The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-06-06
RIGHT NEEDS NO MENTOR

II is a matter of no concern to the /
average voter who advises him to |
cast vote for the Oklahoma City
townlot capital removal scheme, he
alone with his conscience in the in
terest of his citizenship. must be an
swerable for his ballot
Oklahoma has made contracts and |
compacts In one OF them the people |
Of the state ''irreyocably' accepted the |
terms OF the enabling act; that act |
specifies there shall be no immediate |
appropriation for state buildings It j
prescribes the time when the state |
may vote on a permanent seat of gov
eminent
That time is after 1913
What matters it to an honest man
OF sound sense and good ideas what
man In public affairs is for or against
the present propositions
The people who read understand
that we presc bed ourselves all this
twaddle about dickering with this or
that politician in order to secure
statehood: then to do as we will,
smacks much OF the oid historical
Mormon hierarchy which pretended
to accept the United States proyi-
sions and then to do as the church
pleased regarding Utah affairs.
All know results.
Mornlonism was conquered. the gov
ernment of the United States did com
pei the Mormons to obey the terms of
the. enabling act; refusal brought
great financial distress to Utah, I'M
paired its growth, and it has ceased
to be considered one Of the great,
growing states west Of the Missouri
river.
Yet Utah has the richest valleys
within the United States; there is no
limitation upon tbs quantity or quail
ty of its products, it's minerals are
abundant. easy OF access, and the
great city of Salt Lake Is one OF the
most fayorably located inland cities
Of the whole New World.
But il was twenty years under a
cloud,
The business world refused money
to a people who sought to violate
their compact with the people of the
entire United States.
Salt Lake City was, save San Fran.
cisco, the largest city between Kan
sas City and the Pacific ocean; the
richest in proportion to population in
the known world
Today it is smaller than Denver,
Seattle. Portland, Spokane, Los An.
geles, Oakland; in fact, is but little
larger than Great Falls, San Diego
Sacramento, Pueblo and other of the
cities which are either in or on the
mountains just on the border of the
famed Lava Bed Empire"
Why?
The people sought to defraud them
selves by breaking a solemn compact
with the people of the United States
Do the citizens OF Oklahoma
wish a repetition of that Utah dis
aster? DO we wish to be considered
as being men who care naught for
compact or agreement?
Remember there is not a coslty in
the state but has or will soon issue
bonds; that those bonds must be sold
in the money markets of the world
he reputation of the whole people
the citizenship, II you please, beint
she main source of credit for sales
&c be made.
What answer will we make to mon
ey lenders as TO stability, If we are ca
joled into breaking the most solemn
compact one sovereign body can makt
with another?
And, after all, what is to be gaine6
by present capital removal agitation
or election? There is no crying de
mand for the state to locate the per
manent capitol. building There /
neither necessity or cause for th'
people to take so desperate a step
in plain contradiction of their pledg'
to the Federal goyernment--there il
no state officer not better housed
than he expected 10 be: far bette
than was ever his good ofrtune to b
housed prior TO becoming an office
OF this imperial Commonwealth
Let us be fair with others; be fai
Ia ourselves We are meeting man.
urgent needs: there Is much outla'
60 be met ere we can hope 10 reacl
the point OF advancement true of th
older states, and we have a countr
which will allows ilSfto ymake thos'
ST ides 10 overtake our neighbors
rnf the burden of making a state AM
having all that older states have, cal
be made harder by INSCRIPTIONS ad
yentuters who insist on building mil
ion dollar state buildings whilst tn
farmers OF the state, who must rails
The produce 10 make enough TO pa
for the buildings aforesaid, must swim
their teams across the rivers IN OF
Ger 10 reach a nla.bsl.
Let rs be sensible, practical pee
pie.
Before vie spend our money on stat
rapitol palaces. lrt us build country
scad bridges: ief us give the fHfme
!. 10 mnss Toll. Q way 70 get 70 marlse