The Peoples Voice (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 9, No. 6, Ed. 1 Friday, August 31, 1900 Page: 1 of 8
eight pages : ill. ; page 22 x 15 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Ik
jar- i
lost
;W>
The Peoples Voice
VOL. 9.
NORMA.N. OKLAHOMA, AC(ilTST 31. IMO.
NO. 6.
DIRECT LEGISLATION.
The corruption of American leg-
islative bodies is one of the greatest
evils with which this country is at
present afflicted.
IlaiUly a session of the state leg-
islature, a meeting of a county
board or a city council passes but
what there is some "job" planned
or executed by which the public
is victimized to a greater or lesser
extent.
So notorious is lli. condition of
affairs that the "boodle alderman"
is a standing juke made use of by
every humorist in the country. He
is represented as a coarse man,
with a bloated face, wide expanse
of shirt front, upon which reposes
a diamond of gigantic size, whose
radiance dazzles the eyes of all be
holders.
While some of these pictures of
American legislators may be over-
drawn, the fact remains that cor
ruption is rampant in the halls of
legislation in this country and that
corporations are always able to se-
cure the passage of any measures
they desire to have enacted into
law, no matter how detrimental they
may be to the public at large.
To remedy this state of affairs
municipal leagues have been form-
ed in many cities, whose members
pledge themselves to support for
public office only such candidates
of the various political parties as the
league deems will honestly discharge
the duties erf the offices to which
they aspire and who can be depend-
ed upon to oppose the granting of
special privileges to corporations
unless the public receives adequate
compensation therefor.
Considerable good has been ac-
complished by these municipal re-
form leagues, but experience has
demonstrated that there is but one
way to absolutely do away with leg
islative corruption, and that is by
the adoption of the principle of di
rect legislation.
With the initiative and referen
dum as a club in the hands of the
people, legislators would not betray
their constituents and corporations
would not invest money to influence
legislation, which would finally have
to be approved or rejected by a vote
oi the whole people.
Under the operation of direct
legislation the republic of Switzer-
land, which was once corrupt, has
become the model republic of the
world, whose citizens could not be
induced to return to the old system
of legislation by delegated power.
Populists should do all in their
power to enlighten the people as to
the operation of the initiative and
referendum and lose no opportunity
to advocate this principle, whose
adoption would make this republic
truly a government of, for and by
the people.—Southern Mercury.
ALL NEGATIVES.
The Appeal to Reason says the
Democratic platform is great only
in denouncing what the other rulers
have done. It declares against
private monopoly, but proposes no
remedy; it declares for the election
of United States senators by direct
vote, but the states it controls have
done nothing toward such a consu
mation; it declares for the public
ownership and control of the Nicar
agua canal, but not the operation of
it; it "favors direct legislation
wherever practicable," but it will
never be practicable with its officers,
as they control many states and
could adopt it now if they favored
it. It is silent on the government
ownership of railroads, telegraphs,
press monopolies, a minimum wage,
a short day to make places for all
labor, and child labor. It is the
same old Democratic party. It is
unwilling to trust the people. So-
cialists who can vote that ticket
must have goggles. It is phrased
to fool the voters and get control of
the offices. It is just like the Re-
publican party in that.
Dr. Swanson says that the fusion
platforms remind him of dear Sock
less Jerry—"naked at one end and
empty at the other."
ir WONT DO.
Every day more fully demon
strates the complete absurdity o'
Candidate Bryan's "paramount is
sue" of imperialism. Politicians
and newspapers may cry "empire,"
and parade the raw head and blood)
bones of "militarism," but Ameri
can intelligence and enlightenment
will give back only a contemptuous
smile to these alarmists without
cause.
The trend of civilization is to-
ward more liberal government.
Coming down through the ages, ab-
solute monarchies—despotisms—
have given away to limited,king
doms and empires, and these in
turn have grown gradually towards
a republic where the people, through
their representatives, are supreme,
and future ages will see "govern-
ment by consent of the governed"
still more fully exemplified. This is
the handwriting of history on the
wall—the inevitable destiny of the
governing and the governed. Stu-
dents and historians admit and
record these facts—fools and
alarmists deny them.— Exchange.
POLITICAL.
