The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-06-09
WHY THE CAPITAL
LOCATION BILL
SHOULD BE KILLED
Guthrie Argument Which Goes
on Ballot June ii


The capital OF said state shall
temporarily be at the city OF Guthrie,
in the present Territory OF oklahoma
and shall not be changed therefrom
previous to Ammo Domini nineteen
hundred and thirteen. but said capital
shall, after said year. be located by
the electors of said state at an cleo
tion to be provided for by the legls-
lature.s
That act was adopted By Sec. 497
OF The state constitution, ana Dy Sec.
1872: I,
Was engrosscd with the engrosseo
copy III the constitution on parch-
ment" tEunn's constitution; Snyder's
constituticnJ
The enabling act protects the rights
granted BY congress to Indians and
their lands; prescribed toleration Of
religious liberty: prohibited liquor in
he Indian territory, territorial debts
to Be paid; provided for public
schools; restricted abridgements OF
the right OF suffrage; granted millions
OF acl es OF school, college indemnity
and public lands TO the state, and pro-
tected rights therein; and these and
many other rights, protected by the.
enabling act can be- violated, If the
state capital can be located before
1913 This attempt to violate the
constitution and enabling act should
be voted mo-
Second-This measure, unconstitu-
tionaliy, would appropriate 100000 to
be placed In the hands OF three per
sons, selected by the governor. This
Il done to move the capital twenty
900 miles NEARER Oklahoma City,
but not necessarily AT Oklahoma
City.
Third There Is no necessity for
state constitution and expenditure OF
100000 to be followed by millions
more, for the time will soon enough
come for the location # the capital,
and in the meantime the state Is kept
busy providing moneys for the other
Institutions Of greater necessity. The
institutions already located have re-
qlred and are requiring millions of
dollars of the peoples money; the
over $1,000, coo; the recent special
session Of the legislature alone au-
lhorlzed the issuance OF over $4,000
600 more in warrants, liens on the
funds derived from public building
lands, and bear per cent interest
No necessity exists for appropriatlng,
Immediately, 100000 more for state
capital site to be followed by appro-
priatlng millions TO construct capitai
bnilding, because Guthrie Is centrally
located. with nine railro2Gs connect
ing this city with all sections OF the
state and one more being built. Gnth-
rie is nearer the majority OF the peo-
pie of the state than Oklahoma City,
which proposes the change: Guthrie
is naturally situated for being and is
one Of the healthiest OF the state s
cities, with splendid drainage, the
best OF sanitary sewerage, with pure
filtered water in abundance, with
streets paved and bedutltled at a cost
Of q million dollars; it has electric
! lights, natural gas and the latest sys-
TEN OF street railway. When it was
designated as the capital originally,
more than twenty years ago, 1t set
apart. on as fine and commanding a
site as there is in the state, four
blocks of ground on the principal
street and only eight blocks from the
geographical and business center for
state capital purposes, and under an
act OF the state legislature, 1t has ex-
pended in money of its own people,
costing the state nothing, in beauti-
flying these grounds, building conven-
ton hall--a state capital--used ever
since as legislative halls, supreme
court and criminal court of appeals
rooms, chambers for Judges, Offices
! for attorney general and state library,
used By the state on five year lease,
rent free-S1 q year-approximately
quarter of million dollars, and
these grounds and buildings, worth a
half million dollars are the states,
having been provided by Guthrie for
the state, temporarily and permanent-
ly, and are with the one hundred
acres in beautiful park nearby,
which is also provided for the state,
worth more than the 100000 which
Oklahoma City asks the state to ap-
propriate The other executive Off
ces are using the magnificent court
house, built by the people of Logan
county These buildings provided
are serving every present need OF the
state and at small cost to the tax
payers.
Fourth-You may vote twice at the
election; a vote mo- on the meas
ure and YES" opposite Guthrie
will support the constitution and the
enabling act, and leave the capital to
he located when the law provides, and
save much trouble and expense.
Fiith--The bin Is unfair 1t at
tempts to locate the state capital on
terms dictated by one OF the candi-
dates; it permits a commission OF
town lot boomers to select the site
for the capital and erect the capital
building; it creates Jobs for three
commissioners at $4,000 year each
and gives them unlimited power to iix
any number of employees and their
salaries; it requires the city that
loses the capital TO pay the expenses
of the second election and relieves
the city that wins from any expenses: !:
Il bars all cities that might be capital
asplrants from the race excepting
those selected by Oklahoma City; an
unnecessary special election Is called
at the request Of Oklahoma City when
the proposition could have as wen
been submitted al general election
at the time fixed by law and without
this eYnnnsa. the hill makes no min