Oklahoma State Register. (Guthrie, Okla.), Vol. 17, No. 35, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 24, 1908 Page: 1 of 8
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GlvSTER
SEVENTEENTH YEAR NO. 35
XxUTHlllK, OKLA., THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 24, 19U8.
#1.00 PER YEAR
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/ Washington, Sept. 23.—President
Roosevelt tonight, following upon a
prolonged conference with the mem-
bers of the cabinet at the White
House, prepared and gave out his re-
ply to W. J. Bryan, the Democratic
candidate, relative to W. R. Hearst's
charges that Governor Haskell, treas-
urer of the Democratic campaign com-
mittee, bad represented Standard Oil
interests both in Ohio and Oklahoma.
Mi. Bryan bad demanded piool of
the charges, promising that in the
event of their substantiation Govern-
or Haskell would be eliminated from
the campaign.
Dismissing the Ohio case, which in-
volved an allegation of attempted
bribery, with the explanation that he
had made no direct charge against
Governor Haskell as regards that par-
ticular instance, President Roosevelt
takes up the matter of the Prairie Oil
£ Gas Company, and argues that Gov-
ernor Haskell's action in stopping le-
gal proceedings begun by the attor-
ney General of Oklahoma demon-
strates conclusively that hp was con-
trolled by the great corporation to
which the Oklahoma company was
subsidiary.
After contrasting Mr. Bryan's de-
fense of Governor Haskell as against
Judge Taft's repudiation of Senator
Foraker, in connection with the
Hearst charges against the Ohio sena-
tor, the President proceeds to declare
that Governor Haskell's "utter unfit-
ness fctr association with any man
anxious * to appeal to the American
people on a moral issue, has befell
abundantly shown by other acts of his
as governor of Oklahoma."
The President condemns Governor
Haskell's conduct In connection with
the various matters as disgraceful and
scandalous.
The latter portion of Mr. Roose-
velt's deliverance is devoted to criti-
cism of Air. Bryan's plan for regu-
the dissolution of the injunction made
in his name on behalf of the state be
fore a court of superior jurisdiction
to that which issued the injunction
in this the governor states that tin
acting governor, in his absence, had
asked that the hearing be postponed
until he, the governor, might return
and have an opportunity to inv sti-
nate the controversy. Tlie governoi
•ts forth in his petition that he i
the sole authority to di t ermine such
matters, and that the attorney gen-
eral and the judge of the lower court
had no right in the case, and ti :.t tin
action of the judge of the lower court
represented "an encroachment by tin
judiciary." The attorney general or-
dered that the dissolution of the in-
junction, stating that the Prairie Oil
& Gas Company was a foreign corpo-
ration, which had not accepted the
provisions of the constitution applica-
ble to such corporations, and that
without authority of the law it is em-
ploying a great force cf men and
teams to dig up, across and into vari-
ous highways of the state for the pur-
pose of laying its pi; r lines. The gov
ernor prevailed, the injunction v -
suspended, and the pipe line was p r-
mitted to continue I is work, to v
the words cf the attorn y g n ral
"without any color of law."
I call your attention to t;.e fa t that
lether
etlier the
alert to t;
attorney g
general I
revent, an
the question is not wnetner or no
the judge err d. or
junction wB3 proper
that the governor w
out of the hands of t
eral what the attori
was his sworn duty ti
leged instance cf the breaking of the
laws by tiiis particular great corpora-
tion
Maims >o Defense.