The Democratic candidates in
this county are wearing faces as
long as a fiddle now and they will
be stepping on their chin about
November 7th.
The Democratic candidates in
this county are giving the fusion
question much thoughtful consider-
ation at the present time. We really
fear they will forget that "imper
ialism" is the paramount issue—not
the county offices.
A democratic orator at Lexington
said something about Neff making a
monkey out of Flynn; but if Duffy
and Wails don't make poll-parrots
out of Fisher and Phelps before
November 6th, we will miss our
guess.
FORECASTS FOR SEPTEMBER.
The storm diagram given with these
forecasts shows that Mars, Venus and
Earth combine their perturbing
powers through nearly the whole of
September. The Mercury disturbance
is central with Earth 011 the 21st and
these added to other astronomical
causes centering about that time,
give assurance of very decided per-
turbations of Earth and air. The
first three days of the month prom-
ise reactionary storm conditions that
will make themselves generally felt.
Moon is at first quarter and extreme
declination south on the 2d, indicating
that the low barometer and scatter-
ing storms of rain and wind the first
days of September will break up sud-
denly with quite cool, northerly winds
| a rising barometer and probable
1 frosts northward, say from about the
3d to 5th.
The Vulcan storm period central on
the 8th. and extending from 6th to
11th is fully within the grasp of the
Earth, Venus and Mars periods, with
Moon on the celestial equator and full
on the 8th and in perigee on the 9th.
We predict that very marked distur-
bances on land and sea will devolop
at this time. Menacing barometric
conditions will follow and break up a
season af great warmth over interior
parts of the country. The storms of
this period will culminate progress-
ively from west to east, and along the
south coasts from south to northeast,
from Saturday the 8th, to Tuesday
I lltli. Keep a cool eye on the indica-
J tions about the dates, and heed all
reasonable warnings of coming storms,
especially on the seas and lakes.
Earthquake phenomena will be quite
| natural during this period. See if
such are not reported from various
quarters of the globe. We predict
that a rapid and great change to high
barometer, high northwest gales and
very much cooler weather will follow,
progressively, from about the 9th to
j 13th. An early dash of snow is en-
j tirely possible in the far west and
north, and frosty nights will probably
j visit many sections of the country
during and immediately following the
storms of this period.
About the 13th to 16th falls a reac-
tionary storm period, during which
the barometer will fall, change to
warmer will pass from west to east,
and areas of rain will visit many
j parts of the country. These distur-
! bances will culminate aOout the ltith,
in gales and general electrical and
atmospheric perturbations, and be
followed for several days by raw,
rough, unpleasant weather. We
shall not be surprised if the last half
if September In in^s real'v -tonr'"-
and colder weather than much of
October and Nov-ember, especially in
northwestern regions.
From the Kith to 20th the storm dia-
gram shows a ve-vy unusual combina-
tion of storm producing' causes.
There are two distinct periods of dis-
turbance within the Mercury brace—
ltith to 27tk—namely, the Vulcr n
storm period, 171 h to 21st, and the
reactionary storm period, indicated
by the stars, 24th to 26th. Hut Mi o 1
is 011 the celeKtinl equator on the 22d,
and new and in apogee 011 the 23.':,
which facts, together with the many
perturbing causes centering1 011 these
dates, indicate that a spell of pro-
longed stormy and violent weather
will prevail almost throughout the
Mercury period. This is another one
of those peculiar" times in which, if 110
volent storms occur, there will be
phenomenal and unseasonable heat,
brassy, hazy, ominous weather, and
severe seismic a.«d earthquake distur-
bances in divers sections. We think
that great and dangerous equinoctial
storms will awee ji the south seas and
coasts hetween the 19th and 20th. and
t at many violent Inland storms visit
interior and lake regions at the same
time. Heavy electrical storms, with
black, ugly clouds, may be looked for
in connection wi th these equinoctial
storms. From Wednesday the 19th
to Sunday the 2.1 d in one of the per-
iods in which probable violence and
danger may arise. Watch the storm
clouds, especially on and along the
waters, all through this part of the
month. As Hujj-gested above, early
and decided dashies of cold, sleet and
snow are likely to follow close 011 the
heels of very hot weather, along
western and northern sides of storm
areas. A Vulcan storm period is
brewing as September goes out, but
Moon is at greatest declination south
on the 39th, hence the atmospheric
tide will lean southward, the last days
of September. Head, also, our Sept-
ember forecasts, pages ft! and 03 of
our 1900 Almanac.
