The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-04-19

sam dNN INC 81 EatCAt NNANti ANtlNH NA
railroad property was in the year
1907. That heavy Increase OF itself,
together with the causes arising from
the panic. and nothing so far as the
constitution is concerned, caused the
fall In their number OF miles in the
year 1908, because during the year
1909, with the same constitution, with
the same laws on the statute books,
with the same citizenship. there was
constructed In Oklahoma one hundred
and fifty-six miles, reaching her old
standard OF construction, according
to the report, since 1904. Now when
ever 1t is understood that the peoT@e
OF Oklahoma intend to control the
public thoroughfa-es and common car
riers OF the state, they will build Just
as readily as they ever built; and II
they do not, II the state win simply
give them notice that the state will
build railroad over a given section
OF territory unless some corporation
or company constructs one, some OF
the great systems will Immediately
build that railroad before the state
gets In the field Now, do not under
stand me as advocating general state
ownership, but 1t would not be the
first state that built railroad. II
may be new to you, but the states
each OF Georgia, OF South Carolina.
and Tennessee built roads over sec.
tions OF their states where It was the
heaviest cost. and have owned these
roads for more. than fifty years, en-
cept Tennessee, which fooled" hers
away There are some properties that
ought to be owned by the state, such
as that class OF property which ma
ture has limited and upon which nat
ural monopoly is often produced
Among this class may be mentioned
those in their nature semi-pubic such
as the coal and salt mines; deposits
of fertilizer, gypsum, phosphorc acid,
satpeter, and so on, not as they are
owned by Prussia and European gov
ernments for revenue only, but to PIE.
rent monopoly. Nor need the state
operate them, which is the greatest
danger in governmental ownership be.
cause OF the overpowering influence
OF American politics in all things gov
ernmental. They may be leased ,un.
der wholesome safeguards Just like
Georgia does. Government ownership
generally IS an untenable position
but recite what could be done by the
state in the event there be an at
tempt to force the state to abandon
its control.
Some day a railroad will have to
be built from eastern Oklahoma to
the extreme western portion OF the
state, so that there may be connec.
/ tlon between the lumber, hardwood
stone quarries, and coal belts with
the wheat and grain section. As 1t Is
now. western Oklahoma, whose rail.
roads stretch from north to south
into Kansas or Texas, had as well
have no railroad corporation law.
They cannot get l"mber from eastern
Oklahoma without an interstate ship
ment. They can not do so much az
trade with their jobbers in Oklahoma
City without an interstate shipment
through Kansas or Texas, Suppose a
railroad were built from some point
on the Santa Fe through the western
part OF the state, extending through
Cmarron county to Dalhart, Texas. II
would rebound to every interest, even
20 that OF the wholesalers and jobbers
Of Oklahoma City, because then they
have a rate fixed BY our corporation
commission. The western farmers
would have direct communication and
a state rate upon coal and lumber and
building material, and Eastern Okla
homa would have direct communica'
tion with the grain belt, which now
they can not secure. This road som
time will be built. II ought to be
built, II the state has to build II. Even
the enhanced value on the two mil
lion acres Of school land through
which 1t woai' traverse would pay toI
its construction, because It is over
that section Of the state requiring the
lightest grade and least expense tc
construct.
Section 9, Article 9.
But to Section g." II the question
OF repeating or eliminating section
nine only were before the people, th'
argument would very nearly balance
itself. But that Is not the question
The question is whether or not th'
people are going to adopt the substi
tutes submitted by the legislature
which take away from the corpora
ton commission It's judicial power ant
lodges IL in the courts. The initiated
bill is worse. 1t takes away the pow
er OF the commission to get iuforma
ton; II relieves the railroads from tn
responsibility OF holding their meet
ings 10 the state, and only compel
he giving OF such information az ma
20 provided by law" and In case OF
suit, II the law didn't cover the paI
tieular testimony desired. II coulGn'
be had without conyeninz the leglslf
. ture and the passing Of statute. an
then It might refuse How can th
state expect to win suit or sustai
J its contentious unless IL gets its ev