be-
lieVed to he it's death blow in the re-
cent decision of the supreme court
holding that the law cannot become
effective unless the people ratify it at
an election. The entire theory of the
proposed law is revolving to an intel
ligent American citizenship and the
arbitrary attempt of the democrats to
force il down the throats of intelli-
--. ..tTT -. st-,rg ~gr,t t.r.f,4af
the party in power.
Even a more potent reason why the
republicans should carry the next
election Is the excessively heavy bur
den Of taxation that has been imposed
upon the state by the present admin
istration. In many counties the taxes
are treble those OF last year, and the
state levy has been doubled within Il
single year. A cry is going mp from
every section of the state against bur-
densome taxation, which, in some of
the cities, is 1 per cent on a full cash
valuation. The conservative citizen,
regardless of party, is beginning to
realize that high taxes are retarding
the progress Of the state, as capital
will not come whore the rate Of taxa
ton is excessive. The republicans will
go into the next campaign promising
n substantial reduction in taxes, and
on this one issue alone they should
easily win.
The democrats, as soon as they got
into office, set up a great hue and cry
that the corporations We're not bear
ing their just share of the burden of
taxation. Gross production, gross re-
..tat, OIorftu,,1n Income and orra,1
uated land taxes were authorized by
the first legislature, and the first
taxation board increased the assessed
valuation Of many corporations to
such an extent that n number of them
went into the federal courts as a mat
ter Of self-ptotection and enjoincd the
collection of these excessive taxes. AS,
a result, over 5000. 600 of taxes from
these sources are tied up in the courts.
whereas, if the corporations had been
assessed on a fair basis in proportion
to individual property these taxes
would have been promptly collected.
The defense OF the suits by the state
is costing many thousands of dollars
OF the taxpayers money.
The present administration has been
one long series of scandals, in which
Irregularities, extravaganza and, in a
number OF cases, e~rookedness, have
shown up. until the good people
of the state are wondering when it
will ever end. Fortunate indeed is the
department hat has not had one
or more scandals connected with it
during the present administration
These are only a Few of many in
stances Of democratic Incompetence
and misrule under which Oklahoma
has suffered within the short period of
two years and furnish in themselves
reason why republicans
should be placed in charge Of the
state machinery at the next election,
What Oklahoma has suffered under
democratic m~isrule. since it became a
state. should be a warning to the peo-
pie of New Mexico, who, ii statehood
comes during the year 1910, should
roll up a big republican majority for
her first state and congressional Off
cials. New Mexico should not repeat
the mistake made by it's neighbor on
the east.
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