The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-10-24

tneretOfore organized, ana never 40
customed to the payment OF taxes
outside OF the few Incorporated
towns.
The population Of the new state
was one million four hundred and
fourteen thousand.
It's railroad mileage practically elk
thousand miles.
Il was the greatest oil producing
state Of the Unlon. Aa
its natural gas, coal and other min.
I Ing interests we're OF vast magnitude.
One Territory had existed under
code OF laws taken largely from Kan
sas, and the Indian Territory had be-
come accustomed to the Arkansas
code OF laws.
To organize one.half of the state
for local government, to harmonize
the people OF both territories under
one uniform code OF laws, to effect
reasonable submission Of these vast
railroad, oil and other corporate In.
terests that the rights Of the people
might be fairly recognized without in.
justice to the great business con.
Germs, and with numbers OF these
powerful elements contending for
special privileges and advantage over
each other, and over all the people,
to have the local controversies. such
as the settling of tifty-eight county
seat towns. and changing OF county
boundaries in several cases, and all
OF this controversy taking the time
and requiring the attention OF the
state administration, people who have
not participated in this administration
of state government will never be
able to realize the tremendous amount
of energy the task Of tho first gov.
ernorshlp has imposed.
And looking back on these arduous
duties and strenuous days. appreciate
ing the cooperation Of the patriotic
citizen, and the unavoidable feeling
of resentment at tho prominent citi-
zen who might have been OF aid and
comfort In this great work, had he
choose TO be such, but who from par.
tisan selfishness would embarrass our
work, and even discredit the state
in order to advance his selfish parti.
san interests. trust may be excused
for loving the friends who have light.
ened our burden where they could,
and criticising our enemies who have
embarrassed our every effort, and
therefore. have said in all sincerity
that the greatest ambition have in
life today is to see the State Of Okla
boma prosper and to remsin state
where Justice is meted out to the
strong and the weak alike. and where
the great business concern ia welcome
as an aid to commerce. but is denied
the right to dictate in affairs Of GOV.
ernment.
That the motto Of Oklahoma for.
ever be;
Capital and labor are each essen
tial to the other. and to all mankind.
and our aim Ia to create harmony
and justice between them both"
My reasons for saying publicly long
before the primary that II the repnb.
licsns were to have the governor. |
hoped they might nominate man like
&. G.. Jones or John Fields, was based
en- the record that Jones had made In
the State Legislature. in the first and
second regular sessions.
That record speaks for itself. Also.
In his business life he had been
known as developer of the country.
and state builder. In his legisla-
tive career the records speak for him
In those two sessions as having
worked for the general advancement
OF the state.
There were no special personal re-
lations between lis. but admire every
man whose patriotism rises above
party partisanship when the welfare
OF his state Is al stake.
Az to Mr.. Fields. | had little &C.
quaintance with him, but what did
know through mutual friends I'm.
pressed me that his ambition would
be TO better the condition OF man.
kind. and stand Loyalty for the people
of Oklahoma.
Remember have not waited TO say
these things until after the primary.
| said them openly. In public speech
and in my newspaper long before the
primary nominations.
Unfortunately, however. for the re-
publican party. men Of the Jones and
Fields class, representative Of the
great rank and flle, we're not in favor
with TIE stand-pst machine In con-
troll Of that party organization. The
remnants OF the old carpet bag gang,
who, in territorial days. grew fat
from the public crib. still have ?
strangle hold on the party organiza-
tion. and combining their power, Joe
McNeal secured the nomination.
said before the primary that Joe
McNeal was unit to represent the
Republican party In any public ONCE,
or TO speak for the state Of Oklahoma,
and now deem II my duty to speak
from the public records and from wall
known events Of his business career
in proof Of this assertion.
| / shall, therefore, take the points
OF state government that McNeal has
selected to criticiss. and treat one