OWEN FLATS
[HE SYSTEM
•enator a speaker at bryan
birthday banquet.
HE PLEADS FOR ARIZONA
Defends the Initiative, Referendum,
And Recall—Many Notable*
Gather to Pay Tribute to
Distinguished Nebraskan.
Lincoln, Neb.—Sen. Owen's address
 t the Bryan birthday banquet Monday
*as an earnest plea (or tbe admission
ef Arizona as a state and a defense
of tbe lultiatlve, referendum and re-
call. The constitution of Arizona, he
declared, was a success, and a legal
■uccess, founded not upon tbe sands,
but upon a rock of llrm foundation.
Discussing the Inltlutlve, referendum
and recall, Senator Owen said: "The
first great essential value for Initia-
tive would be found in tbe ability to
pass thorough-going corrupt practices
•ct over the head of legislatures elect-
ed by corrupt practices in states
where legislatures stand as a barrier
to honest government.
I "The chief agencies of 'the system'
■ re dishonest machine politics, often
bipartisan corrupt practices, the buy-
ing of voters, the intimidation of
Voters, the coercion of voters, false
registration of dead men and fictitious
persons, stuffing: of the ballot boxes
by clever devices, diverting from the
ballot box the honest vote, undue
Bollcltation on election day, undue
facilities Mrlth automobiles and car-
riages to bring to the polls the indif-
ferent or ignorant voters, the hiring
of such persons on election day for
their valuable services In partisan
activity—a device for hiring the voter
himself and bribing him to vote in
the Interest of tho Bysteni or Its agents
■nd candidates.
"Our municipalities have been
honey-combed with coruptlon. Wit-
ness the terrible disclosures in Sun
Francisco under ilaney; In Denver by
Ben Lindsay; St. Louis by Joe Folk,
etcetera ad nauseam; 116 men indict-
ed In Pittsburg fur municipal corrup-
tion, Including the prominent men of
the city council, leading bankers and
business men. These things have long
been sheltered under the corrupt sys-
tem In the United 8tates, but under
the Initiative and referendum a thor-
ough-going corrupt practices act can
be passed and maintained which will
put an end to municipal thievery, to
Btate rascality and to national corrup-
tion.
"And every corrupt Interest^ in the
United States will oppose the Initia-
tive because it is the most powerful
agency for ending the reign of corrup-
tion."
Grand Lodge Officers Oklahoma Masons
a. EDDLEMAN, Marietta.
(Grand Master.I
Lincoln, Neb.—Between 1,200 and
1,300 followers of William Jennings
pryan attended tho complimentary
banquet tendered him by the Lincoln
Bryan club. In point of attendance it
brought together the largest crowd for
« similar function held in Lincoln for
many years, and the presence of such
recognized democratic leaders as
Champ Clark, the coining speaker of
the national house of representatives;
Governor Shaffrotli of Colorudo; Sena-
tor Owen of Oklahoma; Senator-elect
Kern of Indiana, and Senator-elect
Hitchcock of Nebraska, gave it an in-
terest and political importance more
^an statewide.
Supreme Court Upholds Law.
Washington.—The supreme court
Monday upheld the law prohibiting the
transportation of cattle for more than
twenty-eight consecutive hours with-
out unloading for food and water, In
a suit, of the Baltimore & Ohio rail-
road against the government.
Noted French Woman Dies.
New York. Mme. Lawrence Field-
ler, a Frenchwoman of authority on
medical and social problems died in
New York Monday. She was here as
the French government investigator of
the American anti-tuberculosis cam-
paign.
Opposes Tariff Revision.
Washington.—Taft will oppose any
revision of the tariff at the special
cession He let it become known
that if any action is taken without
receiving reports from the tariff com-
mission he would veto it.
PEACE IS NOW HOPED FOR
DIAZ EXPECTED TO GRANT A RE
ORGANIZATION
Negotiations Pending Which May End
the Strike of the Insurrectos for
a Better Form of Govern-
ment—Other News
Washington,-—Peace is assured in
Mexico within the present week, it
certain influences now at work toward
that end prove effective. With the ar-
rival In Mexico City of Senor Jose
Yves Llmantour, minister of finance
President Diaz will begin conferences
which it is expected will result In the
announcement within three or four
days of a reorganized cabinet.
