The Moore Messenger (Moore, Okla.), Vol. 4, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 4, 1912 Page: 4 of 8
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CIIDIIDD AM MFU/CDADPD DIIDIICHIMP ffl ',',^l,iI'a"<lsuPPr,^i,>n- Wrknow fr.mi luxury, from ot ervati n ami
JUDUIxDAII niL tVuI rtlLlX I UuLljlllllU vU. ^l>«>ally from recent c.xprrienie with the <laily J>ri-- of this city il-
■ tendency and evil effects and in all our experience as editor we have
Fifth Floor Hertkowitz Building Oklahoma City# Oklahoma.
Published every Thursday at 217 North Harvey Street. Oklahoma City.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
One Year $1.00
81x Months &l>
All matter for publication should be handed to local editors not later than
Wednesday noon.
Advertising rates furnished upon application to business office.
When requesting a channe of address, nlve old as well us new address
J. K. ARMSTRONG, Editor.
WE TAKE SIDES ON EVERY QUESTION.
While the Capital Siftings is absolutely non-partisan, it does not
follow that it is a waif cast adrift on the great and tempestuous poli-
tical seas without rudder or compass. We have convictions, the re-
sult of the most thorough analysis of which we are capable on every
important issue before' the people of both this state and nation.
ltefore taking sides on any quertion, it is the custom of all ]K>li-
ticians—not statesmen—and all orthodox partizan journals to feel the
public pulse and determine public sentiment before announcing their
attitude on said issues. They do not study a question with a view of
determining what is right and what is wrong, but seek to learn which
is the popular side and forwith proceed to take that side.
The patriotic statesman and the honest journalist deliberate and
decide upon every question purely upon its merits or demerits and its
cffect upon the weal of the people, ami make frank expression of their
convictions regardless of public opinion. Such men are safe and worthy
leaders and moulders of public ccntiment.
In a modest way, but to the best of our ability we desire to emu-
late the latter.
Upon the several initiative and referred bills, now being circulated,
we have pronounced opinions, and unhesitatingly announce our attitude
on them as follows:
We favor the Akin bill eliminating fourteen state educational in-
stitutions; the Campbelle Russell bill recalling the present Agricultural
board and providing for the more eqbitable election of delegates to both
county and state institutes and a more rigid safeguarding of the States
exchequer. We oppose the Local Option and the Phillips bills. We
favor the reduction of taxes by a reduction of expenses in both State
and County offices.
At the proper time we will announce our choice of candidates from
President to Constable, but shall devote much less time to the discussion
of candidates than to measures.
Before forming an opinion on any question, we will study and
analyze that question and even after reaching a decision will always
be open to reason and a change of mind.
In fact, our purpose and our ambition as a man and editor is to
be just and fair with ourselves and with the public.
WILL THE PEOPLE AWAKE?
Oklahoma entered statehood with what they then thought was the
best constitution, the greatest population, the largest yield of farm pro-
duce, politically, the most active citizenship and the brightest prospects
of a genuinely progressive, democratic government of any state which
had preceeded it.
During the sitting of the constitutional convention the corporate in-
terests and their friends, the reactionary politicians, were peculiarly
quiet and ominously asquiescent.
Their inactivity is now easily understood and the wisdom of their
course clearly demonstrated.
Trusting wholly in the strength of their organic laws, laws which
they were largely responsible for having ingrafted in the Constitution,
the people drifted gradually but surely into a condition of careless in-
difference and inactivity.
This lethargy, the railroads and other corporate interests predicted
and are now happily aware of the correctness of their predictions. It
explains their apparent acceptance of our Constitution and convinces
many thoughtful people that these interests had friends who prominently
participated in the making of that document. With this satisfying as-
surance, they simply rested on their oars and waited for the people
to go to sleep.
The people did not disappoint them. They slumbered, serenely
and in peace, believing they were secure behind an impregnable wall—
the Constitution—the supposed splendid product of their labor, a thing
of which they were proud and a thing in which they trusted for pro-
tection against the machinations and rapacious greed of the Corpora-
tions.
Emboldened by the people's sloth, by the ready truckulence of venal
Federal courts and the apparent impotence of our State administration
to govern them, the public service corporations are defying our Courts,
thie Corporation Commission and the State administration. They re-
fuse to pay taxes. Have raised passenger and freight rates and arc
knocking hole after hole into the Constitution and will continue to
puncture it just as fast they can get before a Federal Court.
Overjoyed with past successes, still depending upon the indiffer-
ence of the masses and their ability to prostitute the state's commercial
interests to a continued abject subservience to their demands, it is not
a surprise that they have the impudence to continue to defy the state
whose patronage makes it possible for them to exist, ignore and dis-
obey its laws and tax the traffic all it will bear.
