The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-11-25
CAMPBELL
RUSSELL'S
s.y..s.W WARNING

ID . 4
In time Of profound peace. perfect
health, and ideal OKLAHOMA weather
the rPnbllc welfare demands that
the legislature assemble away from
the legally established, and universal
" recognized seat Of government
Why this emergency? Are foreign
gunbQats ascending the Cottonwood /?
Are the tread iribesmen with paint
and feathers. tomahawk and scalping
knife, stealthly creeping past the
guard houses? Oh no. this Is a bust.
ness matter entirely
A business matter? Then why
have the legislature meet away from
the capital, where accommodations
have been arranged for holding its
sessions and where the hum and
hustle and excitement Of great me-
tropolls would not interfere with its
deliberations or bias its judgment?
First. never like TO see one side
bound BY a contract while the other
side is free. quote from the gov
ernor's statement: The capital COM
mission need not be confined to the
location heretofore selected but will
be at liberty to select any other
equally as good or better"
Ii the capital commission Is to be
left free to repudiate the acceptance
of site heretofore made. then in all
fairness the hackers OF this Guar
antee' should besa relieved of their
Pledge @
'at liberty TO accept any other
equally as good or better
That being correct, tiey are equal
\ ly "at liberty to accept any other,
worse and less desirable, and ex.
cept they be guided by unfailing
wisdom, they may accept a worse
site-aye, we come now face to face
with the necessity for immediate ac-
tion, to the end that the commission
may not be served froin tlis unfail-
, ing source of wisdom and inspiration
In making this selection.
! Second. | am opposed to holding
these guarantors unwilling 90 vic
tins to contract which they volun-
tarily entered into under cireum.
stances that excluded all competition:
because, half dozen other cities in
Oklahoma, well located, and with far
4 hyperion advantages along some
lines. win gladly offer sites II per
United to do so that, would bring to
the state the amount that she Is ex-
pected to secure from this deal. Is
il not passing strange CD that tae
governor of Oklahoma should now
be so exercised over the fact that
the will of some 10000 voters, as
presumed to be expressed on June
I11th, Is in danger of being overlook.
ed. unless he rush tle legislature to-
gether away from the lawful seat
Of government (where the ccnstitu
provides for their meeting) ana
holds them under a "Spaere Of influ'
eace' until he can get such action
as win save the state?
Did not more than iI7.000 0klaho
ma voters in the general election OF
1908. vote for the New Jerusalem
idea OF capital location? Does not
the constitution of Oklahoma say
(sec. ., art. 81 any measure referred
10 the people by the referendum shall
take effect and be in force when II
shall have been approved by ma
lority Of the votes cast thereon and
not otherwise?" Was this question
not referred to the people for ref
erendum vote?
Did 1t not receive constitutional
majority of 1892
Did the governor of Oklahoma not
issue his proclamation, as required
by law, declaring that inasmuch as
this was referendum question. and
had received majority of the votes
cast thereon as provided by the con-
stitution, it was held to be adopted!
Was II not as much the duty of the
Legislature, and the governor, to car
ry out the officially expressed will
of the 117,000 voters then. as ii is to
carry out the supposed will of 10000
voters now?
The ll7.000 was not only 1868
majority of those voting on the ques-
tion as provided by the constitution
proclamation but was a clear ma
jority Of all the white votes cast i'll
tae 1908 regulor general election.
Did not the New Jerusalem" cap
Iital location idea as approved in this
election include the clustering of the
state institutions. as far as practic-
able within the capital district?
Did not the argument submitted to
the people along with this question,
tand which argument was prepared
by Joint committee of the senate
and house OF representation so state
In plain terms?
Was not the principal value in the
New Jerusalem idea, the taking OF
our state institutions from the pic
Counter" and thereby saving the
state of Oklahoma from being dom
mated and controlled, and its legisla.
tion shaped, by a state institution
ring for all time to come?
Did the governor of Oklahoma then
take his stand and swear to do or
die" in carrying out the will of the
people, or did he use state institution
'plums,' and appropriations therefor,
to keep a good working majority OF
the legislature in line?"
! Having thus ignored the viii OF
the 10000 voters. and aided in set.
ting same at nanght, is it not now a
little Inconsistent 10 get so worked
inp oxer the "Wll" OF tae 10000 t2)
more especially when we consider
that fof one per cent OF the 10000
had ever read the bill for which they
indicated a desire to vote. Not ten
per cent Of them had ever been pro-
ylded with copy of the pamphlet"