Saint Louisl7t h.—Word and Works.
OKLAHO.VI A ELECTIONS.
Oklahoma lias elections. They are
not amusements, but inflictions. Thev
are playing with governmental tools
in a child's game. They bring victo-
ries which decide nothing. But they
must come as storms and harvest
come, and because of their coming
men will indulge in them. Before
elections they will prophecy regard-
ing the changes of the moon. They
will guess at them before they come,
and guess at whattheir effect has been
after they areg-one.
The following are the totals of the
men who guessed at elections in the
past:
in 1890 Harvey, McCoy and Crocker
were the candidates for Delegate.
The following is their vote:
Republican, 4, 418; Democratic, 2,440
I'opulist, 1,529. Total vote, 8,443. Re-
publicans 53, Democrats 29 and Popu-
lists 18 per cent.
The vote atthis election 011 Coun-
cilmen at large was: Coition, R., 4,002;
Nagle, I).. 3,151, I'uckett, 1'., 2,025.
Total vote 9,175.
In the Council the parties stood: R.
7, Dem. 5, Fop. 1.
In the House: R12, Dem. 10, Pop.
4.
In 1892 the vote on Delegate was:
Flynn, It.. «,4 ; Travers. D„ 7.401:
Ward, P., 4,348. Total 21,305 Per-
centage of voters, R. 44.5; Dem . 35: P.
20.5.
The Council stood: It. ti, D. 5, P. 2.
The House stood, R. 13, D. ft, P. 4.
In 181)4 in the contest for Delegate
the vote stood: Flynn, Ft., 20,390.
Beaumont, P., 16,744; Wisby, 1)., 12,-
•>08. Total, 40,832. Per cent of total
vote: B. 43 8; P. 32.1: D. 25.2.
The Council stood: B. 7, P. 5, D. 1;
The House, II, lt>, P. 7, D. 3.
It will be noticed that the vote in-
creased rapidly from 0,178 in 1890 to
21,405 in 1892 and 49,932 in 1894.
in 1890 came tlie first fusion, the
parties fusing having had 57.3 per
cent of the votes cast, or a clear
majority of 9,022, in the election of
18114.
At this election the Delegates had
the following vote: Flynn, R., 20,207,
Callahan, P., 27,425, Total, 53,702. a
percentage of 51 per cent for fusion.
In the legislative election Fusion
had 20,037 votes or 54 per cent. Re-
publicans had 22,022, or 40 per cent,
total 48,129 in the council. This vote
fell off 5,573 from the vote on Delegate
the loss of 4,245 oiming from the Re-
publicans.
In the House the total vote was 49,-
740, or 1, 041 more than the vote f■>:
Council. For fusion 24,915, or 50 per
cent; Republican 22,091 or 41 per cent
with the remainder scattering. Fu-
sion, however, carried both branches
of the legislature.
In 1898 the vote for Delegate was:
pi -p., p 4.-.IS- K'.-t ■ p.,.'. i;i-
1)58; Hanklns, P., 1.207. Total. 48,813.
Republican plurality 9,308, or 58.2 per
cent of the total vote.
In the Council the vote was: R. 20,-
191; Fusion, 19,534: scattering 3,134.
Total. 12,859, or 5.951 less than that
for Delegate. The Republicans lost
8,205: the Fusionlsts gained 440, and
the scattering increased 1,801 votes
from the vote on 1) legate.
Politically, the Council stood: R. 8,
1). 2, Fusion 3, altli > igii t'i ■ It.■publi-
cans were in a minoi ity of 2,470, with
47.1 pei cciu ul" Lht volt Ciwsi.
The House vote was: B. 19,950, F.
17.81)4; scatteri g ">,3S«. Total 4.3,230.
The Republican percentage of the
total vote was 4ti 1 The House stood
Republican 17, Fusion 3, Democrats 3,
Populists 3.
