Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-02-27


Good roads is the crying need of
Oklahoma TO-DAY. Her Industries are
handicapped, the development of her
agricultural resources are retarded
through the lack of them. | think
the state should establish a state
highway from north to south across
The eastern portion of the state; one
from north to south across the west
ern portion of the state, and one from
east to west across the central portion
of the state, and these highways
should be rock roads. constructed and
maintained by the state with convict
labor The turnpike is the best and
only lasting highway. Other states
are using their convicts In this way
and are becoming noted for their
splendid highways and the rapid de-
velopment of their resources. Not
only this, but II improves and bcne-
fits the convict himself He is given
labor in the open fresh air which is
to his betterment, both physically
and morally. and ! trust that II you
do see you way clear to call a special
session that you will give the legisla
ture an opportunity to SO amend the
road law that such system may be
put In operation In oklahoma. II is
true that the maintenance of our
penal institution is costing the state
On enormous amount Of money. while
there are other states In the union OPP
Grating under "A system which brings
great benefits to the public gener-
ally and makes the penal institution
almost, If not entirely. solf-support-
Ing. This condition should be brought
about in Oklahoma. am inclined to
favor the establishment of some man
ufacturing plant In the pcnitentinry
to give employment to the conVicts at
such times as they cannot be used on
the state highways.
System of Taxation.
our system of taxation needs re-
vision and rcmodellng. The develop |
ment of this state, both agriculturally |
and in manufacturing industries. has |
been greatly retarded because Of the !
inequities and uncertainties Of our
system of taxation. Large amounts of |
capital will never come into Okla |
homa so lorG as we pursue the course |
pursued in the past of eXtorting from |
some one class of property or invest |
ment mere taxes than from some |
ether. The legislature might, as the |
last one did, pass law exempting |
some manufacturing industries for the |
purpose of inducing them 10 locate in |
the state. and the next Legislature or
the next might turn upon that in |
dustry with . newly devised scheme |
of taxation whereby the business |
would be so heavily taxed as to more |
than make up for the loss Of taxes |
during the period of exemption. IT |
might he well. in my Judgment. to |
have tax commission in this state, |
at least there oupht to I've some in |
telligent investigation of the subject |
of taxation for tho purpose of sub
mitting a report 10 the next regular |
session Of the legislature upon which |
to base future legislation on that sub
ject.
Since the supreme court has held |
the gross production tax on oil valid |
md constitutional. there ought to be
some amendment Of that law to take |
away its inequities so as to make the |
taxes on this industry which is one |
of the largest in the state. less bur-
densome and the tax paid by il more |
uniform and equal with that paid by |
other businesses and other classes Of
property. and inasmuch as this tax |
on oil produces such a large revenue |
to the state. and comes from only a |
small portion of the state, at least a |
small portion of it should be expend- |
ed in the interest of that industry |
and that portion of the state pro-
ducing 1t. For instance. in the build |
ing of roads and bridges or in some |
other way directly henefiting that in |
dustry and the section of the state |
producing the revenue. II occurs to
me that it might he well for the state
out of part Of this gross production
tax to establish and maintain an ox-
perimental oil refinery. in the opera
tion of which many conVicts could be
used. The state has a large acreage
of oil producing school lands from
which ii is receiving large quantity |
of oil royalty. This royalty is sole on
an arbitrary market. fixed and main
tanned by the most gigantic monopoly
that ever existed in this country. I |
remember at one time during the past
summer when the state authorities
recommended the sale of ROYALTY oil
from the river-bed leases in the Cush-
ing field at 20 cents per barrel; oil
which at that time had an intrinsic
value of not less than SIS per bar
rel The state and the several coun-
ties and subdivisions of the state
need large quantities of gasoline and
crude oil for the operation of road
tractors and other kinds of power
used in public work, and the crude
oil for use on the highways.
Oil Secrets.
The refining interest both the
standard and Independent. do not
give to the public the benefit of their
experience in testing the various
grades of oil and determining the
by-products that may be produced
therefrom. They treasure this infor-
nation as business secret. and the
people of the state generally do not
know whether 20 cents a gallon for
gasoline is u fair price to pay when
crude oil is selling on the market for
81 per barrel nod do they know
whether kerosene at IL cents per gal
Ion is n fair price to pay when crude
oil is selling on the market at 40
cents per barrel. and | suggest that
an experimental oil refinery con-
operated and maintained by
the state out of a part of the funds
raised by the gross revenue tax on oil
would rebound TO tho great benefit
of the state and its citizens. The
state would realize more from its oil
royalty. would obtain gasoline and
crude oil for road and power pur-
poses at a great deal less than it now
costs. The state would gain infor-
nation through eNppriment which IL