As far as I have seen Governor Has-
kell has not even attempted anything
which can be called n defense cf ti1' -
action cf his. it thus appears that his
lating the trusts, which he character- ' at tion was as inexcusable as it was
izes as a measure that sounds more wanton, except on the theory that in
radical than any advocated by the Re- j <1 f nee of the attorney general of the
publicans, but which in practice would si :le and at all hazards he intended
not work. Concluding. Mr. Roosevelt i'or some rea. on of his own to pro-
declares that no 1:■ v .Icfyii e corpo- , i ct ti.- Werest; of a great corpora-
ration has anything to fear from Mr. j tion against the law. It has been
Bryan "save what It would suffer suggested on his betuUt that, aft r all,
from the general paralysis of busi- ; lie did not favor the Standard Oil
ness," which would follow Democratic Company, but merely the I'rairie Oil
success. | & Gas Company. This claim is dis-
The President spent almost the en- posed of by the testimony of the
tire day in getting the letter In shape. Standard Oil Company itself, taken in
All hour was given this morning to the latter part of .907, In the suit
making a rough draft of it. which now ponding before the United" States
was submitted to Secretary Garfield court at St. Luis a. ainst the Stand-
and Postmaster General Meyer, both j ard Oil Company. In this testimony,
of whom made suggestions as to por- the Standard Oil Company, upon bu-
ttons of the communication. About 3 ing required by the gorerument to
o'clock this afternoon all the mem- put in a list of all companies in which
hers of the cabinet now in the city, it held stock, or in which Its subsid-
Secretaries Wilson, Straus, Wright, iary companies held stock, reported
Metcalf and Garfield and Postmaster jamong the others the Prairie Oil &
General Meyer, met with the Presi- Gas Company, total capital $10,000,000
dent in the cabinet room at the execu- of which the National Transit Com-
tive office for a conference on the sub- - pany's proportion was $9,909,500; and
ject. which lasted until after 5 o'clock, furthermore it appears that the Na-
T-vo hours were r< quired to make itonal Transit Company had a capital
certain minor changes before Secre- stock of $25,455,200, of which tile
tary l.oeb gave it to the press. j Standard Oil Company owned $25,-
Deeming the reply too long to be, 451,650. In other words, this Prairie
sent by wire, the me'.hod of cotnmunl- IOil & Gas Company was own ■! all
cation Mr! Bryan employed in his | except $500, by the National Transit
challenge to the President, it was for-| Company, and this National Trar.si
wai l, d by mail to the Democratic : c.mipany was owned, ail ivxc-pt al mt
candidate at Llncol^i. The letter fol- ?"4,500, by the Standard Oil Company.
©
SEVEIT^
HASKELL DEFIES KOOSE
BY COUNTER CHAKUES.
lows:
The White House. Washington,
Sept. 23. 1908,
Dear Sir: In your telegram you
speak of so much or the charge
against Governor Haskell as dealt
with his relations, while in Ohio, with
the Standard Oil Company. You omit
the charge an to his relations with
the Standard Oil interests, as shown
by his action while governor of Okla-
homa, this very s.unmef, this action
being in part taken while he was at
Denver, where, as sou state, he was
by your wish made chairman of the
committee which drafted the platform
upon which you are standing. In my
statement I purposely made no speci-
fic allusion to the Ohio matter, and
shall at this time m«::e none, in spite
of its significance, and In spite of the
further fact that Governor Haskell's
close relations with the Standard Oil
interests while he was in Ohio was a
matter of cninmon notoriety. In Ok-
lahoma It is a matter of court record.
By this court record It appears that
the attorney general of the state,
electcl by the people,-obtained an In-
junction to prevent the Prairie Oil &
Gas Company from building a pipe
line; and that Governor Haskell found
this out while he was at Denver, as
appears by the representations for
Foraker Once "In Itad."
Now, contrast your action in this
case of Governor Haskell with Mr.
Taft's action as regards S'. nator Fora-
ker, as set forth in his letter of July
I'll, 1907, which I quoted in my state-
ment. It was a matter of common
notoriety about Senator Foraker, as
't has long been a matter of common
notoriety about Governor Haskell,
that he was the defender and sup-
porter of certain great corporate in-
terests and therefore hostile to the
polic es for which the administration
lias stood. There was no such con-
vincing proof against Senator Fora-
ker at that time, however, as there
was against Governoi1 Haskell when,
as you say, he was, with your ap-
proval. made treasurer of your cam-
paign committee.
But Mr. Taft hus refused to be a
party to the renominatlon of Senator
Foraker, even though It was repre-
sented that only thus could he ad-
vance his own interests, showing by
actual deeds that his words were trui
when he said: "I do not care for the
presidency if it has to come u>- com-
promise with anyone on a matter of
principle." With a hundred fold
clearer evidence before you as to the
connection of Governor Haskell with
(Continued on l'age 8.)