It is now clearly evident that the car of progress has been stopped
and that unless the people arouse from their stupor and put their should-
ers to the wheel, its wheels will be turned hack and they will have lost
all they gained through their splendid courage and activity.
not refused to publish a half-dozen articles sent us for publication.
To use the public press for digging up and exposing family skele-
tons or parading through their columns matters of a private nature is
infamous anil is never tolerated by honorable publications.
Free speech and a free press arc the bulwarks of our institutions
and it is alone through these agencies that we can hope to gain universal
freedom and justice. Therefore the man or institution who would gag
the one or muzzle the other is a traitor and an enemy to their country.
Politically, we have learned the easy and alluring methods of the
commercial grafter on the outside and the duped or criminally pliant
partisan boss on the inside and have refused to extol and practice the
vices of one or bow to the behests of the other.
There are thousands of self denominated independent journals
who eulogize commercial exploiters anil yet with audacity decline to
publish articles of subscribers lrom whom they expect no return in
dollars and cents. There are editors of so called uplift journals who
cling with one hand upon commercial pirates and try with the other
to hold on to the car of progress.
We don't believe it ]>ossible to justly serve two masters. The
paper which panders to and pets one is at least in danger, when selfish
interests demands, of ignoring and mistreating the other.
Therefore, whenever any paper adopts the policy of nensorship
and refuses to publish only such matter as pays or coincides with their
opinions we are justified in concluding that they are either bought or
that their position on some question is weak and that they fear an open
ami fair discussion.
lleforc we reach the point of throwing down the bars and grant
privileges to men of one opinion which we deny to others of different
opinions, we will quit the job and turn it over to some one who is more
American and who has a higher regard for the Democratic principle of
"Equal and exact justice to all men and special privileges to none."
Whenever we become afraid to openly discuss any question with
any man we will acknowledge the weakness of our position and accept
the strength and truth in his. We never have and never will crouch
and cower behind the censored columns of this or any other paper.
The uniform declarations of the American press to the public of
a square deal; the constitution and laws of the state and nation guar-
anteeing free speech and a free press, becomes a mockerry whenever,
as is too often the case, said public is denied a just and impartial use of
its columns.
The press universally preaches the doctrines of growth, expansion
and elevation in all the affairs of life through co-operation. Rut there
can be no elevation in ignorance; there can be no co-operation in dark-
ness. Intelligence and virtue go hand in hand in the refinement and
elevation of mankind. There is no cohesive force in the dark and
loathsome valley of benighted stupidity. There can be no permanent or
substantial association of men in co-operation, where they are kept in
ignorance. Let there be light. This you shall have as long as the pres
ent editor is at the helm of The Capital Sifting.
L
OUR MISSION.
The mission of the independent newspapers i~ as wide as the
world, and to win the world from greed and animalism and consecrate
it to humanity is a royal privilege we desire to share in.
What a mad-house this world would seem today in its frenzied
rush after the dollar, and the revelry of the few in their stupendous
wealth, but for the light of hope which the independent press sheds
upon it!
During the past five years the independent press has performed
valuable service in the cause of humanity. There lias never been a
time in the history of this country when there were so many free and
independent newspapers as there as today and yet the number, espe-
cially in Oklahoma, is distressingly inadequate. Those obsequious
spineless organs that conform their monotonous strains to the batons
and gyrations of the bandmasters and others masters with mortgages
on them, make an up-hill pull for those that are free and independent.
As an editor and as a citizen we have a supreme contempt for cen-
THE PEOPLE'S BIG STICK.
, (Will you help to form it?)
The problems that confront us today are centuries old, hut the
eternal child in the human race, compels each generation to grapple with
them anew.
For ages and ages humanity lias surged around a few great prob-
lems. Varying degrees of success have attended the efforts of different
generations and different nationalities to solve these problems—and the
increasing struggle shall continue while time lasts.
That "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," is just as true today
as it was a centufy ago; yet many of us today feel that we have done
our full duty when we import a "speiler" for the Fourth of July and
cheer his elequent story of the great responsibilities that rested upon
the shoulders of our ancestors; of how nobly they met these responsi-
bilities; of how they subdued the savage, and conquered the wilderness,
routed the forces of the King and his I lession hirelings and left us the
eternal (?) heritage of government OF, FOR, AND BY, the people—
AUTOMATIC, SELF-OILING AND INDESTRUCTIBLE.
Then we go home and lay our heads upon the pillow of do nothing,
cover ourselves with a blanket of prejudice and enjoy (?) another year
of troubled dreams and nightmares—while the grafter romps on us.