Minister Limantour will present an
explanation of the demands of the rev-
olutionists and ihe changes in the offi-
cial family of President Diaz as well
as the institution of reforms are ex-
pected to appease the insurgents.
In the meantime, President Taft will
confer with Ambassador De La Barra
and there is good ground for the as-
sumption that the troops now cencen-
trated in Texas immediately will be-
gin a series of maneuvers and will re-
turn shortly to their posts. In addi-
tion, when conditions are normal In
Mexico, a complete statement of the
considerations that actuated the mo-
bilization of the troops will be issued.
Hope for the coming of peace in
Mexico is strengthened by the manner
In which the revolutionists have com-
mented on (he magazine article of Am-
bassador De La Barra and the signifi-
cant spirit of expectancy with which
the results of Senor Llmantour's con-
ference in Mexico City this week are
awaited by organs of insurgent sen-
timent.
The insurgents have taken Ihe stand
that their operations have proven they
are willing to risk a great deal to se-
cure tjie adoption of certain reforms
in the government and failing in this
they will continue the strife. Besides
the proposals, which Senor Limantour
is known to be bearing to President
Diaz, it is reported, tne wishes of lead-
ing insurgent sympathizers in various
parts of the republic have become
known to President Diaz and will play
no small part in the re-organization of
his cabinet.
W. M. ANDERSON, Oklahoma City.
(Grand Secretary)
DIAZ SUES FOR PEACE.
Finance Minister Limantour In Mexico
to End Hostilities.
Mexico City—With a warning to all
Mexicans that with every day the
rebellion continues the danger of in
ternational complications increases,
a plea to them to rally to the sup-
port of General Diaz, and a declara-
tion that the government never can
enter into peace negotiations with in
dividuais in arms, Finance Mlnistet
Jose Yves Limantour today entered
upon the tusk of pacification which
the world at least has set for him
and In the outcome of which the world
is interested.
President Diaz' greeting was convey-
ed through one or his official family,
the meeting between the two most
talked of men in the republic having
been deferred until later.
Senor Limantour said the state-
ment that he was the bearer of con-
ditions for the establishment of peace,
placed in his hands by the Maderos
iu New York was an absurdity.
Of the insurrection itself Senor
Limantour had nothing to add, he
said, to what he has previously said,
that It constitutes treason.
In reply to a suggestion that great
results were expected to follow his
return to Mexico, he said.
"It is a heavy burden that public
opinion would place upon my
shoulders, and no one man can carry
it without the co-operation of all good
Mexicans. I furthermore cannot un-
derstand why such an effort is de-
manded of me, when the direction of
the policy of our government is in the
hands of no less a man than the illus-
trious statesman who has formed the
country, who has developed it and
has given It a high place among the
nations."
Mail Boxes On Street Cars
Washington.—Tho postoffice depart-1
mcnt Is to experiment with the in-
stallation of mail boxes on street cars.'
They will be Installed in Washington
for a test and if popular will be placed
in other cities.
Spy Suspects Held.
Hamburg; Germany.—Five persons,
Including one foreigner, are under ar-
rest, charged with espionage. The
foreigner had been under close ob-
servation for sometime by govern-
ment detectives, while passing back
•nd forth between Hamburg and
Bremen, where ten warships are un-
der construction. He was suspected
of attempting to establish relations
"with the shipyard employes.
Stove Factory for Tulsa
L Tulsa, Okla.—With sixty-five skilled
echanics and as many other em-
ployes on the payroll, and a plant
(equipped to manufacture sixty-seven
rarities of gas stoves, the Queen Bee
Btove works of this city, recently re-
moved from Deleware, Ohio, will be in
operation April 1, according to a
•tatement made.
Courthouse For Nowata
I Claremore, Okla.—Nowata county
'will bulVt a fine $80,000 modern brick
courtli JttKf at once.
Supreme Court Adjourns.
