The Peoples' Voice (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 17, No. 14, Ed. 1 Friday, October 16, 1908 Page: 1 of 8
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THE PEOPLES' VOICE
VOLUME 17.
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1908.
NUMBER 14
|v
"In the United States, for years,
eyer since the establishment of
practical politics early in the nine-
teenth century, at the dawn of our
nationhood, government has been
made the specialty of a few cunning
men. The workers, the citizens, have
been only pawns, automatic voters.
The great wealth, the cream of the
national resources, has been skim-
med olT by a few that have controlled
the governing machines in both par-
ties, and the real worker of the na-
tion has gone along working steadily
and mechanically for a small share
of the nation's wealth, voting Btead-
ily and mechanically to keep in
power machine and party politics, a
governing apparatus contrived to
skim the cream from the national
milk and give it to a few."
How many of our readers, realizing
the truth of the above, will march to
the polls next month and vote for
the perpetuation of the power of the
party machine? How many will say
by their ballot, "skim milk is good
enough for me and my family ? "
Everyone of them that votes eith-
er of the old party tickets virtually
votes to perpetuate the power of the
party machine and party boas and
they skim the cream off of the na-
tional milk pan and hand it over to
the trusts and corporations. The
trust and corporation magnates are
always shown in the cartoon's as
big fat men (cream fed) while the
plain common people are shown as
small and skinny individuals. The
Cartoonist understands cream fed
from skim fed.
In every election the trust and cor-
poration magnate votes for cream
and the common people for skim
milk. Both get what they vote for
and will continue to get it as long as
the fellow who produces the milk con-
sents to take blue milk as his por-
tion and everytime he votes either
of the old party tickets he gives his
consent to the party bosses to skim
the cream off of the national milk
pan.
Don't vote for Mr. Watson for he
is against skimming the national
milk pan and giving all of the cream
to the trust and corporation mag-
nates. He believes that the people
who produce the milk are entitled to
the major part of the cream.
Citizens of Oklahoma possibly do
not know that the proposed "New
Jerusalem" scheme of locating state
Institutions at one place in the state,
not only makes possible one of the
greatest grafts and steals ever
known in a commonweal'.h, but at
this time is a positive menace to a
number of the most successful and
prosperous educational institutions
in Oklahoma. The people may not
suspect it, but everywhere in the
state agents of this "New Jerusalem"
syndicatexs are quietly at work urg-
ing the voters to support the "New
Jerusalem" proposition, to be sub-
mitted to them next month.
This "New Jerusalem" scheme is
backed by a number of the most re-
sourceful political schemers in the
state, among them being Governor
Haskell. Last spring certain per-
sons tried to get possession of the
Tishomingo granite quarries by fore-
closing a mortgage on the property
for the alleged purpose of selling
this granite to the state In building
the "New Jerusalem."
There Is nothing in sight for the
relief of the common people, in the
present campaign, for as a matter of
fact the labor element will divide up
into the two old parties, owned and
manipulated by the same controlling
force. With wall street it is heads I
win tails you lose. Bryan knows It,
hence his Hop on the money issue and
on the railroad issue, and on Imperi-
alism, and so it is wrapped up. Debs
(Socialist) will poll a large vote this
year. The Prohibitionists may in-
crease their vote, and on through the
various reforms this may be true.
But there must be a coming together
of reform elements before any sub-
stantial reform can be even hoped
for. I may not be authority on poli-
tical prophecy, but reasoning on pre-
cedents, it seems to me that the time
is not far distant when the issue will
be made on the money issue involv-
ing "National banks of issue" and
government ownership of the means
of Transportation and communica-
tion. And when it comes there is a
fellow down in Georgia that holds
the key to the political situation and
then will be the beginlng of the end.
Why so ? well this Georgia fellow
can't be bought, next he has more
brains than any other man in public
life and knows bow to use them, next
there is no power or influence, on
earth that can make him side step
or compromise. Thomas E. Watson,
of Georgia stands today a political
light house scattering rays of light
and patriotism over the troubled
deep. Think as you may, say what
you may, prophecy as you will, still
irony of fate points to the man of
Georgia as the coming man, and the
real Moses.
Do the people of Georgia realize
that the greatest man in the nation
is among them. Does the soldier that
wore the Gray realize the fact—that
the soldiers that wore the Blue are
working and voting for Georgia's
Editor Russell, of Admore served
notice on Governor C. N. Haskell
last Monday that unless the Gover-
nor brought a libel suit against him,
that he would enter a criminal libel
snit against the Governor. Mr. Rus-
sell claims that be made and publish-
ed all of the charges against the
Governor that has been made by Mr.
Hearst and President Roosevelt and
objects at being overlooked by the
Governor. Mr. Russell seems to
think that the Governor has no in-
tention of suing either Mr. Hearst
or President Roosevelt—just bluffing.