Governor C. N. Haskell Wednesday
night issued a statement to the Asso-
ciated Press in reply to President
Roosevelt's letter to W. J. Bryan,
dealing with four specific charges
against Mr. Haskell, namely, that he
is subservient to Standard Oil, that he
vetoed a child labor law bill; that he
dealt extensively In (reek Indian
ands and that lie allowed politics to
lominate him in ti e removal of mem-
icrs of the faculty of tin . late uni-
ersity and the appoliumc ut of others
0 succeed them.
The statement in full f ilows:
To the A esoc'.ated Press:
President Rues veil s letter is b-
ore me and while this is the flr.-t
ime in m. life t at 1 have been ma !
he subject of a cabin t meeting. 1 am
hankful for t >:• distinction ai:-i i
•vish to cxpr '-s my :J 1 h regard for
he oil.ee of 1'ivsid r.t and my pro-
found respxt f..r t. i w.-iom i f our
fathers in mating it ;i ssible to change
the Dtcupa.it ci t: ai high oSU • tvoiy
four years v.- I i t , l ight grant .1
to a crov.n pr.n.e t- -uccecd the k.ng.
Must Kiioy. t:>f Trii.h.
I a.-,; rt t .at it ... fair for me to
■-ssume ti at .1 n'v case wa3 to b'
lignified by an a i d.y cabinet meet-
ing that beyond question Mr. Hearst
md his enmpa>a associates, l-esi-
it Roes- i it. 1 ft no ston? untu<-:r (
10 black-, n m. character. That being
'i u I icy < rtai.ily raited Oh'o i ire
me sit concerning ti - Ohio S irul'trd
011 c of :-. u and finding absolute-
y not..in? reflecting on me, the Presi-
dent tridi to waive his charge of last
Monday aside by saying ' he will make
no allusion to that." He diops this
subjec t because his original statement
was untrue and he must know from
what Hearst tried to find in Ohio and
I Tailed, that I spoke the truth when
| i say I never in all my life had any
interest in connection with nor ser-
vice for that company,
I SAY THE PRESIDENT KNOWS
] NOW THAT MY STATEMENT IS
TRUE, AND 1 REGRET THAT HE
j TRIED TO BRl'SH,IT ASIDE WITH-
iCtJl DOING ME CANDID JUSTICE.
Tv! ERE 1 TO ADOPT THE CHARAC-
|TER OF LANGUAGE SO COMMON-
! r.Y USED BY THE PRESIDENT. 1
; WOULD SPELL IT IN FEWER
LETTERS THAN "FALSEHOOD."
i Mr. Roose\flt. I hope to speak in
'Ohio soon; may I hope to divid ■ tiie
time with some partisan of ycur or
Prince William, who will dsfend your
|action in this instance?
| President Roosevelt conies to Okla-
homa an dfinds a substitute for his
Ohio failure, docs he. in the cus. of
the state against the Prairie Oil &
Gas Company, which he complain; I
. compelled to be dismissed.
| Yes, 1 did have it dismissed.
Yes, we all know that the Prairie
company is a Standard Oil Company
; offspring, and d n't rorget the Presi-
dent claims to have known the Stand-
ard Oil Company, and I char'-- that
the political allies, Hearst and Roose-
velt, both know that I acted properly,
i ron: Hcpiibliciin Sources.
I First, the Prairie "Oil Company got
, its franchise in our stat , not from
me, but from Roosevelt's s: cr, tary of
: the-interior, long b fore statehood
j began, and had Its main line built and
j operating, and cofigress, in our state-
ih nd bill, was cartful to ueclari- that
jour new state, when organized, must
Iredpect all such vested rights and c-x-
, isting franchises. That was all 1 did,
and the federal courts stood ready to
tall me down if 1 violated the Roose-
velt territorial franchises.
Now. Mr. President, why did your
secretary of the interior grant what
you knew to be a Standard Oil pipe
line franchise in our then helpless
territory, and fasten it on our new
state by provision of the statehood
bill? Will Mr. Hearst or the Presi-
dent please answer?