Washington.—Disappointment was
manifest Monday w hen the supreme j
court of the United States adjourned j
for two weeks without announcing its j
decision in either the Standard Oil or j
the tobacco corporation dissolution ]
suits.
Express Company Employes Quit j
Nt w York.—Thirty-five hundred em-1
ployes of the United States and Wells
Fargo Express companies threw their
fortunes Friday with the 1,500 striking
drivt i s of the Adams Express com-
pany.
Car Inspector Killed
Sayre, Okla.—Dennis Madison, car
Inspe or for the Rock Island, was
killed instantly FriSay evening when
an ei ine backed Into him here. He
was | ipular among the employes. He
leavea a wife and four small children.
Woman To Prison
Pittsburg, Kan.—Mrs. Mary Cald-
well, mother of three children, found
guilty of murdering her husband, was
sentenced to serve two years in the
state penitentiary. She declared she
killed Caldwell in self-defense.
JAP WAR NOW FEARED
United States Is Rushing Troops to
Philippines and Hawaii
Washington.—The garrison In the
Hawaiian islands is to be increased
materially. Two battalions of the sec-
ond infantry are being rushed to San
Francisco and will sail for Honolulu
at once. A third battalion will sail
June 5. On July 5. two batteries of
Held artillery will follow.
It is also pointed out that Japan's
present aliance, offensive and defen-
sive, with Great Britain also expires
in 1915. Yet even at this early date
Japan is struggling to renew this al
lia'nee, knowing that whatever may be
the sentiment of official Great Britain
the sentiment of the mass of British
people is with the United States.
Recent developments have hastened
the action of the United States govern
mert
These developments include the re-
ports that Japanese all over the world
are contributing to a war fund.
That Japan has ordered a million
and a half tons of coal from the Tien
Tsin mines for immediate delivery.
That Japan refused to agree to a
mutualization of the Manchurian rail
road.
That Japan is the one nation that
has been silent on the plan for a gen-
eral arbitration treaty.
Mrs. Meiber to Prison
Albany, N. Y.—Clad In black from
head to foot, her face hidden by a
heavy veil, Mrs. Edith Mclber, con-
victed of murdering her child, was
taken to Auburn prison to begin a
I minimum sentence of twenty years'
| imprisonment.
| Chicago.—Thirty firemen were over-
come by the fumes of ammonia Sat-
urday while fighting a fire which de-
stroyed a warehouse of the Monarch
Refrigerator company and caused an
$800,000 loss.
Knight Case Concluded
Washington.—The findings of the
court-martial of Captan Austn M.
Knight, who was tried at Norfolk on
charges of not having taken due pre-
cautions to prevent the sinking of the
monitor Puritan in the ordnance test
in Hampton Roads last November,
has reached the navy department.
Acting Secretary of the Navy Win-
throp announced the verdict would not
be made public until the testimony
had been reviewed and the findings
officially approved.
Roosevelt Opens Dam
Roosevelt, Ariz.—Amid the cheers
of thousands assembled Saturday to
witness the formal opening of the larg-
est dam in the world, the Roosevelt
structure across the canyon of the
Salt river. Miss Ethel Roosevelt, un-
der the direction of her father, touch-
ed the button that sent the impria
oned waters of the Arizona river rip-
pling through the vast system of can-
als that will transform this sun baked
construction town and 200,000 acres
of shifting desert land Into a vertit-
able Garden of Eden.
WARSCARETALKj
CROWING WEAK
TAFT GIVES ASSURANCE OF NO
INVASION
WILL KOI ENTER MEXICO
Troops Hastily Mobilized Because of
Reports Which Indicated They
Might Be Needed to Protect
Amciican Lives
r
OKLAHOMA NEWS
1 Interesting Items of the New State Told
! In Few Words For Our Busy Readers
mmmmwmmmmn
ADVANCE CAPITAL CASE.
United States Supreme Court to Hear
Argument April 3.
Washington—The supreme court to-
day set Monday, April 3, for hearing
arguments in the Oklahoma capital
case.