Mr. Russell seems to be anixous to
get into court with the Governor on
the charges he has made against the
Governor.
noble son? If not they had better
wake up to the fact, and receive the
truth, that Georgia must be reckon-
ed with; for out of Georgia will come
salvation of the republic. The great-
eat living exponent of populism on
earth is Thomas E. Watson, and
populism is the hope of the nation
and the world.—Col. J. S. Felter.
MICHAELS-STERN
Fl N E C LOT HINQ
MICHAELS, BTCRN 4 CO.
RocNiarm, N. r.
MICHAELS-STERN
FINE C LOTH I NG
MICHACLS. STtNII 4 CO.
• •FTMI4MT •••• BV TNI I
MICHAELS-STERN >
FINE CLOTHING
MICHAELS. •TKRN 4 C*.
If "Bill" Bryan or "Bill" Taft
Were to Diseuss the Style and
Quality of Michaels-Stern Clothing
they would be of one opinion—that it is un-
questionably the most stylish, best tailored
and best fitting apparel to be had read-to
wear.
Whether you are a man of the physique
of Mr. Taft or Mr. Bryan, or of different
build, come to us for a pood tit as well as
for big, honest value for your dollars.
When you see the quality and character
of our
SUITS AND OVERCOATS at $12 to $35
you will readily understand why our cloth-
ing' is so popular with the dressy men and
young men of town.
If you want stylish clothes—clothes that
fit right and will wear right, at a moderate
price, you will serve your interest best by
coming here.
Do it Now.
The Newest Shapes and Shades in Derby and Soft Hats, $1.50 to $5.
Everthing that s new in Headwear—all guaranteed hats—ones that must give
satisfactory service,
you
J -A. 3VC
Under the above caption, the Kan-
sas Mail and Breeze, one of the best
agricultural papers of the west, dis-
cusses the school land question as
it is presented in Oklahoma at this
Aime. Read what it has to say:
Oklahoma is debating the question
of selling the school lands or holding
them for lease. We presume that Ok-
lahoma will sell the lands but in
time the people will find out that
they have made a mistake.
Let us figure a little on the ex-
perience of Kansas. Originally there
were set aside two sections of land
in each township for the support of
the common schools. Kansas has an
area of 81,700 square miles. There are
In the state all told 2,269 townships
and 4,538 sections of school land. It
is certainly a conservative estimate
at the present time to say that the
average value of these lands is $4,000
per quarter or $16,000 per section. If
the state now owned this land it would
country. Don't understand me to ad-
vocate the government going into the
money-lending business till the mon-
ey hoarder refuses to do so upon
first-class collateral. Take an Individu-
al who has gotten together a few
thousand dollars. The only thing the
government can guarantee him would
be the rate of Interest; not turn him
over the job or trade of lending mon-
ey without competition. Under the sys-
tem that I have outlined, we would
have a real "flexible volume of mon-
ey,'' for It Is not supposed that the
individual would borrow more money
on his absolutely good security than
he actually needed; and also that
he would pay It back when he is
through with it.
the following, written by W. M. Eil-
and, Marion, Ala.:
Why should the people pass out
their own money Tt> themselves
through the bankers and allow them
a rake-off of 6 or 8 per cent for the
keeping of the books? Why not let
Interest and stand ready at all times,
as a competitor in the money lend-
ing business, at that fixed rate of in-
terest? This would insure us that
at all times the business of the coun-
try could secure the necessary means
to transact their business without be-
ing subject to the extortion of a cer-
tain class of men who make a pro-
fession of collecting what money there
is In circulation.
Understand I may own a railroad
and not own a dollar in money; I may
own a coal mine or an Iron mine, or
farm; it does not necessarily follow
that I own the necessary money to
operate my property. Then why sub-
jugate me to the grinding, grasping
power of the unscrupulous capitalists,
who have made a specialty of cap-
turing what money there is in sight
or circulation? Why Bhould we dele-
gate to any set of men the power to
say, that "It 1b not a matter of se-
curity just now; there is just no
money to lend?" Right at that mo-
ment your panic is on.
The man who borrows money on
good security, does not want the
money. What he wants Is the use
of It, just as he wants the use of the
railroads; a transporter, a medium of
exchange. He Is willing to pay the
interest in the first case just as he is
wlliiug to pay the freight In the sec-
ond, and if you should wish to par-
alyze Industry, you could not better
accomplish your purpose by the tear-
ing away of railway tracks, than you
could by the abrupt stopping of loans
When It comes to the passing upon
the merits of collateral, why not let
the whole people through their au-
thorized agents, pass upon the case
whose place of business will be i
postal savings bank In the same build
ing with the postofflce; one to be
established In every town in the whole
be worth at a conservative estimate
$72,608,000. What a magnificent en-
dowment for the common schools of
the state. At an average rental of $1
per acre the revenue from this land
would amount to $2,904,320 per an-
num. There are about 8,000 school
districts In the state of Kansas and
this revenue from school lands would
furnish an average of $364 per an-
num for each district.
