The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-05-09
PEOPLE SEE The LIGHT

FEOTEG GEE ! Tx Ll1r1
From every section of the state
comes the cheering message the peo
pie see light on the proposed state
capital removal bill. They no Longer
ASH what city may get ii nor whal
VIII happen--they are well determin
Cd no city shall have capital with
three commissioners who are untram
meled in their actions and who may
spend whatever sum the taxpayers
are able to now pay or bond them
selves TO pay in the future
No county in the state, once the
iniquities OF this bill are exposed
will cast large vote for the meas
Ure. 1t has its enemies right in Ok
lahoma City, where it was concocted
and drafted by certain grabbers fol
ttiat which is unfair. Ii has no right
to good standing-it is SO unfair that
cur people must kill it in order to
tell the world that they are not to be
exploited at will. 1t is as necessary
to kill the measure as it is to en-.
force the laws of the land. 1t is evil
1t was intended to be evil and to
promote wrong and ruin.
Workers against it have spread the
gospel OF fact and the taxpayers are
warming TO the occasion. That the
election was called at a time when
lew farmers can afford TO leave their
fields, is only further evidence the
townlot statesmen did not wish the
hard-working. hard-thinking husband
men to get shot at the measure.
But the farmer and merchant and
professional man, the skilled and un
skilled laborer, alike, see the scheme
and the wrong purposes thereof. They
are the people who pay the freight:
.thcy realize they can not afford not
to yote-otherwise this state will en-
ter into a long period Of illegal oul
lay and never see the end of the
journey; getting for that outlay just
what the three capital commission
ers and their coterie feel they dare
not take without getting into seri-
Gus trouble.
Even at this time, the older of the
schemers are telling what they ex-
poet to do Immediately after winning
this election, Their tales are not re-
assuring. That bill was so drawn
that three men, appointees, can take
the money of the taxpayers and toss
1t hither and yon, and mot dollar
can be recoyered-no penalty attaches
TO their "mistakes,"
Two millions of citizens If this bill
pass, are TO be tied to the whms
Of three men those three men will
buy land for the state and sell ii to
the state and be guardians Of the state
finds from which they pay and for
which they receive pay! They a'e
accountable to their cpnsciences alone.
DO you know three men to whom
!ou wish to entrust such power?
Would you even be willing the peo'
pie Of this state elect three men with
such plenary power?
If not, why vote three be appointed
by any one man-let the governor be
whom he may? i
Get to facts; realizing that no false
statement Of the townsite boomers
Who claim that only honest men viii
be secured, amounts to naught so
long as the bill does give them the
power. Why tempt three men with
fuch power?
In Russia such power does not vest
in any three men of the Cars fam
iiyl
The constitution OF the United
States prevents such power being
vested in three distinct bodies of gov
eminent
The fathers of our great country
when preparing form OF government
made three branches-the executive
Legislative and judiciary. They want
cd one to check the power of the 9th
e.-three branches, mind YOU, not
three men,
Yet we propose TO take three ap-
pointees, put them in possession OF
. $500 900 starter funod; give to
them power to incur debts, purchase
and sell real estate In the name OF
the state, and we do not propose 70
check up their accounts,
Ihey cdn eupfu9 'hVuoohu "'
graphers, they may hire thousand
abstract experts: ten thousand sur
yeyors--they are authorized TO do Just
ISIS they please.
Of, course. IL YOU recall, their total
bond is for the princely sum of $50
900 Le
But that Is not for moneys which
come through or to them; possibly 1t
is that they shall wear green neckties
ana yellow breelhes At least no one
Inows What the bond is for; Che BIZ
Is not explicit as to that. &
1t cant be that the s15O,0O0 is 10
protect the 100000 fund the commits
sIoners get "as a starter II is GER
tainly not expected We believe that
even that Oklahoma City band oil
townlot statesmen would pretend 10
make people believe s150,O00 is sur
}icIent bond for one to make who Is
going TO have $e00,0o0 to handle.
But the people care nothing further
ss to the bonds: they have read the
biIl and rightly concluded the way to