The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-09-01

Wnicn tue conrNifuf'tH"a ~ ~ -
had lrrevocablya accepted, the qu~
ton of the location OF the capltai OF
the state was voted upon' Okiano-
ma City by her Official representa-
tives declared before the eiectoh
that the enabling act would be com
nlled with and the capital not he
moved until 1913 and that In the
meantime they would build free for
Inc state million dollaf capital
bpildlng and would also pay -
paoylng EXPENSES. The pretended re-
6euH Of his special election ssFa an
>nnunced on the night OF 'T IL,
Saveral hours after the pol& cioseu
ann before the count was completed
or certified In majority OF the pre-
cIncts of the state. and In open Vio-
lation OF pledges made 10 the people
the capital was located In tnat tiv'
f,jtv that night The vote or tnis
snqcial election was never onrlahy
canyassed and several months later
fSe supreme court OF our state ue'
claved the election illegal. Inc
coyernor at once called speciai
session of the legislature az Oklaho'
mn CIty and hy a vote ot that body
,ho canital was located in thatclS,
,oa citizens renewing their promises
1, WRITTEN contract. Of million
dollar capital building, paymen, OF
moving expenses and free rentais'
The capital Is now at Oklahoma
rlty simply by legislative act nu
MI nv the vote of the people. SUB
iact 10 being moved nv the leglsia'
fnre or the people at any time Gu'h
,ia now asks the people OF the state
II oehtle the matter permanently
ITnder written agreement with the
,acislaaure. ualahona City was to
berin on July /. 1910, to pay s2o,ooo
each month to the state ana con
time these payments Until a million
dollars had been paid Not o single
dollar, OF this has ever been paid
and m March. 4912. the attorney
paneral of the state held that the
contract had not been complied win
and was no logger in any way bind
INV IN the state. Their bond OF
sIoc 000 piyen for fulfillment OF their
contract was forfeited ana mas heN-
or been paid. Their agreement ~
furnish free rentals has never peen
kent and the state IL now oDiigeo
to nay over $4,000 year in rents.
Their promise to pay the moving
expenses was like all the rest OF
their PROMISES and The taxpayers
maid these bills as we'll as the fees
or the attorneys employed to try ana
hold the capital III Oklahoma City
ON an illegal action. After the al
torney general ruled that the con-
tract with the state had been vio-
lated by Oklahoma City and was no
longer binding the citizens OF Gufh-
rie. on the solicitation of people from
ali parts OF the state and TO right
wrong done them and the state,
prepared the initiative petition lcs
eating the capital permanently a
Gllthrie and II was signed by bl,4sst
voters, over ld.0U0 more than thJ
number required by law IN coms
Iarison with Oklahoma Clty's actiorl
calling for q special election at n
cost OF 100000 TO the taxpayers az
a time when every farmer was busss
and only able 20 80 20 the polls au
~a.sacg lice and also 4 special session
of the legislature at an additionat
expense OF $4,000 Is Guthrie's peN
tition submitting the matter to tht
general election then every voteis
win be az the polls and entaining not
single dollar of additional expense
Oklahoma cItys Offer.
Oklahoma City now offers in place.
OF the million dollar capital, and the
moving expenses, $l0J000 and 65Os
acres of land scattered all over the,
northeast part OF Oklahoma county,
f.tA ~ which 4 Z
III litigation and that where they.
Wish TO locate the capital being IN
litigation, so that no title can be,
made on It, The residue of this Cots
acres Is in small tracts and the Of.
ficiaa state absuacters found about
300 defects in the titles TO thes' I
various tracts.
The committee which put this lanGs
II an the hands oil Lee Cruce. as "A
private individual acting as their
trustee valued 1t I'll $l,A00000 hNt
n. n Gardner, before the state;
board OF equiization, director of,
the Oklahoma city Chamber Of Coms
merce. while tcstifying swore that
s.the tract was not worth over $lsu,-I
0O0 ~
Fred Gum, president OF one of thH
y largest investment companies OF Ok
lahoma City testified thar as basis.
for loan the land was worth $l3,T
400 and as a speculation could non
be considered al over $4,000 anI
a Governor Cruce in a recent letteN
published states that the land woulG
\ become valuable II retained until ths
capitol was built, Where then is the
million or more dollars for capitos
ifsildinr 10 come from except out oS
the pockets Of the taxpayers ;
Guthrie's Offer.
The city of Guthrie offers TO the.
people OF the state. capitol squara
containing fourteen acres. upon.
which ii has buiit . convention hall
which was used by the state free for
ihe purpose Of capitol building,
and which cost sl5O.000 and around,
which il has paved and parked thee
streets ant improved the groundsi
making beautiful park. we'll set out
in shade trees and Bermuda grass.
These grounds located in the
heart OF the city which we're reseryf