Washington The so-called Mexi-
can situation cleared considerably
here Tuesday. The attitude of Ihe
United Slates government has been
made plain and there need no longer
be any doubt, it was said by adminis-
tration officials, regarding the presi-
dent's policy.
Mr. Taft has announced he will do
everything possible to maintain the
friendly relations existing between
this country and Mexico. Any rup-
ture must come us the result of some
overt act on Mexican soil.
The United States has no desire to
Interfere In the internal affairs of
Mexico and President Taft will not
recommend any such Interference to
congress unless circumstances permit
of no other possible course.
The American troops were sent to
Texas and prepared for any emergen-
cy on the strength of reports which
indicated that conditions in Mexico
were approaching such chaos that at
any time might threaten American
lives and property.
These reports were of such a na-
ture that President Taft felt he could
not fall to heed them. He acted
quickly and hoped the threat of dan-
ger would be stayed. He believes tills
has been accomplished and that the
prese nee of the army in Texas, with-
in striking distance of the Mexican
border has had a sobering influence
and that Americans and American
property will be respected.
GREEN BUG AT WORK
Craig and Cherokee Counties
First Report
Oklahoma City.—Secretary Sandlin
NEGROES ARE TURNED BACK
Oklahoma Blacks Will Not Be Allowed
to Enter Canada
St. Paul, Minn.—Asserting that they
were driven from Oklahoma, where
they claim they had been robbed of
property and the right to vote, a train
load of negroes are in St. Paul facing
the probability of being barred from
western Canada, where they had hop-
ed to start life anew. Those In St.
Paul are the advance guard of at least.
6,000 of mixed negro and Creek Indian
blood. The dominion government last
year let In a few negroes, but the au-
thorities, scenting probable trouble
and the rising of race disturbances
have taken steps to stem the tide with
the result that when the families in St.
Paul reach fhe Canadian border they
may find themselves forced to return
to Oklahoma or some other state in
the United States.
There are 94 adults and 24 children
In the party in St .Paul. They were
accompanied by Louis F. McFarland,
district passenger agent of the Chica-
go Great Western, and G. W. Norman,
traveling passenger agent of the
Grand Trunk Pacific of Kansas City.
The negroes came from Weleetka,
Okla._ with the exception of two men,
wno resided at Okmulgee, which was
the headquarters of the Creek nation
years ago. Nearly all are said to have
owned and operated farms. The lead-
er, by the name of Smeed, is reported
to be worth $40,000, with about $10,000
in his possession. There is one man
in the party 70 years old who was a
slave.
TOWN STIRRED OVER KILLING
Shawnee Deputy Sheriff Shoots Boot-
legger Who Offers Resistance
Shawnee. Okla.—As the result of
the killing ou South Union street her«
at 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon of Hank
Meeks. gambler and bootlegger, by
Deputy Sheriff Dock Tillman, senti-
ment Is running high and the author-
ities are watching closely for any at-
tempt at violence against the deputy
sheriff.
of the board of agriculture Wednesday ! Mpek  has bce" arrested here sev-
recelved word that green bugs are tak ;' ial times on bootlegging charges. He
ing the wheat In Craig and Cherokee [ is said to be worth between $15,000
counties and that much damage has and $20,000. Sunday afternoon, ao-
already been done to the growing Icording to the reports of the killing,
wheat. The acreage of wheat in these Deputy Sheriff Tillman searched
counties is comparatively small, but | Meeks, expecting to find whisky on
that sown last fall has made good | his person. Failing In that. It Is said,
progress uutil the bugs attacked it. | he told Meeks he would arrest him
No complaints have been received j anyhow. It is said that Meeks resent-
frotn any other section of tho wheat | ed this and resisted the attempt of
growing belt of green bug ravages. the deputy sheriff to arrest him. It is
Letters are being sent by the board j said that Tillman told Meeks he would
of correspondents over the state for,get a warrant and then arrest him, in
the regular monthly bulletin on crop reply to which Meeks used profane
conditions which will be reported on i languare and told Tillman to "go get
up to the 25th of the month. The con | bis warrant."
