Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-18


| made in forty annual installments at 5
| per cent interest, and under the consti-
tuition the proceeds must be invested in
farm mortgages, state, county, city and
government bonds.
THE legislature is now considering an
amendment to the constitution to change
our system OF educational control Tn
der our constitution We have no central
ization. There are a half dozen differ
ent, educational boards. each having its
own policy and methods. and no two
agreeing in any purpose. We have no
| system. Each board is reaching out for
valry and competition and no sysem of
cooperation The result is duplication of
work. conflict Of authority and wasteful
extravaganza. For example, We have a
university and two preparatory schools.
school Of mines industrial schools for
girls and for boys and institutions for
the blind. deaf mutes and feebie-minded,
and colored institutions to correspond.
There are also agricultural schools
throughout the state, which are under
the 10000 school children now in Okla
homa and all that shall come after them
require that We should have cooperation
and economy and a uniform system I'M
der permanent central board. clothed
with proper authority. and l am sure that
the bill will be passed. The agricultural
schools. under the constitution. must be
Kept separate and under Independent au-
thority.
Il have heard that there has been a
great deal Of extravaganza in the school
buildings
That is undoubtedly true replied Gov
Cruce, but 1t is perfectly natural. Our
people regard the schoolhouse as the
most important institution in every COM
munity. and the best advertisement they
can have to attract population. and each
county having the funds available there
has been a great deal of rivalry But
SOCn pride Is NOT TO he CjfSCnlIra
Doing No Advertising.
mo. We are doing nothing in the way
of advertising and have taken no meas
ures to promote immigration. That is be-
ing done by the commercial organiza-
tons which are found in every commu-
nifty. We are already getting some i'm
portant manufacturing institutions, and
the state encourages them by exempting
them from taxation for Ave years. We
nave some extensive packing houses re-
Gently established and several Irvine fac
tories.
Labor is abundant in Oklahoma, ex-
cept in harvest time, when our farmers
are never able to get enough help to bring
IN tnelr crops. We have very small for
elgn population. but there is no prejudice
against aliens Oklahoma was settled by
native Americans. and we probably have
larger percentage of native born popu-
lation than has any other state. Our
northern counties were settled by north
ern people and our southern counties by
southern people. and, while we have rep
resentatives from every part Of the
Union. at least IS and perhaps 80 per
cent OF the inhabitants of. Oklahoma
came from the neighboring states
What is there in. the proposition for a
state railway" 1 asked.
II am opposed to government owner
ship myself" replied Gov. Cruce. but
there is so much dissatisfaction with our
transportation facilities that various
Of relief have been suggested, and the bill
you referred to provides for a division
or the state into districts and authorizes
each district by vote to issue bonds to
construct transportation lines according
TO It's needs. This proposition has been
urged by many sensible business men on
the ground that the railways now doing
business in Oklahoma discriminate In ia
vor or the neighboring states 1t is cheap
er to ship from st. Louis or Kansas City
through to Texas points and then reship
back into Oklahoma, and the railway
companies will give us no relief. The
people demand more competition, and II
the railway companies will not furnish
it they insist that the state shall do so.
favor Of it myself"
Reducing States Expenses.
You are cutting down expenses and
reducing the number of Offices, under
stand?"
Yes. We have more commissions and
departments and useless officials than any
other state in the Union, and I am get
ting rid OF a lot of them. l am trimming
them down as much as possible. I have
recommended the abolition Of a large num-
Der Of such Offices. The educational bill
that Is pending will get rid Of seventy
five or more. l have recommended the
abolition OF the capitol commission. and
to a minimum the army Of officials that
Is being supported from the public treas
ury.
1.-The principal reason for this" said
the governor. with sly wink, lis that
the men who are holding offices here and
In other towns are needed on the farms.
This policy is being cordially Endorsed
by the people. and many Of the office
holders who have been eliminated are
candid enough to admit that it is the
And the governor showed me a pile of
letters received from members Of both
parties in dierent parts of the state COM
mending his course.
The governor has strongly recommended
revision Of the primary and election
laws that were passed by the first state
legislature. which. he says lat that time
were evidently thought to be adequate to
the. needs OF the people. Two unSucceSs-
full attempts have been made to amend
and modify them, and they have been the
subject of unmercfful, and in several
respects. unjust criticism. until deep
seated dissatisfaction prevails among the
people, and demand for a change comes
from all classes and all political parties
Too much care cannot be exercised in
framing laws to protect the integrity Of
our elections, but We have very critical
people, and no matter what reforms the
legislature may decide upon. they need
not expect to escape criticism.
Laws to Be Simplifled.
Il have recommended that the provi-
sions Of the present laws be simplified as
much as possible; that they be short and
as clear as they can be made, so that
everybody can read and understand them
and that the penalties for the violation
Of the election laws be made very severe.
l hope something good will come out OF
it. but no action has been taken as yet
II am not in favor of wholesale changes
in existing laws. We have had too much
legislation, and while there is great
deal of complaint and criticism OF some Of
the laws Of this state, the majority Of the
people want to see conditions settled in
Oklahoma, and this never can occur so
long as our laws are the subject of con-
slant change. Taken a whole they
are admirab Bile. and the people want to
see them tried out. Where experience has
shown that weakness exist, faults should
be corrected, but it is too often the case
that an entire law Is condemned because