The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-03-18

Inc lullh Iuudl p'NFN'Ns
voter in Oklahoma primarily are re-
sDonslble Tor the high taxes in mis-
state.
Democracy stands in the open and
with uncovered heads, beaFs every
burden that properly belongs there,
but DO object to charging the dem
ocra,ic party or any party wiki re-
-ponsibnties it does not own
Do sou know that mere IN Okla
noma city this year upon the III
creased value Of all Of the property
rs fixed BIZ tho state board OF equa!I-
cation, in order TO pay the interest
on your bonded debt and TO proyid"
q sinking fund TO ultimately pay or
that debt, it required levy Of 3.5
mills?
Twice as much money is being
gathered in Oklahoma city 20 pay
interest and sinking funds on MONEY
YOU already have spent, as is gath
cred h.re for all purposes Of s'a'c
government, if there had been no
raise in values here by the state-board
OF equalization it would have been
necessary for you 10 have Increased
the rate Of levy 70 7.G mills IN order
~ meet this fixed charge against n"
people Of Oklahoma City
II you have your magniticienii"
paved streets, your splendid water
works system, and all these modern
conyen.ences yon must pay for them
If the state Of Oklahoma persists in
doing in three, four and five years,
ahat older commonwealths have TAX
en -, % and 100 years to accom-
plsh, We shall have 70 bear the bur
Gens.
You talk Of your tax burdens, and
yet you 90 on piling mp your debts,
.o'ing more bonds.
lIft HIHhI'u anu H'N 'h'' -
dollars ls the amount OF money YOU
Oklahoma city people pay for inter
est and sinking fund, not one penny
Of which can be used to run Your
government.
believe that one-half Of the taxes
Ina. the people OF Oklahoma are pay
lng are taxes that they have voted
upon themselves in the form OF bond
.ssnes Of every character.
There are two ways to correct this
. condition one is 70 stop the outlav
o, money you are voting upon your
selves. and you alone can accomplish Il
this. and the other is TO elect to
office only such men as will honestly
administer the affairs OF the people
when elected.
In the approaching election your
ballor VIII determine the type oi
men who will administer your local
affairs for the next two years; the
members of the legislature, who Will
deal with state affairs also will be
Of your choosing. If you get incompe-
tent men, it will be, in large measure,
your own fault.
Another way YOU can materially re.
duce the cost of government in this
state is TO reduce the number of men
ppon the official payroll ! believe
in and stand for reduction of oft
cials in oklahoma, both state, coun
tv and local
l. seems 10 be a wcll-se.tlcd con
yictiou among officeholders that
when they are once placed upon the
payroll il is 10 be a permanent thing
and YOU can hardly get them off
without cutting off their heads. Wher
-ou undertake to pass legislation that
will put man out Of Office he
feels that you are doing him a per
sonal injury
! would begin the reduction of 10
cal officials by abolshing every town
ship office in the state. would con
golidatc the offices of county clerk
and register of deeds and possibly
district clerk especially in the small
o. counties, and | would consolidate
other Offices MS far as possible.
There hardly is to he found in state
or county any office where the tota'
number OF assistants and deputies
permitted by law. are not employed
The trouble is that too many oI
orr county officials, instead of dis
charging the duties they were elected
10 discharge. sit up in their offices
look wise, draw their salaries, and
employ deputies to do the work the,
themselves We're elected and expect
ed 10 do.
To- - l.