Future guesses from t he past vote
will lie problematical. It will be 110.
ticed in the comparison between the
votes of 1891! and 1898 that the follow-
ing changes took place:
1890 1898 Decrease
Delegate, 53,702 48,813 4,889
Council, 48,129 42,8 9 5,270
House, 49,740 43,236 6,503
The reason for this decrease cannot
be discovered by any known test. I11
those two years the attendance on
the public schools increased from 03 -
080 in 1890 to 77,121 in 1898, over 21
per cent, yet the total vote decreased
over ten per cent on all the tickets.
A territory has uo politics. It votes
011 personal preferences. This terri-
tory seems to have lost even a large
percentage of a desire to choose be-
tween one man and another man.
Indifference is an individual platform
which makes the possibilities of a full
vote unknowable.- McNlaster's Maga-
zine.
American Victory
CHINESE OUTWITTED
HAVE \OU EVKIt INSPECTED
If not you are behind the times.
American manufacturers mak
better Matting, 2 to 1, than ever
China did. Hundreds of yards of
it used by people of Norman who
will recommend it. For sale bv
KEBD & SHAFFER,
Smbalming a Specialty—furniture, Carpet* and Undertaking.
COUNCIL AND LEGISLATIVE
CONVENTIONS.
Last Tuesday afternoon the dele-|
gates to the 5th council and 9th and 1
10th legislative conventions assembl-
ed in the Opera House in Norman at
2 o'clock p. m. and was called to order !
by council committeeman, .1. M. Corn.
The council convention organized im- (
mediately by electing T. ,T. Overtsreet
tempory chairman and O. B. Toalson |
temorarysecretary. The u-ual com-!
mittees were then appointed by the 1
chair and while the committees were j
preparing reports the delegates were
highly amused by a speech from a lop j
sided fusionist brought up from Pur-1
cell by Judge Cease to stampede the j
convention for fusion. For a while 1
the Democrats in the crowd cheered I
the speaker while some of the Pop j
delegates debated in their mind 1
whether they would take him by the |
coat collar and pitch him out of the |
hall: but as he continued it soon be-,
came apparent to everyone, even the |
Democrats, that the f. llow was a j
crank and a bad one and the anger of |
the delegates soon changed to sympa-1
thy for the poor fellow and the Dem-
ocrats saw that they had made their I
usual blunder. Mr. Appl'-by and Duffy
replied to the ram'iling talk of the
gentleman from the Chickasaw nation |
in a very vigorous manner causing
many of the Democrats to sneak out
of the hall.
The committee on permanent or-
ganization reported recommending
that the temporary officers be made
permanent and the same was adopted.
The committee on credentials re-
ported and same was adopted. One
township in this county failed to send
delegates and only one precinct from
Pottawatomie county was r present-
ed. This was doubtless due to ihe big
rain storm that swept over tiie county
011 the morning 01 the convention.
The committee 011 resolutions report-
ed the following platform and same
was adopted:
PLATFORM.
We the representatives of the I'co-
pies party for the 5th council district
and for the 9th and 10th legislative
districts in convention assembled re.
atlirm our allegiance to the funda-
mental principles of government as
set forth ill the Peoples Party plat-
form adopted at Omaha in 1892 and
reaffirmed at Cincinnati in 1900 and
pledge ourselves anew to continued
advocacy of the same.
We commend the work of our rep-
resentatives from the 9th and ltith
representative district in the last ter
ritorial legislative assembly and in-
vite a comparison of their records
with the record made by the Democra-
tic member of the council from the
5th council district.
We favor a liberal appropriation
being made for the enlargement of
the Territorial University building
! nowingthat the institution is in ifeat
need of more room to accommodate
the largely increased attendance oi
students. The educational record
made by the University since its
foundation is of such a character as
to make it the pride of every Oklaho-
mati and in view of the fact that the
managers of the institution have been
very modest in asking for appropria.
tions in the past we think, 111 view of
the great need, that the loyal Okla-
homans who will serve in the next
legislative assembly will gladly vote
an appropriation to enable one of the
grandest Territorial Educational In-
stitutions to widen its field of use-
fullness.
Nominations for councilman were
called for and only the name of Hon.
E. Duffy was presented. The rules
were suspended and he was nominated
by acclamation. He was called 011
and made a short address thanking
the delegates for the confidence they
reposed in him and trusted that he
would prove worthy of such confi-
dence.
