The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-10-23
BUILDING
A STATE
WHAT WAS DONE, WHY, AND
WHAT 1T COSTS.
Introductory


now nearly completed three years of
state government.
The campaign is on for the election
of the second state administration,
and as may be expected, those who
are out want to get in.
Joe w. McNeal, the republican can
didate for Governor, when criticized
last Saturday by a member OF his
own party for making and publishing
criticisms of the administration that
the public records showed to be un-
true, said:
81 want to be Governor. To succeed
must condemn the present admin
istration If / had no criticisms to
make the people would say Let well
enough alone. If the democratic ad-
ministration is good, there is no rea-
son for changing it, hence, | must
either condemn It or quit the race
In view of this policy Of Mr.. Nc
Neal to say anything to get an ONCE
/ feel it is my duty, as well as priv
lege, to give the people of Oklahoma
brief statement Of the work OF state
building, briefly touching the points
that Mr.. McNeal critlcises in his lit
erature and speeches.
Every good citizen of Oklahoma, re
gardless of politics, wants good gov
eminent, progress and prosperity IN
Oklahoma.
To have good government, the peo-
ple must know the truth before they
vote. 1t is to be regretted that men
will seek public office through false
statements and deception.
The offices belong to the people.
II man aspires to serve the people,
he should tell them the truth.
II the majority approve his Ideas
Of government, they will elect him
II the majority do not approve III.
ideas of government, he should not
want the office.
Those who have read the New State
Tribune will remember that as Editor
do not approve men because they
are democrats, nor do / condemn men
because they are republicans.
Two months before the primary
election that nominated Mr.. McNeal,
and simply because of my pride In the
welfare of our state, and sincerely
hoping that both parties would noml'
nate good men for Governor, / frankly
stated that John Fields and G. e.
Jones, two of the republican candi'
dates, would make good governors II
nominated and elected.
The Tribune also stated then, as II
does now, that Joe w. McNeal was
unfit to serve the people In public OF
flee. We made that statement based
on our ample opportunity to weigh
his personal conduct and his rela'
ton to Oklahoma territorial govern
ment. and we now assert that Mr.
McNeal-
From his record In Territorial days
From his opposition to tho framing
Of a good constitution and conduct OF
honest government,
And from his willingness In this
campaign to deceive the people rs i
means Of securing their votes
Is wholly unfit to hold the office.
LET THE PEOPLE KNOW THE
TRUTH.
For the next few days we shall pup
lish five chapters each week, touch
ing the history of state organization
and management, as criticized ahc
misrepresented by McNeal.
STATE ORGANIZATION MAMMOTH
UNDERTAKING.
Unless a man stops to review th'
subject fully, he will not realize TN
mammoth undertaking of organizing
single state by the combination OF OK
lahoma and Indian Territories. 1t VII
not do to compare this great task witt
the work of organization In any othe
state of the union.
You may rest assured that the VoI
ume of corporate wealth and the pol
ulation is a measure OF controvers,
and contention. In other new state
none ever had over three hundred
and fortyseven thousand people, tth
State of Washington and the averag
new state would be about one hundred
thousand population.
Five hundred miles OF railroad II
other new states would be the great
est amount, and in many OF them nom
whatever.
Heretofore new states have beel
formed out of organized territories
where Territorial government had eA
listed for some time, and counties
townships and country school district
had been organized, and set In opel
alton, wherever there was sufiicien
population to warrant such conditions
So that the passage from territoria
organization to state government ha'
been prepared for, and little or n
change would be required in local CON
munity affairs.
AS the new state has heretofor
been sparsely settled, and towns o
any considerable size long distance
apart. there was no occasion for loca
controversies There could be a
many county seats as there wer
towns of any size aspiring to tha