According to the last biennial re'
port of the state superintendent of
public Instruction, there was paid out
for teachers' wages and supervision of
schools in the state of Kansas dur-
ing the year 1906 the sum of $4,-
117,274, If the Btate owned the lands
originally granted for the support of
schools the revenue would pay near-
ly two-thirds of this bill. An average
rental of $1 per acre would pay more
than half the annual expenditure in
the state for teachers' wages, build-
ings, repairs, fuel, lights and all other
items of expense in keeping up the
schools. Take a look at your school
tax receipts and you are apt to find
that your school taxes are the bigger
half of all the taxes you have to
pay. If the state of Kansas had been
wise enough to keep her lands in
stead of fooling them away the school
taxes would be cut down more than
one-half.
It is safe to say that if the state
of Kansas now owned its school lands
and rented the same at a moderate
rental the revenue derived therefrom
would be at least nine times as great
as the revenue now derived from the
permanent school fund. And what se-
curity could be safer than these lands?
Bonds of the best of corporations or
of the most solvent municipalities may
become worthless. Towns have sprung
up and flourished for a time and is-
sued bonds which seemed good enough
Afterward adversity struck the town
and it faded from the map. Of course
the bonds became worthless. The
state school fund has generally been
honestly managed but nevertheless
there are tens of thousands of worth-
less bonds held by that fund right
now.
Oklahoma will make a mistake to
sell her school lands.
We know of no safer way to judge
the future than by the past.
If the people of Kansas are today
finding out that they made a mis-
take in selling off their school lands
in the early days, before values had
leached their maximum amount, is
it not reasonable to suppose that the
people of Oklahoma will awaken to
find themselves in the same condi-
tion in the years to come if they sell
all the school lands at this time?
Then again there is the question of
security of investment. The value rep-
resented in these lands in its pres-
ent form is the safest investment It
is possible to make. The lands can
neither be stolen, destroyed or frit-
tered away. No designing politician
can possibly manipulate them for the
benefit of his own personal interests.
If the lands were sold and the mon-
ey Invested In bonds, mortgages, or
the like, it would always be a con-
stant source of temptation to the
some part of it—for that Is the his-
tory of the handling of these funds
in other states—would be Improvldent-
ly or Insecurely Invested and lost.
The balance would not In all probabi-
lity be invested so as to yield bet-
ter returns than in the land.s
The people of Oklahoma ought to
think of these things before they vote
to turn loose all of these lands at
this time, keeping in view at the
same time that these lands were given
to us for the benefit of the common
school fund. Let's handle them so that
they will conserve the Interests of that
fund rather than the interests of the
lesses or anybody else.—Oklahoman.
II
Notices were posted on gins at
Konawa, Maud, Wewoka and Semin-
ole last Sunday night to the effect
that unless the price of cotton was
raised to 10 cents per pound they
must cease to operate, and a viola-
tion of the order would result in such
gins being burned.
Haskell's Attention Called
to the Fact
THAT HOKE SMITH
Approved the Foster
Agreement.
Independence, Kas., Oct. 6—The
Daily Reporter here today says:
"Governor Charles N. Haskell, of
Oklahoma has demanded of President
Roosevelt that the Foster blanket oil
lease of the Osage nation be revok-
ed, holding it to be a Republican
grant. Governor Haskell no doubt
will be surprised to learn that the
original Poster lease, comprising the
entire Osage nation, was approved
by Secretary Hoke Smith, of Georgia,
under the democratic admistratlon
of Grover Cleveland, and was never
questioned until Secretary Hitch-
cock, a republican, characterized it
'the most scandalous act the interior
department ever perpetrated.1
"Under Secretary Hitchcock the
lease was reduced to cover only those
lands upon which expenditures had
been made in the search for oil."
"The music by the Festival Sextette
was of a very high order and exe-
cuted in an artistic manner."
Chas. W. Briles,
. Supt. Muskogee Public Schools.
lllilk
RETURNED TO NORMAN.
Clare Fisher arrived from Pryor
Creek to resume his position in the
Democrat-Topic composing room. He
says bis father likes his new home
and is getting a good law practice.
W E PRINT
SALE BILLS
AND PRINT THEM RIGHT.
;; And things Oriental. You
• • will not remain long silent,
though, when you see our
;; rich and rare offerings in
carpetings. Specially
1! selected for their durability
;; and beautiful effects. No-
thing finer can be found.
Handsome and serviceable
floor coverings, rugs, and
mattings, marked down re-
gardless of cost or value.
Your carpet dollars will
do double duty here. See-
ing is believing.
MEYER, MEYER
and MORRIS
Night Phone 242.
DAY Phone 07.
Norman,
Oklahoma.
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Allan, John S. The Peoples' Voice (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 17, No. 14, Ed. 1 Friday, October 16, 1908, newspaper, October 16, 1908; Norman, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc118222/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.