The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-03-08
APPEAL TO VOTERS
As FINAL RESORT
Statewide Taxation League viii First
Ask Legislature For Relief
Callahan Present.

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changes in the fundamental laws and
statutes of Oklahoma to be secured
from the legislature if possible and
resort to the initiative and referendum
if that should fail, will be the policy
of the Citizens Protective League of
Oklahoma ~ given out by Charles F.
Colcord, president of the organization
at it's statewide mass-meeting held
Tuesday afternoon at the Lyric the
ater.
The assertion that this policy will
be followed was made by Mr.. Colcord
in addressing the audience of more
than 500 men present. He stated that
the present conditions are due to laws
rather than to officials, and that rad
ical changes in the fundamental stat
utes will be necessary before perma-
nent relief can be secured.
1t also was the unanimous sentiment
of the meeting that this relief shall be
secured through any political party
that is in power and whose candidates
will stand for economy in the conduct
of the government not only of the
state of Oklahoma, but every county,
township and municipality and school
district.
The speakers were Seymour C. Hey
man, prominent booster of Oklahoma
City; Dan w. Hogan, president of the
Farmers National bank; J. Y. Gala
han of Enid, president of the Garfield
lsCounty Taxpayers association, and
Charles F. Colcord of Oklahoma City,
president of the association. The ad-
dresses were followed by member
ship campaign, in which the list of
names on the rolls of the association
were increased to approximately 200,
and assurances were given that num-
ber of county organizations will join
bodily in the near future.
Callahan's Speech.
Mr.. Callahan of Enid, as he put it,
almost read himself out of the demo
cratic party" in his address, by stat
ing that the tax question in this state
is bigger than party lines and that the
people now must look to the city,
county and state Office candidates who
promise the relief demanded rather
than consider political alignments
when they go to the polls to cast their
votes
when | say the announcement in
the Sunday Oklahoman of this meet
ing, at once called a meeting of the
Garfield County Taxpayers associa-
ton, Of which l am president, and we
decided to send delegation to the
meeting" said Callahan, and | was
selected to come and if l found that
the movement was taking the proper
form was given authority to assure
you that the entire association in my
county which has more than 1000
members, will join the state associa-
ton bodily.
"One suggestion | want to make is
( that aspirants for political offices as
we'll as all public Office holders should
be barred from membership in this
organization. 1t should not be pos
sible for any Office seekers to ride the
association into the place they seek.
THE first thing this league should
do is to elect the next legislature,
without taking part in politics, Then
work through county commissioners
arc get busy with the county attor-
neys. The members of this organiza-
ton should vote for those candidates
to the next legislature who will pledge
themselves to retrenchment and econ
omy and to get rid of a lot of uneless
offices and present forms of expendi-
ture. What we want is results, and
we must get them through the officers
who will give them to us without re-
gard to political parties The politi-
clans have grabbed this state and are
gone with 1t, and 1t is up 10 DOtn OF
us as democrats and republicans to
recover our domain and secure the de-
sired relief. Political parties are a
mere means to an end, which in this
case is good government"
Fault of Laws.
In his address, s. C. Heyman urged
every person present to join the asso-
citation. He said that his position as
president of the Oklahoma City board
of education barred him, but that he
would be rid of that position within
short time, and then he would join.
This was taken to mean that he will
not be candidate for reelection as
a member of the board. Since becomI-
ing a member of the board he stated,