The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-07-15
OWEN TALKS Of
CAMPAIGN ISSUE
IN SPEECH HERE
oubernatorlai Candidate Met by
Chamber of Commerce Commit
tee; Supporter Of Wilson Pre-
sides at Local Meeting.
LACK OF RESPECT OF
LAW ONE DEFECT, SAYS
Improvement OF Highways, One Of
Planks; Would Amend Road
Law; Touches on Parole; He
outlines His Policies.

Arriving on the Rock Island from
the west this morning at 1880. his
train being 20 minutes late. and met
at the station by Chamber OF Com.
merce delegation. Judge Thomas II.
owen. candidate for the democratic
nomination for governor. was taken
Immediately 10 the Sugg theatre
where he was scheduled TO speak.
The meeting was presided over by
VI. II. shepard, chairman OF the
democratic county committee and a
strong supporter OF Bob Wilson. who
presented Alger Melton. the latter
introducing the speaker
Discussion OF the issues Ia the
campaign, outlining a number OF
planks In his platform and some
brief comment upon the candidates.
of II. II. Wilson and ]. c. Walton
constituted the speech made by the
Muskogee attorne yand jurlst.
Lack of respect Of law and order
is one of the defects of our citizen
ship. the speaker said. If elected
governor, Judge Own said, he would
endeavor TO arouse better respect for
law and law enforcement and would
refuse to patrol any convict un.ess
such action was sanctioned by local
law enforcement nihsrties.
Would Amend Road Law.
Improvement of the public high
ways and an amendment 20 the state
road law are favored by Judge Owen
he declared in his speech here to-
day. lie would materially decrease
the functions of the state highway
department by adding to the duties
of the sherlffs of each county the
task of collecting the automobile tax
and distributing the automobile IL
cense tags. The present plan OF dis
tributing the tax through the state
highway is extravagant and unsatis-
factory, he declared
Eight per cent of the automobile
tax money collected in the state is
required to maintain state highway
department, according to the speak
er, Under the plan proposed by Mr..
Owen, the cost would be decreased
to two per cent he said
Mileage Tax Proposed.
To place the state schools on
milage tax is favored by the Mus
kogee gubernatorial aspirant, he
told his Chickasha audience. He de-
clared that certain amount of taxes
should be set apart each year for
the maintenance OF the state schools
and colleges. The budget system
should be employed in maintaining
the schools, he said Get the schools
out of politics" was one Of his plans"
A tax commission also was pro-
posed by Judge Owen. The appoint
ment of such a commission, he as
serted, would result of much more
property being placed on the tax
rolls. This commission, he said,
would perform for the state duties
similar to those performed for the
counties by the county assessor
There is much property which has
never appeared on the tax rolls, he
asserted.
Text Books Discussed.
Discussion of the state text books
constituted an important part OF the
judges speech here. Take the
school books out of petty politics"
he said. This assertion was greeted
by loud applause. state school
books have been used as football
of politics." he declared Mr.. Owen
stated that he would remove all
elective officers from the state
school book commission.
Judge Owen severely criticised the
placing of advertisements in the text
books adopted for use in this state.
State house employees are instruct
ed to work and support Mr. Wilson
for governor and because one GER
tain employe at the capital announc-
ed that she intended to vote for
Owen, she lost her job, the speaker
declared. These employees, Mr..
Owen said, were instructed to work
for and distribute Wilson literature
while they are off on their vacation.
Two men who are now employed
in the state school land department