dltion of wheat, with regard to dam It is said that upon Meek's reply the
age, if any. form whatever source, con-(deputy turned, drew his revolver and
dition and acreage of oats, alfalfa and i fired three times, every shot taking
the prospects of, a fruit crop will be!(.ffect. Meeks dropped dead. The fa-
included in the forthcoming report, j |ta bullet struck him In the left side,
ploughed its way through his back,
*AN DIES WHEN HOME BURNS
Lawton Man Awakens to Find Escape
From Building Cut Off
Lawton, Okla. From burns received
'n a fire which destroyed his home at
noon Wednesday, Chris Markeson, pro-
prietor of the Monarch Theatre, a
well-known east-end resort, died at 8
o'clock Wednesday night. Markeson
was sleeping alone upstairs when the
fire broke out. Awakened by the cries
of fire, he opened the door of his room
to be met by a burst of fire and smoke
which blinded him. In his night
clothes he made a dash for the stair-
way but fell at the top and crawling
and rolling, reached the street, clothes
burned off and skin charred and fall- j
ing from his body.
and imbedded Itself in his spinal col-
umn.
COUNTY CLERKS HAVE TROUBLE
Auto Plunges Into River
Tulsa, Okla.—Four persons, two men
and two small boys, had a miraculous
escape from death and one man was
perhaps fatally injured Tuesday morn-
ing when an automobile jumped from | alienable. The three cases decided Id
a bridge and went into the Arkansas Ihe state courts, all of which were
Want Information About Indian Lands
Subject To Taxes
Oklahoma t'ity.—Leo Meyer, stats
auditor, is being deluged with inquiries
from county clerks and treasurers on
the cast side of the state in regard
to the taxation of Indian lands. The
old county officers, who had struggled
with that question for three years, had
usually worked it out pretty well, but
the new ones seem to be altogether
at sea.
The attorney general's office has
held that all lands which are alien-
able are taxable, and that position has
been upheld by three state courts and
by the United States circuit court for
the eastern districts The only ques-
tion now undecided is as to whether
or not certain classes of land are
river. The accident occurred about
midstream and the car fell twenty-five
feet, burying Louis Ktsh in fhe water
under the car. Kish was rescued by
bridge men and is iu a hospital Inter-
nally injured.
Vinita Judge Leaves Bench
Vinita, Okla.—When word came
Tuesday afternoon that the governor
had signed the bill creating a new judi-
cial district consisting of Ottawa, Craig
and Mayes counties, District Judge
Thomas L. Brown left the bench, de-
claring he had no jurisdiction to ad-
journ court or discharge the jury. An
important criminal trial was in pro-
appealed to the supreme court, have
been consolidated at the request of
Ihe attorney general, and were all
argued at the same time. A decision
in the consolidated case is expected
from the supreme court at its next
session. That decision will finally set-
tle this troublesome question, so far
aa all state and county officers are
concerned.
CITIZENS TO ENFORCE LAW
and
Species of Ku Klux Klan Visit
Warn Watonga Bootleggers
Watonga, Okla.—The law and order
gress at the time, and many lawyers I league met Tuesday night and before
believe the defendant cannot be tried adjournment organized itself into a
again- Ku-Klux Klan and resolved to wait
on the various bootleggers and houses
Kansas Senator Dies of Ill-fame. About two hundred citi-
Kansas City.—Slate Senator O. L. zens made up the crowd and at each
Chapman of Great Bend Kan., died at place visited the proprietor was in-
a hospital in Kansas City Monday of formed that he must "close the game,"
Bishops Accepts
Kansas City.—Right Rev. Sidney C. j
Partridge) missionary bishop of Koy- I
oto, Japan, and recently elected bishop j
of the Episcopal diocese of Kansas |
City, cabled his acceptance.
Trust Company Official Indicted
New York.—Out of the tangle of fin- j
ancial transactions first made known
by the collapse of Joseph G. Robin's
chain of banks, ruined by sky-rocket
financiering, the grand jury Tuesday
drew the indictment of William J.
Cummins^ directing head of the Car-
negie Trust company, for the alleged
larceny of $335,000 from the institu-
ted! a year ago.