1 would also remind the President
that the company tried to enlarge Its
rights so as to include a gas as well
as an oil privilege. This 1 defeated,
and even last April, Mr. President,
your secretary of the interior tried to
help the Standard Oil gas privileges
against my protest by actually grant-
ing them a franchise to lay an Inter-
state gas line also. 1 notified the sec-
retary that since statehood your days
of giving valuable franchises in our
state had passed away, I would resist
laying the pipe line only after you
\ ielded and cancelled your unlawful
act.
"I again assert that my act in that
ease was not only required by what
federal authority had bound us to do,
but that the public interest of our own
people was based on conditions grow-
ing out of your original special favor
to the Standard Oil Company in grant-
ing that franchise, required me to
(Continued on Page 5.)
WEST THINKS ROOSEVELT
"j IS MILD IV CENS1'HE
USEFULNESS 0.
TIIE
GUTHRIE ELKS.
The Guthrie Elks entertained over
thirty of Ringling Bros, circus who
Elks, some twenty-two of them
having joined the loca:' lodge years
ago.
Wednesday night the Elks enter-
tained the Kansas City star automo-
bile cup racers on a return endurance
tour of the Southwest. The racers'
reception was given under the direc-
tion of the Guthrie Commercial Club,
with Mr. Galen Crow as "mine host,"
and the fivers had a good time.
The Elks hall is about the only
i'la.-e in the city where visitors can
be entertained or where public re-
ceptions can be had. The Elks ari
the only body In the city at present
of any public value to th city. With
all the boast of our rich men and the
s< '. iipulessness of the "good," there is
at present not a hail at the disposal
of the city to entertain visitors. The
lone hotel ball room was promised to
be at the disposal of the public for
"elegant" purposes, but that is rented
to the supreme court.
Do the people appreciate that the
Elks are the only public spirited citi-
zens who spend money to make visi-
tors love Guthrie?
"President Roosevelt's statement I
concerning Governor Haskell's alleged |
Standard Oil connection seems to me |
a very mild rebuke," declared Attor-
ney General Charles West, when
shown the President's letter to W. J.
Bryan by an Associated Press repre-
sentative. Mr. West's statement in
full Is as follows:
"The President's statement as to
the Prairie Oil & Gas Company suit
Is less than the Who:o nia.ter in its
whole iniquity, b < ause on the 2i.il
lay of April 1 had Informed the e.ov-
erncv ti at the action taken by th
i ralrie company was illegal and
should b.■ enjoimu, and that I had
br:ii -I t an Injunction suit. At that
time, April 2iJd, the governor agreed
vith me as to tiie illegality of the ac-
tion and approved the bringing of the
injunction. The same day the govern-
or left tile state to go to D over the
Prairie company started its trespass
This. I believe, was prearranged be-
tween the governor ami the Prairie
company, as the Prairie company
.•it;.!.. 1 the laying of its pipe line dur-
ing the absence of ti.e governor from
the state.
"I wired the governor on the first of
July, asking whether Ue had given
the Prairie company permission to
build their line. His reply evaded my
sole question, and Instead of answer-
ing it, he saiii that he was satisfied
that the Prairie company would not
violate the law.
"Between the 22nd or of April and
the 2nd of July Gov.: nor Haskell re-
i civ .1 no advice from me as legal
adviser, as to the matter, and if he
had received advice from his assistant
attoi ney generals he (lid not do me the
honor of admitting the same to me.
"When he heard of the bringing of
the suit he direct d the acting gov-
ernor to order me to dismiss the suit
and indulged in Insolent language to
the effect that he would not tolerate
any proceedings by me' except at his
direction. The use of this insulting
language regarding me, together with
hi. ldden change of heart between
Ypril and July, evidences that some
very deep and controlling motive of a
personal nature was back of his ac-
tion.
