The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-06-09
West Shows Attitude
of the Roads.
Guthrie, okla, June /, 1910

Dear Sir: notice Mr. ASP ac'
cuses me OF making a fake ballot title
for the so-callcd Carter Amendment
to the Constitution; that Is the amend
ment OF Section 3 of Article 8 by sub.
stituting therefor the proposed Arti-
Gle 40.
Mr.. Asp had tie right Of appeal
froru my ballot title. He took this
right but after peffceting his appeal
dismissed 1t. Is this dismissal con.
sisteht with his claim that | have
wrongcd him? Does he mean to IN
sInnate chat the Supreme Court would
uot rectify any mistake might make,
much less prevent wiltul injury II In
tended BY me? Or, does ne think 1t
easier to accuse me before the people
than before the courts? A reckless
accnser Ii d muckrahes. After be bad
dismissed his appeal | consented In
writing TO It's reinstatement. After
the first hearing, at which stated
my reasons for the various words
used in the ballot title took no fur
ther action in the case either by way
Iof argument OF brief, yet the appeal
was for the second tine abandoned,
land my ballot title adopted. Does
this written consent for reinstatement,
this lack OF briefs ON file, Indicate the I
bitter yenomous feeling Mr.. Asp's
charges presupposes? Why would
public officer make a false ballot title
unless he was In some way deeply in
terested?
Is it not plain to any man Tat Mr..
Asp knew that ii that case came to a
decision that the court would by its
solemn decree declare that the intent
of that amendment was to 10 exactly |
what the ballot title said that Mr.. |
ASP knew this, and, therefore, seeks
Ito avoid the consequences OF what he
knows by abandoning his suit and
making this charge,
/ They say that railroad building has
stopped in this state. Yet, since state
hood the Wichita Falls and North
western has been built and the NJ. O. /
& G. is continuing to build. The
Santa Fe Is adding greatly to the
value Of its property Ia this state and
the Katy as well Is making change
lin it's line from Oklahoma City to
Parsons and from Oklahoma City to
/ Atoka Investing very heavily In both
places. The fact Of the matter is that
railway earnings show q greater per
I cent per mile OF increase In the State
of Oklahoma than In any Of the neigh
borning states on practically all the
railroads that operate here. Not only
4 that, but detailed statement OF the
earnings OF the Rock Island TT Smith
& Western, Kansas City Southern,
Katy, NJ, 0. & G., Frisco. Wichita
Falls d Northwestern show that on
\ the entire business Of those roads.
I both In Oklahoma and elsewhere,
there was an increase for the four
months ending October 81, 1909, over
the same months for the year 1908 Of
8 per cent, but on the business done
+ IN the state for the same months the
4 increase was 26 per cent; that Is. that
the strictly Oklahoma business IN
creased three times as fast as the
business on the entire liue. For tbs
Santa Fe the figures s..s still greater
/ In favor OF Oklahoma. That showing
was filed In the rate case and send
{ you a detailed statement OF 1t that you
may print Il II you wish. or at any
rate can justify the statement that
make you.
Furthermore Oklahoma has grown
from threefourths OF million In 1900
/ 10 little more than one aud half
million in 1907, aud to two millions In
1910. Oklahoma City has grown for
the same period from 10000 in 1900
60 $4,000 in 1907 an dover $1,000 In
1910; and, al the present time the
percentage increase in bank clearings
for Oklahoma City is equal to that of
any city Of the United States, and
greater than any other EXCEPT approx
mately that of Kansas City aud
Wichita
SO that the fact remains that not
only the cities OF the state but the
State Of Oklahoma is growing In pro-
portion at wonderful rate, aud the
railroad earnings are increasing By
leaps and bounds. II there is any
thing wrong in oklahoma 1t would be
well that the other states, such as
Iowa, that have fallen off in popula-
tion should do some OF the things thai
iOklahoma is doing in order that II
may recoup Itself.
! shall vote against tho amendment,
Yours very truly,
CuAg WEST