The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-01-20

ors Of the Choctaw and Chickasaw ma.
tiOns and approved by the Interior he.
partmen' as friendly concession to
the state.
| also call your attention 10 the
fact that this land Us known TO DE an
derlaid by a y-sy valuable coal de.
posit and that II the state deems the
ownership Oi this coal deposit yalua.
bic, that 10 would be- well az this
time, and II Is recommended by MIR.
ConnOrs that your honorable Body look
carefully into this question and by
your act direct the state Board Of
Prison Control both a. to the purchase
o. the surface right at the price indi.
Gated above and as 20 the purchase Cf
the coal deposit. and also that y.u
make such appropriation out OF the
sale Of public building lands as may
be necessary TO acquire the surface
o. said lands and II you deem wise,
the coal deposit thereon.
have TO advise that the erection Of
the State Reformatory az Granite is
progressing satisfactorily and with
the approval OF the State Board
Public Building Warrants.
Anticipating the sale OF public build.
ing lands and the use Of the proceeds
OF such sale TO pay for the erection
~ various public buildings authorized
at former sessions Of the legislature
you also authorized the issuance OF
public building warrants. indefinite as
20 dare OF payment. / now call your
attention to- the fact that the value of
I these warrants Is greatly deprecated
In the financial markets By the fact
that there is no definite time fixed
for their payment | also remind you
that the state will not get dollars
worth OF property for a warrant that
must be discounted by the contractor
and therefore It i8 advisable for the
state TO have this warrant so amended
that it viii bring rar In the hands OF
tho contractor who accepts it on 4
building contract and to do this.
am advised by bankers that a definite
tim" should be iiN'd for the payment
Of any such warrant. / therefore rec
ommcnd thIt you amend this law so
that a definite time for payment may
be fixed, not only for the warrants
heretofore authorized. hut for such as
YOU may authorize at this session for
additional buildinps and grounds.
Taxation.
The constitution cf oklahoma fixed
maximum limit of tax levy. for each
Of the state county. township. school
district and incorporated towns. While
this was unusual as constitutional
provision, the experience of the other
new states To the rorth and the north.
west of Oklahoma had shown us the
necessity for restraining the tax levy.
ing boards. particularly In the early
years Of statehood II was a well
known fact that local government of
other new states had been controlled
in nearly every locality by the boomer
element, anxious for sudden and alb.
normal development and far too sell
dom interested IN the permanent wei
fare of the community; in fact, dis.
posed 10 acquire sudden riches out of
boom conditions aud then remove to
other parts before the penalty of ex-
travagance in the form of tax burdens
should oyertake them and thus leave
10 the stable. permanent citizen. the
blight upon his community, the newt.
able result of hasty development in
public improvements and the extra
vagance of such methods and thus we
today. can appreciate the great bene. |
iii that We have had from this con.
stitutional provision. When these |
maximum levies were placed In our |
constitution, IL was not believed that |
II would, except on rare occasions, b. /
found necessary to make tax levics |
anywhere near as high as these max. |
imum limits. but Oklahoma. like 9th. !
or new states. has been subjected tn .
the influences which would proceed at
n reckless rate bent ON extensive.
eNtravacaut expenditures. sowing the
wind tday. regardless OF reaping the
NhirlWind tomorrow. The disposition
lu glory iu the number OF miles Of
paved streets aud concrete sidewalks
and other public expenditure. rather
than 10 be content with pride in lust
claim to having comfortable homes
and pockets containing surplus in
,tead of suffering from deficiency
10 not believe hat the true greatness
Vt our state. or of its cities or com.
mnitieS rests with public expenditure
II an "Ntravag1nt rate half as much
Is II does In the individual improve.
nonts about the home of it's individual
antilles | therefore urge that your
honorable Body fix maximum tax rate
lmlts at not exceeding one half of
he present authorized rates and that
uch limits shall be bar. above
ihich the local taxing boards cannot
., eNcenting only by vote of the
eople of the county. city or district
, be affected by the taA and that the !
eopla shall have the right to express
heir wishes by an election actually :
eld. notice having been given so
hat If they take upon themselves any ,
'N burden in excess of half the con.
limitations. 1t shall be by
heir own voluntary ballot east at
ublic election. | fully realize that ,
inety per cent of the total burden
t"Nes today upon our people ale y
zeal taxes, levied by themselves IN |,
leir own communities, through their 8
zeal officers and thas debts honestly '
)ntrscted and for which the com. +,
unity has ppsaiVaI "A N,I,,.bI. /,