The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-04-09
Ardmore. Sunday, April 9, 1911
MUST HAVE RAILROAD.

MUST HAVE RAILROAD.
For a number of years there has
been a vast amount of agitation
among politicians against the rail
roads OF the United States The
roads themselves are not without
fault in the matter, for they have
taken advantage of the people
wheryer opportunity was offered
them, but the people. on that ac-
count, are not justifiable now in
cutting of their noses 10 spite their
faces. The agitation against rail.
roads has resulted in legislation that
has prevented their building new
lines and in extending their Old ones
The unhealthy agitation has brought
stagnation to business for the reas-
on that the progress of the country
depends upon transportation.
The people of Oklahoma placed
in their constitution provision
found in Article IN, Section 9. that
has produced stagnation in this state.
Railway companies are not build
ing any new lines in this state, and
they are making no extensions des.
pite the efforts that have been made
to induce them TO build and the
really serious feature of the prob
lem lies in the fact that bonds can
LA II
er Europe or America for railroad
construction Oklahoma. While this
remains true, Oklahoma must either
remain at a standstill as far as rail
road construction is concerned or it
must build its own roads The lat.
ter alternative has been done in
some other states of the union and
has proven disastrous to the tax
paying citizens of those states. Ok
lahoma naturally does not desire to
follow in their footsteps. The sensi-
BILE thing to do is to remedy the
existing laws so that railway com.
panies will enter the state.
The state has its quota of citi-
zens who are raising their voices
against the adoption OF the proposed
amendment submitted to the people
by the last legislature in their ar
guments they make very serious
question of it, but in reality II is
not so serious. If IL should prove
to be the wrong thing the people can
easily change II and make il right
Our own legislature passed on the
matter, they are the repres entatives
of the people and had Jhey found
so many serious things about Il
they would nave modified it before
submitting IL to the people Cover
nor Cruce is OF the opinion that the
present law needs changes. but he
has not declared himself upon this
proposed amendment yet \ special
session OF the legislature will be
held following this special session
of congress end IL the provision to
be voted on April % Is wrong that
error can be corrected by the legis- I.
lature. The state must be redistrict /
ed and the legislature will be in
$ sion for that purpose and the .
change in the constitutional amend. /
ment need not cost the tax payers
The safe thing to do is to vote
for the amendment on the 25th day
OF April. We need not expect any
railroad construction unless the con-
stitu'ion is changed. II is clearly up
TO the people OF Oklahoma to
choose for themselves what course
th"y shall pursue. The responsibility
is uron their shoulders. If they want
stagnation in business and in devel-
opment of resources of the state
they may choose il by voting against =
the amendment. II they want prog.
ress and the development of mines
and farms and oil fields they can {
secure it by voting for the amend
ment BY all means the people should
not allow prejudice against railway
to control their vote.
A prominent railroad man OF Eu-
'ope has recently said:
Texas and Oklahoma have no !
money to spare for railroad build (
ng. They want It all for their own {
peal business. Even the east can /
OF find all the money required. '
his money in large measure must {