i ci.ly person that tlie piohibi-
tion suit could help is tiie Standard
Oil Company, and that be ha.ardeil
as much as he did for them after his
sudden change of heart supplies the
necessary factor for any intelligent
man to rt ckon whether the governor
of Oklahoma has a leaning toward
th Standard Oil Company and there-
fore ti.e President's statement seem:
to me a very mild rebuke.*'
[en are being lobbed of
$1,690,000 by not Selling i\Schaol Lands
"Robbing thi School Child: 'ii' is the cry that w We heard many
times in ,linens: ions concerning ti.e school lands of Okl ^ ia. There is a
larj
ci.
i f people in this state who are clamoring fo i retention of
the school lands aim who advance the argument that the sit of these lanils
Is equivalent to robbing the school children of the state. If there is any
one t. ng that appeuls to the American people, it is the argument that edu-
cation:'! facilities sKuld be afforded every child, whether of high or low
degree, rich or poor, within the confines of the state.
To a casual observer, the idea of retaining the lands that have been
given to this state for school purposes, for fear that their value might be
lost to the school children, appears a good one. There Is a sentiment In
lie cry, "Do not rob the school children"—a, sentiment which will always
>e strong with the American people. It is because 1 know that this senti-
ment is so strong, and because I, too, feel that whatever Is done relative
to the school lauds of Oklahoma, we should study closely the probable re-
sults so that we may beBt protect our children and our children's children.
1 take the ground that the sale of the school lands means conserving
the interests of the school children, and I will attempt to prove by figures
from the school land office that to retain the lands and continue the pres-
ent rental system is robbing the school children of Oklahoma of a million
lollars annually. 1 doubt if most of those who are advocating the reten-
tion of the school lands have ever stopped to consider the great cost every
year to our school fund under fciie present system. I was in favor of the
retention of the school lands, and be content with the rentals, until I
took the trouble to go into the laud oifice and get the figures which I
propose to produce in this article, and figured out the proposition which
I believe is reasonable and cannot be controverted successfully by any of
the adherents of the retention Idea.
There are 3,100,875 acres of school land in this state, oi' 19,380 quarters.
The best of this land lies east of range 14. There are 6580 quarters east
of range If, and 12,800 quarters west of range 14. The land east of range
14 comprises four sections in each township', except in the counties where
the land designated as school quarters had been otherwise appropriated,
ind in lieu of those sections the school land was Indemnified by bodies or
tracts of land to an equal amount. You will see that one-ninth of every
ownship is school land, and not taxable. This land in such counties as
Ufalfa, Grant, Kay, Majors, Cleveland, Noble, Payne, Pawnee, Logan, King-
fisher, Blaine, Canadian. Oklahoma, Lincoln, Pottawatomie, Garfield, Caddo
ml Comanche is among the very !>• st land in the new state. The land west
■f range 14 is not on the whole as good. Many acres of It lie In Beaver
ount.v and has never been cultivated, and the state is now only receiving
wo and three cents per acre in the way of rentals. However, there are
Woods, Woodward, Dewey, Custer, Washita, Greer, Beckham, Roger Mills
end Ellis counties, in which are thousands of acres of as good land as can
>e found In this great state, and yet the rentals on this land amount to less
than $600,000 a year.
The expenses incurred through handling -the rental system are neces-
arily heavy. 1 have not h i n able to obtain the figures showing the ex-
penses during tiie last year of territoryhood, but 1 have before me a report
f IH04, which shows the expenses for the year ending November 30, 11104,
io have been $22,556.69; since that time there has been added a million acres
more school land, and I have no doubt the expenses now run nearer $30,000
ban $22,000, Granting that $000,000 is received i-arly from rentals and
30,000 1 x.ii a.'i-i, l re would be h ft $570,000. Put the land office shows that
rem Jily I, lii(J7 u June 30, IPCS, there was collected but $563,344.73, so
ou will see I am very reasonable in my estimate.
The average rent per quarter section east of range 14 Is now $69.28
iier quarter. The average rent west of range 14 Is $106.43 per section. I.and
vert cf range i | rent by the section Instead of the quarter. Now tills is
he story of the rental system—$600,000 per annum, with $30,000 expenses,
io taxe: iu one-ninth of the land in every township, Instead of home own-
■rs. home builders and taxpayers.