Mr. O. B. Toalson was then chosen
as council committeeman and the
council convention adjourned and the
two legislative conventions assembled.
The 10th district organized by se-
lecting O. B. Toalson as permanent
chairman and Ike Graham as perman-
ent secretary.
The names of Hon. J. C. Wails and
.1. W. Klinglesmith were placed in
nomination but Mr. Klinglesmith
asked that his name be withdrawn
anu under a suspension of the rules
Mr. Wails was nominated by accla-
mation.
T. .1. Overstreet was chosen as com-
mitteeman for the 10th district and
the convention adjourned.
The 9th district organized by chos-
ing S. W. Hutchin and A. .1. Carter
as permanent officers of the conven-
tion. They soon made the discovery
that less than a majority of the dele-
gates of the district were in attend-
ance and as 110 candidate appeared
the delegates present decided that
they would leave the matter of se-
lecting a candidate to a committee of
three with full power to act and have
such candidate as they might agree
upon name put upon the ballot. J.W.
Alforil, A. .1. t barter and L. P. Miller,
were placed 011 this committee with
full power to select the Peoples party
candidate for the 9th legislative dis-
trict and they were granted time to
make the selection of candidate.
S. W. Hutchin was chosen as com-
mitteeman for the 9th District and
convention adjourned.
The delegates then organized them
selves into a mass convention and
selected four delegates to attend the
Peoples purty congressional conven-
tion to be held in Oklahoma City
next. Saturday under the call of ter-
ritorial chairman, J. N. Clark. Hon.
E. Duffy, J. C. Wails, O. B. Toalson
and John S. Allan were chosen aS"ffe-
legates to the congressional conven-
tion.
The members of the new county
central committee met and organized
by electing A. V. flulse chairman and
J. M. Corn as secretary. The chair-
man was instructed to appoint a cam-
paign committee of seven members
to take active charge of thecampaign
in this county. Chairman Hulse after
dividing county into seven districts
appointed S. W. Hutchin for the 0's
A. .1. Carter for the 7's, J. W. Holt for
the 8's, .1. T. Scott for Norman City
and Liberty township, J. F. Harbert
for Norman township, J. D. Jones for
Moore township and 10-2w and com-
mittee appointed chairman for Little
River township and 10-lw.
The first meeting of campaign com-
mittee to be held in Norman on Satur-
day Sept. 8th to arrange a plan of
campaign for the county.
TUITION IS FBEE.
Students who have been bona fide
residents of the Territory of Oklaho-
ma or of the Indian Territory for one
year prior to entering the University,
receive tuition free in all depart-
ments thus far established except in
the School of Music. In the courses
of chemistry, biology and pharmacy,
a small sum sufficient to cover the
cost of materials is charged. Stu-
dents not residents of the Territories
are charged a tuition fee of eight
dollars a semester, or fifteen dollars
a year, payable in advance, in addi-
tion to the sums to be deposited by
those who take courses in chemistry,
biology 01- pharmacy. All students
except those of the summer semester
are required to pay an incidental fee
of three dollars a semester. Students
of the summer semester pay an inci-
dental fee of five dollars a semester.
These fees cover all charges by the
University, and are made to defray
the expenses of heating, lighting and
keeping the building in order and
repair,
Next Monday, September 3. Is
Labor day.
School Time Here!
HOPKINS
And the boys and girls are to be
clothed and shod. We have
the best Pants, Suits, Shoes,
etc., that can be obtained. For
hard wear and rough usage we
have the celebrated Mrs. Jane
Hopkins' STAR MAKE
CLOTHING, double seats
and knees; prices are 75c, $1,
1.50 and 3.50 to 4.00. Best
SCHOOL SHOES out,
from 50c to $1.50; all solid
leather. Rubber Boots and
Shoes for all. We have a large
line of Rubber Coats and Mc-
Intoshes for Children and boys
which will be sold low down
to get rid of them.
HBA nojlAKTBRS:: :
For all kinds of Wearing Apparel. Come
to see us and get Rock Bottom Prices it H
ELIEDGE & PHILIPS.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Allan, John S. The Peoples Voice (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 9, No. 6, Ed. 1 Friday, August 31, 1900, newspaper, August 31, 1900; Norman, Oklahoma Territory. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc117199/m1/1/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.