The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-10-24
THE ISSUE IN OKLAHOMA


fof every business institution WEI
Believe N liberal treatment for every
enterprise thst contributes 70 the
development anl progress of 0klaho-
ma we need some changes "a the
laws. or some new laws that VIII tend
t0 remove thc prejudice nstillcd I'M
to the minds OF investors by political
agtators But Oklahoma can moi ar
ford TO turn her government over 20
few powerful corporations. We can
not afford to surrender the state TO
the interests that would use its soy
erelgni nower to pnpder the people,
\ Tbgris5ue IA, QklAhoHla this year IS
not cl9paed On complicated ~ is
so simple that ever ycitizeiI Should
have little trouble, IN making DIP his
mind, II Is the issue that confronted
the people when tbe work OF organ
izing the state government was 10 be
undertaken II IS the question wheth-
en- the people OF Oklahoma shan De
supreme in their own public affairs
or whether they shall restore 70 pow
or the agents Of the special interests
that had everything their way under
the territorial regime.
The powerful financial Interests OF
the whole country arrayed against
political progress everywhere have
sought TO disoredit the government OF
Oklahoma because it Is the most adj
yancsd In the union. In this attitude
they have had the cordial enthusiastic
and energetic support Of the Republic
an party Of Oklahoma and throughout
the nation. The president OF the I'M
tied States has so far forgotten the
dignity Of his office TO assail the
whole people OF a great state. The
Republican press in Oklahoma and
throughout the country has waged a
campaign Of slander The forces that
have met defeat since statehood are
now egnaged in a desperate effor,
to regain their lost position. Those
who have stood by Aldrich, Cannon
and Sherman the reactionary forces
uf tie Republican party, constitute the
chief support Of McNeal, Mcclure
Morgan, Harris, Greer and their as,
sOciates.
"a Republican victory in Oklahoma
lhis year would he hailed by the re
actionaries, as great triumph and re
| garded by progressive Republicans Of
| Intelligence as d calamity. This lH
true no less in the state than in the
congressional contest. The stand-paI
congressman ana the stand-pat state
ticket are in harmony The stand
pat congressman give their support
to the regular machine at Washington
/ The stand par state machine, in con
| troi OF the government Of oklahoma
would turn the whole state over to
the forces the stand pat congressman
represent at Washington. The sue
cess Of the Republican state machine
is Of far more consequence to the spe
cial interests than the election of the
stand pat congressman.
McNeal the Republican candidate
for governor. Is as much the candi-
date OF the special interests rs Me-
| CURE and Morgan. No doubt the men
who are furnishing the sinews OF wal
for the Republican party would gladly
sacrifice Mcclure and Morgan to Sc
cure the election OF McNeal.
rhe insurgent Republican is an In
surgent because he believes his reg
ular party organization Is controlled
by interests antagonistc to the public
welfare. No where is this more EN-.
phgticalIy true than in the control OF
the Republican machine in Oklahoma
McNeal is the candidate OF the cor
poratons seeking TO eyade the laws
Of Oklahoma. and TO escape the pay
ment of just state taxes. He has
supported the fight against the state
bank law. He has rendered the rail
roads all the aid within his power in
their fight against the two cent pas
senger fare. He has helped them IN
their fight 20 raise freight rates and
in their efforts to escape taxation. In
large part OF the litigation between
! The state and the corporations resist.
| ing the enforcement of the laws, Me-
| Neal has been official bOndsman and
affidavit man for the corporations,
He has always been against the state
Every forward step taken by Okla
homa has been over his protest and
IN spite of his resistance. lie would
destroy the state banking system, let
the railroads determine their own tax
alton. and have their own way as to
rates and service efficiency. He
would surrender the state government
into The hands of the privileged i'm
terests. No matter what he says about
national affairs he is the rankest OF
reactiOnaries in state matters.
Many voters of oklahoma have
lived In Kansas. and they have nat
urally followed the recent deyeIop-
m,ats in Hlnsas politics Stubs. the
leader OF the Republican party in Kan.
sss does not contine his insurgents
to national issues He is progressive
in state affairs. He has cleaned out
the sort OF railroad corporation ma
chine McNeal Harris, Greer, Mcclure
and Morgan are trying TO build In
0klahomap Stubhs stands on state IS
sues In Kansas practically in the atti.
.ude of the Democracy of Oklahoma.
There is no drawing the line IN Kan
sas between state and national ques.
lions In he matter OF the contention
inr control OF the Republican party,
and the state government iRsurgent
members of congress have stood with
insurgent state officers. If the state
government of Kansas had been of the
stand pat variety. Bristow. Murdock
nj Madison and the whole progress
sive faction would have been defeated
Here In Oklahoma progressive pol
icies are depended upon Democratic
successes. The regulars are in com
Dleie control of the Republican state
L.. 4 l.