Each generation MUST solve its own problems, must pay for it~
liberties—"Eternal Vigilance" is still the price.
We cannot all agree—some people seem to believe that the Initia-
tive and Referendum are all right (for campaign dope) if we will not
use them.
Others believe that these powers were reserved by the people for
USE and NOT for ornament alone.
We believe that they are of value ONLY when used, or when there
is POTENTIAL FORCE that CAN use them promptly and effectively.
The efforts to use them in the past must remind any thoughtful
person of a six-horse team—one horse pulling at a time. It requires no
argument to show any thoughtful person the possibilities of 1,000 Minute
Men scattered over the state.
Any Constitutional Amendment (believed necessary) can be in-
itiated any day. Anv Legislative Act desired can be initiated any after-
noon. A Referendum can be secured on any objectionable measure after
supper. IT WOULD ONLY REQUIRE THIRTEEN NAMES
EACH!
Think how easy it would have been to save the $125,000 appropri-
ated for a law school at Norman—enough to have furnished $2,500 each
to 50 consolidated rural schools.
There are many reasons why it is not practicable to use the Initia-
tive under present conditions.
1.—The cost is prohibitive when thrown on a few individuals.
2.—When the work extends over weeks it is practically impossible
to prevent unscrupulous parties who oppose the measure bribing some
one to send in spurious names on petitions, so that when you think that
you are safe—you know not.
It has not been definitely determined to just what extent this was
done with the last measure filed.
3.—Ft is easy (and far less dangerous) to print a few thousand hills,
with a FEW words changed—the change from TUESDAY to THURS-
DAY would rarely be noticed; yet we are told that 6,500 names are to
be thrown out in this way.
Twenty Dollars perhaps paid for priming these spurious bills. \\ ith
a machine that extends into every county in the state and the State
Treasury to draw on for expense money—it is easy to get these into the
hands of honest, unsuspecting people and thus destroy the labor of
weeks.
READ THE MINUTE MAN'S PLEDGE. Note that it asks for
nothing of you except that you DO YOUR DUTY as a good citizen in
working for what YOUR OWN JUDGMENT and YOUR OWN CON-
SCIENCE tells you is RIGHT, that you PARTICIPATE in the CON-
"Bear" In Wind That We Have Hitched
Our White Sale Wagon to the "Polar" Star!
a
"Hitch your wagon to a star," wrote Emer-
son, in a spirit of high enthusiasm for America,
its manhood and its potential achievements.
The phrase has come to be immortal, inspiring
thousands by its buoyant hope and abiding faith
in the majesty and divinity of PLAIN EVERY-
DAY MAN!
Doctor, lawyer, philosopher, mechanic, mer-
chant-HITCH YOUR WAGON TO A STAR!
There are no heights to which you cannot as-
pire and eventually achieve!
Indeed, we HAVE hitched our Whitp Sale
wagon to a star. But not an ordinary star, by
any means. We have chosen the NORTH STAR
that nightly guids the mariner home—the bril-
liant, white and steadfast diamond of the firma-
ment—the star that, to our mind, is symbolic of
FIXITY OF PURPOSE, LOFTINESS and PU-
RITY of AMBITION. It means a greater White
Sale for Kerr's than ever before—better and
more helpful.
Our ambition has been very worthv—TO
EXCEL THE BEST OF OUR OWN PAST.
How we have worked—AND SUCCEEDED!
THIS WHITE SALE, beginning next Mon-
day, January 8th, will be the finest achievement
cf a buyant, hopeful and energetic store!
TROL of the government that you HELP TO SUPPORT.
If you are willing to do that, sign and return the enclosed blank,
if you are willing to aid in securing the pledges of other citizens, fill
the blank space showing the number of pledges you w ill endeavor to get
signed.
THE FIGHT IS ON IN OKLAHOMA.
There is no middle ground—except for sluggards, "Political Trim-
mers," and those wholly given over to self-aggrandizement.
Will you co-operate with us in a way to make the PEOPLE'S
RULE in Oklahoma—POSSIBLE, PRACTICAL—SIMPLE—CER-
TAIN?
for co-operation that will protect the Home Builder of
Campbell Russell,
Pres. P. P. L. of Oklahoma.
(Thursday Morning.)
Some very interesting developments came too late to get in this
issue of The Siftings, but they will be ready for next week, backed by
some protographs of records that will no doubt help to sooth (?) the
nerves and quiet the agitation of Oklahoma taxpayers.
The photos will show how some things are "did."
Campbell Russell.
Your-
Oklahoma
COST OF EDUCATION IN OKLAHOMA AS COMPARED WITH OTHER
STATES.
