Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1914-09-18

property during the seven years of
Republican administration would
have paid s4.54 and during the sew
en- years Of Democratic administra-
tion he would have paid s1.25 state
taxes. The voters win observe that
the state tax under the Democratic
rule is not a big tax. There are a
great many cities in the state that
have levied for city purposes more
taxes to carry on the city government
for a year that the, state board has
levied to carry on the state govern
ment for seven years. When sub
jected to the cold, hard, facts, as
shown by the official records, the
Republican charges Of extravagance
in Oklahoma evaporates.
Either the Democrats have been
economical or the Republicans were
very extravangant. John Fields can
take whichever horn of the dilemma
he prefers and If he will tell the truth
he win find it very difficult to main
tain his position.
The Republican party in general
and John Fields in particular, are
asking the voters of this state to en-
trust them with the management of
the state government to the end hat
they may enact a pure primary cleo
ton law. The Democratic party has
been trying for several years to inn
prove upon the primary law. and it
is conceded by all fair minded men
that the law is so stringent that any
crookedness in the count is an inn
possibility and that part of the cleo
ton law that needs fixing is the part
that will prevent members of a
party voting the ticket Of another
party at the primary election.
The democratic platform puts the
party on record as favoring a change
in this particular. and also adding
the preferential feature to the pri-
mary law. The Republican party
has gone on record as favoring mid
night star chamber nominations en-
dorsed in defiance of any primary ell
ection law by the followers of the old
carpet baggers who controlled this
state before statehood. They had
the opportunity of nominating their
ticket according to law but they chose
to select John Fields and the other
Republican nominees in absolute de-
fiance of every primary law of this
state. Should those who premeditate
ly and persistently defy the law be
placed in charge of making the law?
Are they sincere in demanding a pure
law when they have sought to annul
the purest and best features of our
election law?
The Oklahoma City Times, as well
as some other partisan republican
papers in the state are charging thai
there was illegal voting during th'
primary election, and that the demo
cratic party was corrupt in its cleo
tion machinery.
The only big steal that has eve
: been pulled off in Oklahoma wa
: prior to statehood, and these Repub
lican editors well remember whel
: Democrats were counted out of of
flee by the various Republican elec
!. tion boards. Having practiced dis
honesty and corruption themselves, /
is but natural that they should sus
; pect everybody else, and the fact o
the case is there was some dishones
voting during the primary election
There was no illegal counting an
the only Illegal votes were those cas-
by Republicans and Socialists VIII
forced themselves into the democrat
= ic primary for the purpose of helpin
= to elect some weak candidate wheT
they thought it would be possible I
u defeat in the general election.
u would seem just little bit incon
y sistent on the part OF this partisa
- press to blame the Democratic part
: for violation of the election law ths
they themselves had caused.
m In the State Convention held {
" Oklahoma City. on Tuesday, Septen
.e ber 8, in accepting the permaner
l. Chairmanship of the Convention,
m B. A. Robertson, the closest opponeI
m of Hon. r. L. Williams as nomine
for Governor, made a strong pleas
behalf Of Judge Williams and IL
Democratic ticket. He said that n
man in the state was better fitted
lead the Democratic forces of Okl,
hamo than was Judge Williams, an
that vote for any other candidai
would be vote for the disapproy
8 Of the National administration an