The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-06-06


Georgia.
five times as great as that of Miss
issippi
Five times as great as that OF West
\ Virginia.
six times as great as that OF North
Carolina.
Six times as great as that OF South
Carolina.
Nine times as great as that Of Ar
kansas.
Nine times as great as that OF Mary.
land.
Twenty times as great as that OF
\ Louisiana.
Twenty times as great as that OF
\ Virginia.
Twenty times as great as that OF
Alabama.
Forty times as great as that Of Ken.
ticky.
Sixty-six times as great as that OF
Missouri.
Eighty times as great as that OF
Tennessee.
\ JACK LOVE MADE
STRONG REPLY
Guthrie Oklahoma, May e6th. 1919.
Mr. w. H. rllft, nu
Hastings, Oklahomi-.
/ Dear SIR:
Your letter OF May 81. in which you
assume to speak for "the Democrats
or at least great portion OF them,"
which was given to the press before
ceing mailed to me, was received at
this office during my abseRce from
the city ard by me upon my return.
have noted its contents carefully.
/. Your first question asks whetn-
.er the foreign railroads DO not now
10 SO per cent of the railroad basi-
ness OF Oklahoma, whether those
roads do lot now hare an absolute
monopoly in this state, and assuming
this 10 be true, Why these roads
should wan. the amendment OF Ar
dele TX OF our constitution"
Your question might be easily
eyaded, as 1t is not specific as to
what amen iment 1t .efers to, taere
being two pending amendments 10
Article TX, one to be voted upon In
November. which repeals Section .
OF Article TX and provides a substi.
tute therefor, without at the same
time surrenderiAg all control Of cor
porations to the corporations them
,elyes, ana the other to be voted up
on at the special election June IL,
which as this commission contends
goes far enough to give the foreign
corporations all they would have &C
crued IL they, instead OF the people
tad written the constitution in the
first place. | take 1t, however. from
the general tone OF your letter thai
you are reisrring to the June Ol
Garter" amendment. ard will answel
yoiIr intorfog ations upon that as
'umptiCn.
Whether the foreign railroads con
rol 9S per cent of the railroad bust
ness of thu state | do not know, hay
ing had lcither occasion or oppor
tunity to investigate the matter |
the proposed amendment Is not adept
ed this commission can q hitImatei,
snswer this question II you are In
,erested at that time. II the amend
ment is adopted we will have NO &c
cess to records from which this IL
formation could be aecure6
Assuming this to bA true, that tn
foreign roads have sich 5S per cen
sr Of the business, | would answer yo
Il question as to absolute monopoly 1
n the negative. They would seem t
S lave o practical monopoly but nc
an absolute one, and each mile OF th
EGO miles Of now Independent roa
- built since statehood has reduce
monopoly, and each mile OF the 90
miles now actually being built an
the additional 1886 miles cbartsre
/. this year, 1910, up to May !. will fu
y ther reduce 1t. p. 0N
D This statement. since the adoptio
OF this amendment would enable th
10 foreign roads to secure this two pc
" cent" and by buying up all indepel
ie dent projects stop the gradual dlssoll
IL ton OF this practical monopoly, al
s, swers at least in part your Questio
&c why the foreign roads care for tn
e, amendment.
n 2. You ask II II Is not fact tht
m myself or George Henshaw yirtuall
cs agreed TO the same amendment Q
10 Is now being asked for by the Fede
Of Eted Commercial clubs. witk the e
n ception OF the provlso. and wheth'
ns the proviso agreed upon In Democr
a tic caucus is not now In force.
N Notwithstanding the fact that yol
10 question ia very uncertain I will e
" deavor 10 reply TO It. Neither inyse
nor, to the best OF my knowledg
George IIenshaw, or any other persC