Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1918-08-02
the People tst 1t State Of Oklahoma:
/, rCl'sr :. 1918:

of q very warm primary
a' ,,nr There are a great many
i" .i .l. ,iror with which each one Is
t.. for your support may make
H' ..... is nothing to this campaign
"' iuhitiun of the men who want
'H' .n.. however, is not true. AS a
qytrH'. ''' ,,.,. .,,.. +.
g., my opinion there Is more to
,,.,,ly apart from the personality
N"'" ,.... ~, to be- nominated than there
"'' ,,..,ious campaign for Governor
,,,,, m hi. campaign that IL deliberate
,.,ur made to secure control Of the gov.
mi. .tt, by "a special interest for per.
,,,r,,d reasons, and that this plan in
several other things the nomination
m,,,. far Governor who will be able to put
inf. ,tiNt il he Is nominated and
,n, h,.,i,,. this campaign is so well or
-. ,h, managed and so thoroughly finan-
stand, . sosni chance to succeed unless
-. If oklahoma awake to the danger and
il by their votes.
n,-. -. ,ific. believe that the oil inter
,;s s,o,.. nave determined to seize this
u,sr w. .t,"ntion of the people Is turned
4. ,bs vAr. and when the cry, Down with
meets uith ready response in the public
IA null OF -umething that they could not
,o io und..r ordinary conditions, that is, get
II n; this rn,.rnment, secure legislation salts
m th,-a and perhaps. fasten their control
,,s oil la,..~ r.mainng in the control of the
! ,hinh his plan includes the nomination
h 4 Robertson for Governor.
Wan, ..il 10 forget that am a candidate
oyern.r s,. .xamine with me some facts
lead ~ ,. h"li,ve what have just said
Th,. production tax of this Slate col
forth. .... JUS, ended amounted TO $3.
u, d" T'..t IS ON IA 3 per cent basis. The oil
|hay, ,l., g. reduce this to per cent and
(a,l ',' ,,ut is what il ought to be. Such
fp.-iaa o. irr cent would mean a saving to
hi rru!..,. of Sl.2S7.031 .95 or more each
Tia ...t.,"nt reason to make the oil OPP
r. Nt'' ..iucr the tax and to do whatever
|,.>i'. ...' it reduced.
o. o.. 'urtl 30 companies paid 81 $780,
j y . t,t cent reduction would mean to
Ga o..... .4,. an annual saving of $626.67S..
rh. ,..'' '.~ a very satisfactory reason for
|al a',..'. upon the part Of these 80 com
> to -,' ',tt 'aN reduction.
t@ ,o' .'t.- paid sl.l4S.i61.33, One per
Of thr.' companies is $3S2.S20.4i an
= Til" pani"s known to be owned by iva
p, .. '. - to-wi,. the Standard and tn.
IN group ia S>"S.4S6.14; I am unable to
oN a'.. b PAID by companies owned by them
OF p.' .'. iunwn 4 reduction of 1 per cent
IN ".I.. .'iu 500. ?.iaj3S annually. think
% = h'"' tifIci"nt motive for these men to
~ =" 90 ..r.di game nt this time to attempt
lur ti ~
} Ms ''..t reason is the series of advertise
'ha' Ing run by the Mid Continent Oil
: A. If you have not read these ad-
'M'''' hould They are an open appeal
n'"'.' 'hr state to remove from a total of
!" "f oil and gas. a burden of taxa
~ "-"''. 80 Sl21N,03 "a annually. 40 per
i NN pid by 80 concerns. 30 per cent
i'H 4. : by II concerns. and II per cent
'h ny TWO groups of people. and plac"
J. ~" ''''"rs Of the 1000 900 of this State.
-...' "n'S ar" bcing widely distributed
IT, 'h'N~andS Of dollars. They ask that
"l' .' state nominate and elect officers
lNi ''S Of the legislature who are
F p" .. ii producers. This is conclusive
' u hos" oil producers are in politics
?" '' heir money in large sums.
'.' nth reason is the business cOnnec-
d'.'" F"h"rtSon. The firm OF Burford.
'>'A ''uan & Burford. OF which he is now
III" merely has been. but IS.--repre-
N".' aYnwn as the Standard Oil interests
S''' Th" companies owned by these in
'r"fi' s2l9.3o5.i5 annually. by So
''' cent reduction of the gross pro-
Z
IN reason is the gross production
jude" Rohertsons platform. Their"
iUction tax issue in Oklahoma un-
'-pn raised II When he did rais'
'. his language:
~ ~ whether or not this arbi-
'hr"o per cent is unjust and in
% high or too low, is a question
'in no adjusted hv n comparison
"'iun and rato of the tax levied
'S ~ property when this COM
'hanstively made. and the rate is
in"qnitahlo and higher than III"
>p"cics of property in oklahoma.
~ III" fairness Of the Legislature
." rate. If il cannot bo So shown.
mould remain as II Is. and every
"'iucrr will agree with this rea-
t''" that might have been unfair
-' may be fair now, and vice ver-