I wish now to produce the figures that I have taken from the school
mil department, and figure out Just bow the school children of Oklahoma
>re bell: robbed out of nearly a million dollars annually by the retention
f the school lands. Those who are well acquainted, with the conditions
ml the sale price of land know that on an average $2000 per quarter is not
xcessive valuation to place on the 6580 quarters east of range 14. In the
ounties of the Strip, old Oklahoma, and that part of the Cheyenne and Arap-
lioe and Comanche counties east of range 14, the average farm will sell for
34000. but we will put the sale price at $2000, which would mean a total of
$13,160,000 for those lands east of range 14. I think $1000 Is a very fair
value for th ■ lands in Dewey, Custer, Washita, Kiowa, Tillman, Jackson,
ireer. Beckham, Roger Mills, Woods and Woodward counties. These lands
.ill sell from two to four thousand dollars per quarter section oil an aver-
age, but $1000 is a fair average and would mean a total of $12,920,000,
making a grand total for all the school lands In the state, at the figures
1 have placed upon them, of $^6.0S0,000.
The state should receive 5 |wr cent interest on this $26,080,000, which
would place in the sfchool fund and building fund of the state annually
$1,304,000, hearly a million dollars more than is received by the present
rental plan.
On:? of tiie burdens that must be borne by the p.-ople of this state Is
taxes. One-niYith of all land is not now taxable. I think $20 per quarter
is only a fair estimate to place upon the land east of range 14 for taxes,
which would give to the taxpayers $131,600, and on the 12,800 west of range
14, $10 per quarter is a fair estimate of taxes, which would mean $129,200,
or a grand total of $260,800 annually to the taxpayers of Oklahoma.
With the amount of money collected each year in the way of Interest,
$1,304,000, and the taxes, $2C0,.SU0, there would be a fund to the people of
this state each year of $1,564,800. If any one will take the time to go
Into the land office and satisfy himself that I have given the figures cor-
rectly and then go over this matter. I do not think there will be any argu-
ment against the sale of the school land. There Is nothing in the cry that
selling the school lands is robbing the children of Oklahoma. I contend that
the children of Oklahoma are being "robbed" Svery year of twice the amount
of money that they are now receiving.
There is another question that enters into this. The eastern half of tills
state is not yet supplied with state educational Institutions. If that sec-
tion of the state expects to secure those Institutions, it will be necessary
to procure the money with which to build them, and keep them up to a
high standard as educational institutions. You cannot deny that the sale
of the school lands will put enough nlore money Into the school fund of
the state to assist in building tljiese institutions and maintaining them.
There Is another question that should meet the approval of the citizens
of the eastern part of the state. For a long time there has been a great
ffort on the part of Indian Territory to have the restrictions removed from
the Indian lands, and especially was that true after statehood became a
possibility and the question of taxation and settlement of the country be-
came an issue. The effort of that section of the state resulted In securing
the needed legislation at the last session of congress.
"Remove the restrictions" became the slogan In the campaign last
year, and no one more earnestly supported the measure before congress
than the congressmen from the west part of the state, because we knew
it meant relief to the people who would have to bear the burdns of taxa-
tion. Now the west half of the state needs the restrictions removed from
one-ninth of the land. That land should be taxed, and the settlers upon It
should pay their proportion of taxes, and those people who have ^ist had
the restrictions removed from their part of the state should not tuke a stand
against those who are needing the same relief.
(('outinucil on Page 6.)
n A I! HANTS Ol'T FOR
OKLAHOMA IlAMiERS
State Bank Commissioner H. H.
Smock has sworn out warrants for
the arrest of T. H. Miller, Jr., and W.
M. Gardiner, vice president and cash-
ier, respectively, of the Farmers and
Merchants Bank of Lahoma, Garfield
county, on the charge of making false
returns to the stati: banking board.
The complaint alleges that loans anil
overdrafts amounting to $11,787 were
concealed from the state board, all
being in exces^ oi the legal 20 per
cent capital stock.
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Golobie, John. Oklahoma State Register. (Guthrie, Okla.), Vol. 17, No. 35, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 24, 1908, newspaper, September 24, 1908; Guthrie, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc112616/m1/1/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.