The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-05-21

Ms statement ~ t,ss VI u
= 2. There has been more thanI $50
miles of new construction in Okla !
homa since statehood, and 500 miles
ct construction is now actively going
on.
j. Independent roads are in fact
getting money for construction in Ok
lahoma. President Kenefick, of the
MISSOURI, Oklahoma q Gulf, on April
~, this year, offered $3,00O,000 bonds
IN Paris and the issue was subscrib-
ed more than twice over in six days
a. The M. X. 4 t is spending 49,
100000 on improvements in Oklahoma,
Sl.0O0,OO0 having been appropriated
by the directors within the last six
weeks; this road has no appropria-
tion for similar Improvements in any
ether state this year.
5. AS the average business man
strives TO keep his investment down
us low as possible without curtailing
his profits, so the railroads do not
build new track when they can con-
troll the same business with the faci-
lities available. 1t is my opinion that
il the Garter" amendment pafses
and the foreign. roads are permitted
by you to gobble up the independent
roads now building and ready to
build, the state OF Oklahoma will be
apportioned among the big roads,
they will enter an agreement not to
invade each others territory, and you
will get neither big roads nor little
roads for long time to come
6. The inducement of adding tax
valuations come with little grace from
corporations that have suppressed the
two cent fare and the low freight
rates by injunction secured on the rep,
resentation that business did not JUS
tify these low rates inasmuch as the
properties were worth 100000 per
mile, and that now are hiding behind
injunctions to avoid payment of tax
es on the same properties on an as
sessed valuation of $4,000 per mile,
and it should be borne in mind that
under territorial conditions, which the
Garter" amendment seeks to restore,
these corporations paid taxes on val
uations of from $500 to $4,000 per
mile.
Citizens of oklahoma, the question
Is up to you. 1t Is your interests, you
who have to pay the freight, that are
at stake in this fight. No citizen OF
Oklahoma is more anxious to see ac-
tive railroad construction in Oklaho-
ma that Is your corporation commits
sion; no citizen knows better the need
But this commission also knows the
impossibility of any regulation OF
these corporations without informaT
ton upon which to base such regula-
tion, and the eagerness of the rail
roads to abolish all Oklahoma state
jurisdiction whatsoever over their
operations. and this Is the issue you
will decide by your vote June II.
Defeat this amendment and you can
still give the railroads every right to
which even the shadow of justice en-
tiles them
Adopt 1t and you abolish the admin
istration of justice in your own inter
est. You thereby substitute the cor
poration for the corporation commits
sion as the authority by which your
rights are to be determined, and it.
will be up to you instead of the cor
poJaton to go to court for relief and
you will have to match your resourc'
IS against those of the corporations
in the federal courts anywhere in the
United States that the corporation
seeks to take you, before you can
even open your fight.
Think well before you indorse the
proposed Garter" amendment.
]. Il. LOVE,
Chairman Corporation Commission