Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1910-11-18


 ed providing for the location and con struction of state capital buildings After various delays caused by one of the aspiring cities the bill came to a vote on the 11th day of last June and was adopted and Oklahoma City selected as your state capital by a majority of over 54,000 votes. The city of Guthrie still resisting the W II of the people of Oklahoma carried the question into the courts, and to- day we have the decision of our state supreme court.
 The court holds that congress can not bind the state of Oklahoma to any capital location for any length of tine whatever; that the privilege of declaring where the capital city Of our state should be was right that belonged to the people of Oklahoma, to be exercised whenever they saw fit, and absolutely free from any at- tempt of Congres sto control thei.- ac- tions; but those opposed to the eX- pressed will of such large majority of our people, by legal technicalities, temporarily thWarted the will of the people by taking advantage of ire gularities in the ballot that in no way reach the merits of the question or af- fected the votes of the people.
 The Right to Choose.
 One questione however, is conclu- sively settled, and that is that the people of Oklahoma had the right to select their own capital city at any time ater we became a state.
 AS to further comments on this de. cision I shall have nothing to say uu. til have had ample time to read the entire decision carefully and g.ve it full consideration. Of course, in common with other citizens of our state, I am disappointed more than I can express over the possible loss that our state has suffered.
 From the beginning of my service as one of your state officers l have realized that the capital location was pending question, and therefore have at all times refused to acquire or receive interests in a single dollar's S worth of property in any of the cities aspiring to be our state capital, to the end that being so free from local interests I might serve the taxpayers of our state without favor or prejud- ice, managing their business affairs entrusted to me as effic ently as the most careful man might manage his private business, and I had felt that Oklahoma has made the best record of any state in the Union when we acquired s1,7OOo,OoO with which to provided ample capitol completed, in- all furniture and fixtures, without single dollars cost to our people,
 \ Matter of Regret.
 That this may be lost is a matter of the keenest disappointment and regret to me, and although I am un- able to say until have given the mat ter full consideration what may be done to best preserve the interest of the taxpayer of Oklahoma, you may rest assured that when I have arriv ed at conclusion that I bel eve is sound that 1 shall announce it to the people of Oklahoma, and where action is necessary that action will be op- an and vigorous, continuing the same policy of working untiringly for the pubic welfare, and to carry out to the fullest possible extent the con- mand of the people of this state given 70 me by such an overwhelming ma Iority, and you may rest assured I will adopt every means possible to preserve the will of the people.
 c. N. HASKELL.
 Governor"