Insane Woman Slays Son
Pottsville, Pa.—Mrs. Benjamin Gran-
ger of this place, in a fit of insanity
took her 8-year old son to a clump of
trees near her home and almost sev-
ered his head with a razor. He was
found half an hour after the woman
had been captured while running wild-
'v about the streets.
Colonel Lincoln Dead
El Reno, Okla.—Colonel Charles P.
Lincoln, one of the most prominent
citizens of El Reno, died at his home
Tuesday afternoon of pneumonia. He
had been ill for two weeks, and for 48
hours preceding his death had been
unconscious.
Ueart disease. He was 43 years old.
Negro Publicly Whipped
Purcell. Okla.— Forty lashes on the
back is the punishment given a negro
here in avenging an insult to a white
woman.
and in some instances was warned to
leave town inslanter.
The Fisher hotel was one of the
, resorts visited and the landlord was
I informed of the purpose of the visit.
He promised to cut it out. About
twenty resorts were visited.
Victim of Disease he Fought
New York.—Dr. Edward F. Ashley,
a bacteriologist, died on Swinburn
Island in New York harbor Tuesday
Afternoon, a martyr to his light against
the entry in this port of cerebral spin-
al meningitis through infected Greek
Immigrants.
Charter Reected
Paola, Kan.—Paola voted against the
adoption of the commission form of
government. The proposition lost by
twenty-four votes. Many women vot-
ed.
Prisoner Escapes
Hugo, Okla.—Cleve Spencer, the
man arrested Tuesday on a burglary
charge, escaped from the county jail
Wednesday, in some mysterious man-
ner he unlocked the front door of the
jail and walked out unobserved.
Child Badly Burned
Stillwater, Okla.—The infant child
of Frederick Lehman, living in Oak
Grove township, is in a critical condi-
tion as a result of scalds and burns
received when the child reached to a
table and pulled upon him a bucket
of scalding water.
Asp To Muskogee
Guthrie, Okla.—It became known
Wednesday that Guthrie will soon lose
another prominent citizen to Muskogee
in Henry E. Asp, who represented
Guthrie in the constitutional conven-
tion. He was for many years general
solicitor for the Santa Fe and since
statehood for the Oklahoma Central.
At Muskogee he will be attorney for
« newly-organized trust company.
State Auditor tanores Office
Oklahoma City.—State Auditor Leo
Meyer will leave for an extended trip
through the eastern part of the state
to collect delinquent gross revenue
and production taxes owned by va-
rious oil and mining companies. The
bill creating the office of state tax
commissioner contemplated the turn-
ing over of that work to the new offi-
cer, but as it finally passed the house
there is considerable doubt as to its
provisions, and Mr. Meyer says that
he does not expect to turn over his
books to the new officer, even if thr
bill is approved by the governor.
Unusual Accident
Gotebo, Okla.—Ray Watkins, while
harrowing in a corn field near here,
in Kiowa county, Wednesday was
thrown underneath the harrow and
his back horribly mutilated when his
team became unmanageable and start-
ed to run away With the harrow
teeth penetrating his back, he was
dragged part way across the field be-
fore he could extricate himself. It
is believed he will recover.
Poteau Company Gets Contract
Altus, Okla.—The cntract has been
let to the Terry Construction com-
pany of Poteau, Okla., for the comple-
tion of the ditching for the sewer and
water systems here. About four miles
of ditching remains to be done.
Contract Awarded
Altus, Okla.—John 1). Stephens of
this city has sectored the contract for
the construction of the combined oil
mill, light and ice plant at Hollis, the
building to be of brick and part of it
'wo stories.
Banker Leaves Snyder
Snyder, Okla.—J. E. Moore, for-
merly of the Kiowa State bank of this
city, left Tuesday for Cherokee, where
he will assume the active management
of the State bank there.
Improvements in Field
Ardmore, Okla.—Judge T. N. Robnett
I came here Tuesday from the zinc field
in the Arbuckle mountains. He reports
that capitalists frcm Coft'eyville, Kan.,
, and Muskogee are putting two 400-ton
j concentrating mills in the field and
[have a large free of miners at work.