The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-10-21


manner and form provided in the
Constitution, and that the Legis-
lature by enactment except whore
specially provided. the executive
( by administrative power, or the
court BY construction, may mot a.
ter, modify OF repeal The same BY
the excessive uso Of power,
though supported BY public sen
timent"
T The general public service corpora.
,ions OF the State (such as coTered by
Section 12a) pay their taxes with
money collected from tho public, and
Attorney General Freezing has well
said in referring to Section 12a:
Surely no one via deny that
the people may provide in tho Con-
stitution that the part of the Tux
which cones indirectly from all
tho people, shall be go distributed
thet all may have tho benefit Of
Just proportion 10 deny th4t
the people may accomplish The
purposc clearly intended 10y This
amendment and Wiser we sn-
oeroly believe is clearly expressed,
is 10 Geny the sovereignty OF he
pscpc"
Ihe Citizens OF every school district
IN Oklahoma contribute to the funds
which pay public service corporation
taxes for maintain ng common schools
ard every schoal district has the
same ri ht to bo use and benefit Of
Inc s2mo .hat tiey have TO share iu
Che intcrcsl collected upon our CONE
mon school fund or the rentals col
lected Uuon school lands iSec.ion3 -
and 3G)
II somebody undertook t1'aDportion
these icHt m0hes 20 tho p f,lclla'
sc'oo districts IN which the lend was
located wouldn't it cause q riot?
Tn platforms upcn which or pros.
ert Governor m7d1 his succ cssful cam.
pW Tot nomination said:
81 believe hat when a oonsti-
.utional amendment or an inidat-
e1 question has been duly sub.
iiited. and Iali1cd by the people
that It should he vitalized by the
Legislature, unless subsequently
rercaled by the efirmative action
OF tho vcterr This 10 the plain
mandate Of tho Constitution and
cannot be ignored without injury
to the integrity OF our Institutions,
and the spirit of our laws and
form Of cowernilent"
Thomas jefferson said:
Absolute asquiescence in the
decisions of the majority Is the
fundamental principle of repub-
lies"
One of the black spots upon Okla.
homa history is the reputation OF This
fundamental principle by the O}da
hCma Legislature This matter, by
Initiation, has been brought before the
voters Of the State for a final verdict.
A ''yes' vote upon this measure is q
vote to compel respect for and com.
oiiance with the will OF the people OF
OHahonia regularly and constitution.
ally EXPRESSED.
Prepared and submitted upon behalf
of citizens ~ Oklahoma who believe IN
popular gOvC nmCnf and who are vii.
ling TO 'acnuiesce I'm the decision OF
The majority repeatedly expressed,
Argument Opposing the Adoption OF
State Question No. SO.
Initiative Petition no. 67.
The Text of the Measure reads:
The proposed Bill Is for vitaliz.
ing "12A" Of the Constitution and
provides fOl he ioyying OF an an
nual tax upon the property OF
every railroad company, pipe Line
company, telegraph company, aud
upon the property of every public
service corporation which oper-
ates IN more than one county in
this state such tax to he equal (as
near as may be) to the average
rate OF tax levied upon other prop
erty in this state for like pur-
poses, and with the further pro-
vision that there shall be a per
capita return to each district based
upon the enumeration of such dis
trict The Dill also provides the
local districts from leyying for
their benefits, any school tax on
such public service corporations
within IT'S limits
TIE above measure Is for the pur,
pose OF yitalizmg and putting into ef
ect Section ia of the Constitution,
adopted 1y the people OF Oklahoma
August 5th, 1918, This matter hal
bson before every Legislature since
It's ratiicG Ion and their failure to act
i1vora 1iy can only BE- attributed TO an
extraordinary coalition. Various Leg,
islatufos chosen from the body of peo-
Fic, hayS viewed the yitalizat on unfa,
yorably and failed o adopt same.
When Section l2A was adopted,
there were but few school boards with.
in the state ANA but few people who
realized Jh0 fIll signidcance OF thu
measure Like many other questions
submitted 10 ln uu informed public d
was re piltgi o become a part OF tho
con- tc ion N2ny hundreds OF school
dia r'cta rs,pg from no o 95 per cent
OF their h01l taxes urkn0wlngly
voted t1. De- asufa upoa themaalves.
Nor F5 this Gt en- surprising It
waa a taE measure intricate IN rs
measure affecting every school dis.
tric' in Oklahoma No two school dts.
tric,s worc hhocted aliso 10 know
The iuil force ~ the measure, It wag
nocfgsa TO take The aysrag 60 taxable
valve CT the pu5hc service corpora.
oni OF the State. operating In moro
nan 0ue county, and apply the pro,
ceods ~ The Der capita population,
Soma ave thousand school districts In
tho state. Until this was done. tha
rlfeCt Of with iigiuu tine measure coutd