The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-05-07
STATE CAPITOL LOCATION
A Gold Brick rendered the
Unsuspecting People
of Oklahoma
tBy Senator Harry X Allen OF
ArdmOre.l

Ardmore.)
A special election on the question
of the location Of the state capital
having been called for June II, It
would seem advisable for the people
to investigate the question upon
which they are called TO vote. 1t
would be an easy matter II the voter
was merely called upon to decide be-
tween the three competing cities,
Oklahoma City, Guth lie and Shawnee.
But such in my humble Judgment IS
not the question A gold brick has
been rendered the people of Oklaho-
ma. Peary thundered from the Are
tie zone that Cook had handed the
world gold brick, but the people
did not believe him until the wise
men of Copenhagen unmasked the
champion fakir OF the age, and said
fakir hied himself to the nnreturning
ertsWhile viii the people OF this
state,in their admiration for the mag
niticent city Of Oklahoma City, suf-
fer themselves to be Delilahed, gold
b. icked, bamboozled and Dr. Cookd
out of possible millions by adopting
the bill initiated by Oklahoma Clty2
If the contest was merely to settle
the ancient war OF the Roses between
Oklahoma City and Guthre--if these
houses of the Capulets and Mon
tagues alone were affected-then the
taxpayer would stand aside and cry
Lay on MacdbfI and damned be him
who first cries, Hold, enough But
unfortunately the taxpayer is the
| Manchuria over which these Japs and
Russians are marshaling their hosts
| and if this proposed bill carries are
apt to resemble Georgia after Sher
mans march to the sea-
| Let us, therefore, state the case anc
analyze the proposition.
The enabling act contains the FOL
lowing provision: The capital OF sale
state shall temporarily be at the city
of Guthrie, in the present Territory
\ OF Oklahoma and shall not be chang
o.l therefrom previous to Ammo Dom
iin Nineteen Hundred and Thirteen
but said capital shall, after said yeal
be located by the electors oil salt
state at an election to be provided
for by the legislature; provided, how
ever that the Legislature OF SAT-
state, except as shall be necessar,
for the convenient transaction OF tn
public business of said state at sal
capital shall not appropriate any pul
lie moneys of the state for the efet
tion Of buildings for capital purpose
during such period
Also, the last section of the enab
ing act, is as follows: That tn
constitutional convention provide
for herein, shall by ordinance irr'
vocable. accept the terms aud cond
tions OF this act.
The last section OF the constitutio
of the state provides: That said co
stitutional convention do, by this 0
dinance irrevocable, accept the tern
) and conditions of an act OF congres
entitled An Act to enable the peop
OF Oklahoma and the Indian terrltol
to form constitution and state go
crnment and to be admitted into Il
Union on an equal footing with Il
original states, etc.
The constitution was submitted
the people and adopted by vote
more than 100000 majority. TT
question may we'll arise in the min'
Of candid folk, whether. having 81
emnly entered into this compact, u
people are not morally, II not legal
hound, to abide its terms and CON
tions.
May a state do tist which an
diyidual may not? Can state d
solve at pleasure Obligations, Viii
a common court OF justice would bi
an iidigidnal TO uphuld?~
For the purpose OF this argumf
we will waive the moral question, q
> assume that being sovereign sta
- coming into the Union upon an eql
footing With the other states,
stand forth unshackeed. our boz
of p, ohibiton and capital loeat
dissolved.
This brings us to the milk In
cocoanut. Personally am not
posed to Oklahoma City, and
aware that on a square propositi
.he people in this part OF the 81