The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-05-06
WHY THE CAPITAL
LOCATION BILL
SHOULD BE KILLED
Guthrie Argument Which Goes
on Ballot June IL


provides:
"The capital Of said state shall
temporarily be at the city Of Guthrie
in the present Territory Of Oklahoma
and shall not be changed therefrom
previous to Ammo Domini nineteen
hundred and thirteen, but said capital
shall, after said year. be located by
the electors Of said state al an elec
tion to be provided for by the legis-
lature.s @D
That act was adopted by See 491
OF the state constitution, ara by Sec.
4s2:
WAS engrossed with the engrosseo
COPY of the constitution on parch-
ment.D (Bunn's constitution; Snyders
constitutionl
The enabling act protects the rights
granted by congress to Indians and
their lands; prescribed federation OF
religious liberty; prohibited liquor in
the Indian territory; territorial debts
to be paid; provided for public
schools: restricted abridgements Of
the right of suffrage; granted millions
of acres of school. college, indemnity
and public lands to the state, and pro
tected rights therein; and these and
many other rights, protected by the
enabling act can be violated, If the
state capital can be located before
1873. This attempt to violate the
constitution and enabling act should
be voted mo"
Second-This measure, unconstltu-
tionally, would appropriate 100000 to
be placed in the hands of three per-
sons, selected by the governor This
is done to move the capital twenty
(20) miles NEARER Oklahoma City,
but not necessarily AT Oklahoma
City.
Third--There is no necessity for
this violation Of enabling act and
state constitution and expenditure OF
100000 to be followed by millions
more, for the time will soon enough
come for the location II the capital,
and In the meantime the state is kept
busy providing moneys for the other
institutions OF greater necessity. The
institutions already located have re-
quired and are requiring millions OF
dollars OF the peoples money; the
state debt on November 80, 1909, was
over 100000: the recent special
session of the legislature alone au
thorized the issuance Of over $1,000,
900 more in warrants, liens on Ne
funds derived from public building
lands. and bear per cent interest
No necessity exists for approprating
Immediately, 100000 more for state
capital site to be followed by appro
priating millions 10 construct capita
building, because Guthrie Is centrally
located. with nine railroads connect
ing this city with all sections of th'
state and one more being built. Guth
rie Is nearer the majority of the peo
pie of the state than Oklahoma CITY
which proposes the change; Guthrie
is naturally situated for being and j
one of the healthiest of the state
cities, with splendid drainage, thu
best OF sanitary sewerage, with pur'
filtered water In abundance, viii
streets paved and beautliied at cos
OF a million dollars; il has electric
lights, natural gas and the latest sys
tenn of street railway. When it wal
designated as the capital originally
more than twenty years ago, it Sc
apart. on as fine and commanding
site as there Is IN the state, fou
blocks OF ground on the princlpa
street and only eight blocks from th'
geographical and business center lo
state capital purposes, and under al
act OF the state legislature, IL has ex
pended in money OF its own people
costing the state nothing, IN beautl
fying these grounds, building conyen
tion hall-a state capital used evel
since as legislative halls. supreme
court and criminal court of appeals
rooms, chambers for judges. Offices
for attorney general aud state library
used by the state on a five year lease
rent free-s1 a year--approximatel,
quarter of a million dollars, ant
these grounds and buildings, worth Z
half million dollars are the states
having been provided by Guthrie fol
the state, Temporarily and permanent
ly. and are. with the one hundred
acres In beautiful park nearby
which is also provided for he state
worth more than the 100000 whict
Oklahoma City asks the state TO ap
propriate The. other executive OH
ces are using the magnificent cour
house, built by the people of Logai
county. These buildings provided
are serving every present need of thu
state aud at a small cost TO the tax
payers.
Fourth You may vote twice at tn,
eiectio1, a sele 40 on ihe meas
ure and YES, opposite Guthrie
win support the constitution and th'
enabling act. and leave the capital {
ba located when the law provides, an'
SAW much trouble and expense.
EIfth~-Thp bill Is unfair III at