The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-11-14
Building Company from any further

dispose OF them as the Legislature may
direct The hundred thousand dollars
Is 70 become the property OF the state.
The cash payment, Immediately after
its receipt By me, was deposited IN
three banks in Oklahoma City ana las
been drawing interest at the rate u
three per cent sincs about the first Of
June, 1912.
/ recommend 20 the Legislature lat
IL accept this proposition and make
an appropriation 70 90 forward With
the building Of a capitol The site nat
IL proposed for capitol purposes is me
we'll suited 10 the location OF cur state
buildings. By proper handling OF -ls
lands donated more money can be real.
lied 20 the state than would have been
possible 70 have realized had the sam.
been sold according TO the terms OF ls
original contract; and by the legisa. A.
ture accepting this proposition and
taking hold OF the matter and hand.
ling il in a business way, We will come
nearer procuring FOR the people Of *
lahoma a free capitol than could ha~s
been done under he proposition ag e i
70 By the former legislature.
I recommend also that the legisa-
ture make an appropriation sufficient
large 10 build state capitol such ls
will meet the requirements or the
state, and that II arrange for the .s-
suauce and sale Of bonds, bearing not
more than four per cent interest, ne
proceeds Of which are TO be used !
the erection Of the building. Il is /
matter OF good business 10 proceed
without further delay. At present the
state departments are scattered al
over Oklahoma City, and the best ser
vice cannot be rendered 10 the pel-
pie under these conditions. The GLes-
ton Of rentals Is an important item
for consideration, and until We ha :
erected and furnished a state capico4
this burden viii be an added load 70
the people
REINFORCEMENT
It becomes the duty Of this legisla.
ture to redistrict the state Of Oklaho-
ma for congressional purposes
TAX PENALTIES.
A most inexcusable outrage being
perpetrated upon the taxpayers OF
Oklahoma under the guise Of law is
the exorbirant and usurious penalty
imposed for the non-payment OF tax
es. Oklahoma has loaned millions OF
dollars OF money at five per cent IN
terest. When it settles one Of it's OBJ
legations in the form OF warrant.
the warrant only draws six per cent
interest. We have gone further. and
in our law provide that no individual
or corporation losning money or e1-
tending credit can, without incurring
severe penalty, collect greater rate
Of interest than ten per cent, and yet
this state violates the very essence and
spirit of this law and INDUCES in the
most heartless species Of usury when
1t compels the taxpayers, who are so
unfortunate as not to have the ready
cash to pay their taxes with when
the time for their payment is due, to
pay a penalty of eighteen per cent
| recommend that you reduce the
penalty not to exceed ten per cent
The history Of damage suits shows
that only about one-half of the money
paid by corporations for personal in.
Jury inflicted upon employees finds its
way into the hands of the injured
party, or in the event OF his death.
into the hands Of those to whom the
compensation should go.
Certainly modern civilization can
devise a better plan for settling these
differences between employer and
employee Several OF the states ot
the Union have adopted 8 Workman's
Compensation Act, which undertakes
definitely to assess the amount Of
damages 70 be received in cases OF
personal injury and death; the
amount to be governed by the extent
Of the injury. This act IS working
satisfactorily both to employer and en-
ployee in the states tia. have adop-
ted it. The only one who has suffered
loss by reason Of the adoption of this
act is the attorney who formerly rep
resented the plaintiff in damage suits
It can hardly be cOnteEdei that Re is
entitled TO consideration at the hands
OF the legislature in 4 matter OF this
kind.
I recommend that you give to the
people law upon the subject, framed
with the view OF dealing out absolute
justice 'p the Cc plOyer and employees
alike, based upon the experience
gained from other states in the
Union that have adopted such a meas
ure.
In this message l have gone very
mych into detail, believing it 20 be
the duty Of the governor to furnish
whatever support he can iii the way
Of statement ana argument in refer.
ence TO the recon melds Cious made. I
have not Undertaken 10 'oLCh all os
the subjects that you will probably
legislate uIa'n. | h&,a dea't opy wita
those that | consider the most lmpor.
tant The recommendations | have
made in many instances have been
recommendations | would not have
made two years ago. At that time
my experience with government was
that Of the average citizen Who gath.
ers his experience rather as a SPEC.
tator than as an actual participant
In governmental affairs. Two wears
OF close application and study of the
problems OF government have wrought
many changes in my ideas. What I
have avocated in this message TO YOU
Is what | candidly and honestly be-
lieve should be enacted into laws and