The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1914-10-08

: been one tndt lS cOnuuclVo 10 oratof,
It Rather | have been in position fo
n the last three years that has made
o necessary and given me an opportun
ity to study state government an
/ finances
I | am asking for a position that wi
3 continue me in that work. AS yo
know / am the democratic nomine
for state auditor. However. shal
D not discuss that with you tonight, ex
! cept to say. that after you have elect
1 ed me to that position. ] promise yo
r that in the discharge OF It's duties
, shall adhere strictly to the law an,
the principles OF honesty. econom.
} and efficiency.
want to talk with you Just tn
same IS you and I would gathe
around the fire in winter and discus
matters that interested us. canno
talk with a flow of oratory, but / cal
tell you some truths about state gov.
ernment.
i When discussing these things.
must necessarily talk with you abou
democracy and Oklahoma State Gov
ernment.
Oklahoma State Government.
These two items are synonymous
and l could not talk 1f one without
referring to the other. and here
might add that democracy and state
government in Oklahoma will remain
| synonymous
Before proceeding further. however
l desire to predicate my talk upor
the basis that neither from a national
state or county standpoint Is there
any reason. for any citizen, be he a
republican, progressive or democrat
voting the standpat republican ticke,
| In Oklahoma this fall With this un-
derstanding let us look into the real
facts
The standpat republicans, headed
py John Fields. are making a cam
paiSn In Oklahoma, asking the yot-
ers for their support. making mislead-
ing statements, not talking from the
records. talking of extrayagance
without pointing out a single In
stance; talking of graft without a
vestige of proof and asking that they
be elected to office In order that they
may see the books.
assert TO you that they do not
want to see the books, they would
run from an opportunity tonight to
see those books faster than would A
Georgia negro from hot days work
In the torrid zone on the fourth day
or July 1t is not the books they
want to see.
Now listen. the first thing we will
discuss Is their desire to see the books
and In answer to this / send word
through you to them that on behalf of
every democratic department and in
stitution we invite them to come and
see the books.
Further than that | am going here
TO open up the books to you, as tax
payers, and in doing so | invite tho
criticism OF every republican politi-
clan and tho deepest consideration of
the facts by every citizen, be he DEM
ocrat. republican. progressive or So
ciaiist
Now as Mr.. Fields is the candidate
OF this bunch of standpat republicans
and as he is going over the state
talking about democratic extrnva-
gance and republican economy, | ask
YOU to look up the records with me
and make up your own mind. | told
you that was going to discuss these
matters from the records. This / am
doing. and l have these records here
for your inspection.
But let us see what they show The
ether day. being desirous of giving 10
the people of this state the truth. II
Il
extracted the following facts: Among
other things which l found, all of
them denoting extravagance under re-
publican rule during territorial days.
was that on April 30. 1900 John n.
Burford, then Chief justice OF the SUI
preme court of Oklahoma territory,
now the nominee on the standpat re-
publican tickets for United States SEN
ator. who is going over the state talk
ing OF democratic extravagance. ap- |
proved a bill for the State Capital
Printing comTany Of which Frank n. |
Greer, who acted as secretary of this
standpat preferential convention was
for printing 100 volumes OF 4
supreme court reports No in the /
sum of $4,000. A little further refer
ence to the records show that under
date OF August 13, 1914, the democratic
allowed the Warden
Printing company. of Oklahoma City,
for publishing 1900 copies of Volume
No. 40. volume composed of a like
number OF pages, printed on the same
stock. on exact duplicate OF the one
paid for by Mr.. Burford the sum of
Sl.l6 per volume. Further investiga-
,ion shows that not only was this price
Of 50 per volume paid Mr.. Greer for
Volume No. 9. but that for years
previous statehood s3 per volume was
the standard price paid by the repub-
leans, all of which was paid TO this
same Mr. Greer.
A little further research reveals the
TACT that on May &c. 1899, a repub-
lean secretary OF Oklahoma territory
allowed 10 this same State Capital
Printing company for printing $50
rolumes or the Session Laws OF 1899
he sum OF i225 per volume. This
volume contained 264 pages.
An examination OF the present con-
Hilton OF Affairs shows that on Aug
lst s. 1918. a democratic administra-
ion paid TO the Cooperative Publish
ng company OF Guthrie, Oklahoma.
he sum OF 75c per volume for pub
ishins the Session Laws OF 1918. This I
7olume contained $50 pages. II
Looking further we find that In 1906 :
/ republican administration allowed to !
he same state Capitol Printing COM |
amy the sum OF i.1o0 for 100 sets OF :
he Revised and Annotated Statutes /
" Oklahoma
A comparison with the conditions OF {
.oday under democratic rule shows I
hat In 1911 the democratic admins I
ration had printed the Annotated {
avs OF oklahoma for $40 per vol Z
lmo. {
A little further on We discover hat ]
lnder the date OF January % o6. {
hey paid 10 the state Capitol Prin --ng I
ompany for printing briefs the sum I
Z 81 per Page.
A look into the records show that on I
uly Is. 1914. under democratic admin {
stration. there was paid the Oklaho-