The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-10-18

AL S0eclal eleCtlOn neIu June IL,
1910, upon petition Of Oklahoma City
and in violation Of the enabling act
which the constitutional convention
had irrevocably accepted, the qus--
tion Of the location of the capital OF
the state was voted upon. OkIaho-
ma City by her official representa-
tiKes declared before the election
that the enabling act would be com
piled with and the capital not be
moved until 1913 and that in the
meantime they would build free for
the state a million dollar capital
building and would also pay g.,
moving expenses. The pretended re-
suit OF this special election was an
nounced on the night Of June il,
several hours after the polls closed
and before the count was completed
or certified in a majority OF the pre-
cincts of the state, and in open vio-
lation Of pledges made to the people
the capital was located in that city,
City that night. The vote OF this
special election was never officially
canYassed and several months later
the supreme court OF our state de-
clared the election Illegal. The
governor at once called a special
session of the legislature at Oklah0-
ma City and by vote OF that body
the capital was located in thatcity.
the citizens renewing their promises
in a written contract, OF a million
dollar capital building, payment of
moving expenses and free rentals.
The capital is now at Oklahoma
City simply by legislative act and
not by the vote OF the people, sub
ject TO being moved by the legisla-
ture or the people at any time. Guth-
rie now asks the people of the state
TO settle the matter permanently
Under written agreement with the
legislature, oklahoma City was to
begin on July J., 1910, TO pay $4,000
each month to the state and con-
tinue these payments until million
dollars had been paid Not a single
dollar Of this has ever been paid
and in March. 1919, the attorney
general OF the state held that the
contract had not been complied with
and was no longer in any way bind
ing on the state Their bond OF
SI00 GOO given for fulfllment of their
contract was forfeited and has nev-
er been paid Their agreement TO
furnish free rentals has never been
kept and the state is now obliged
to pay over $4,000 n year in rents
Their promise 90 pay the moving
expenses was like all the rest OF
their promises and the Taxpayers
paid these bills as well as the fees
OF the attorneys employed to try ana
hold the capital in oklahoma CITY
on an Illegal action, After the at
torney general ruled that the con
tract with the state had been VIC
lated by Oklahoma City and was no
longer binding the citizens OF Gath
RE on the solicitation of people from
all parts Of the state and TO right
a wrong done them and the state,
prepared the initiative petition Ice
eating the capital permanently az
and ID was signed by 5l,49!s
voters, over IA 600 more than thH
number required by law. IN com,
parisOn with Oklahoma City's action1
calling for a special election at y
cost of 100000 to the taxpayers al
a time when every farmer was busY
and only able to go to the polls az
a sacrifice and also special session
of the legislature at an additionai
expense of $4,000. is Guthrie's pc,
tition submitting the matter TO thS
general election then every voterf
will he at the polls and entaining not
a single dollar Of additional expense.
Oklahoma city's offer.
Oklahoma City now offers in place,
Of he million dollar capital, and the,
moving expenses, $10J.00l and G50l
acres OF land scattered all over the.
northeast part OF oklahoma county.
the most valuable part Of which is
in litigation and that where theY,
wish to locate the capital, being In
so that no title can be-
made on it. The residue Of this G5a
acres is in small tracts and the Of;
fetal state abstracters found about
200 defects IN the titles to thes4
various tracts.
The committee which put this land
in the hands Of lee Cruce, as q
private individual acting as theie
trustee valued It at s1,400000 buH
r. II. Gardner, before the statef