The provisions of the bill are not such as to do away with any part of
an economical and sane educational system, but to stop duplication, extrava-
gance, and small returns from the money expended. Due to the present lack
of support and little prestige of our schools, the State Superintendent is
authority for the statement that there are in the neighborhood of 1,000 stu-
dents from Oklahoma attending schools outside the state. Why is this? Very
largely, it is brought about by the inefficiency and insignificant prestige of
all our 10 institutions. ,
KILLING JOHNSON GRASS
What is the best method of killing
Johnson grass?—C. C. Featherston,
Pittsburg County, Oklahoma.
The best system Is to plow your land
about four inches deep in August, thus
turning up the root system to the hot,
drying influences of the sun. Harrow
it frequently. When the ground is in
good condition, sow a catch crop like
winter oats or rye, thus keeping the
ground covered and preventing the
roots from getting to the light and
making any considerable growth dur-
ing the fall and winter. You may ma-
ture these oats or simply use them for
winter grass and just as soon as the
crop is harvested or too rank for pas-
ture, plow the land again in the spring
and fall to a crop like cowpeas, which
may be either planted thick or drilled
in, and cultivate like you would a crop
of sorghum. By this method you not
only kill the Johnson grass, by stirring
the soil, but you keep it smothered by
the use of these other crops. In sea-
sons like the past two years, thousands
of acres of Johnson grass have been
exterminated by the method described
above.
Oklahoma City.—Special regulations
that will prove of no little benefit to
the farmers hace been made by the
department of agriculture. For the
past two years farmers have disposed
of many of their best breeding hogs,
partly for the reason that it was too
expensive to keep them, and many
We have so many schools so widely scattered and so poorly equipped, |laVe died from cholera. A new regu-
that when a young man or woman, or the parents, have by hard labor, amassed ]ation permits the purchase of hogs
sufficient money to maintain thm a year or more In a higher institution of whlch aro to be vacclnated heM for
learning, they had just as soon, and more probably, would rather attend a . , '
school of recognized standing and great prestige outside the state in prefer- x * days and dipped in an
nee to spending the same money in a smaller institution in some obscure arsenical solution after which they
corner of Oklahoma. be shipped anywhere in the
state. This will allow many farmers
to stock up again.
It has been said that the per capita cost of education in Oklahoma schools
is less than that of other states; also that the cost in the centralized institu-
tions is greater than in the schools which are scattered. As proof of the
error of this statement, I submit the following table:
160.33
Enrollment. Tost.
Kansas, one Central and two Branch Normals. ...3290 $274,636
Iowa, one Teachers' College 2X41 274,722
Missouri, five Normals 4000 330,000
Georgia, two Normals 1316 25,500
Oklahoma, six Normals 1767 256,194
Oklahoma's deficiency last, year was $33,424.50. From all indications it
will be greater this year than ever before as sevenil of the schools have
already, in the first four months, spent more than half of their entire appro-
priation for the twelve months.
1 wish to call particular attention to the comparison of Georgia with Okla- J
homa. They have two Normals as my bill would leave in Oklahoma. The \
per capita cost in Oklahoma is at present $160.25; theirs is $65.
A very large part of the work done in the Normals of our state is that
of a high-school. In fact there are but 330 students in the six Normals, doing [
real Normal work. Since the work being done is secondary, I suggest that"]
we are paying for work on a Normal scale and receiving a very inferior grade. I
The high-schools of the state are being maintained at a cost ranging from
ten to fifty dollars per capita. Any man of good business judgment and econ-
omy would immediately decide that our state is, by the present system, keep-!
ing up a lot ot charitable institutions for the care and keeping of political pet j
teachers, many of whom as a matter of fact, would not be tolerated in a first- |
class high-school in the state.
The appropriations made by the last Legislature for schools my bill
would discontinue, are as follows:
j Bucyrus, Ohio.—-MisA Katherine
Cost per Scott of this place and Miss Pearl
capita. Schlater of Lexington, Ohio, school
$60.96 teachers, both aged 21, were instantly
95.00 ; killed at a street crossing here when
65 00 8truok by a I>ennRylvania train. The
' " teachers were driving in a buggy and
attempted to beat the train across the
track.
Tonkawa Prep
Claremore Prep
Girls' I. I. C
Alva Normal
Ada Normal
Weatherford Normal
Tahlequah Normal
School Mines and Met....
Warner Dis. Agricultural..
Tishomingo Agricultural...
Broken Arrow Agricultural
Lawton Agricultural 17,000
Helena Agricultural 17,000
Goodwell Agricultural .... 11,000
Totals $356,000
General
1911-12
35,000
30,000
30,000
40,000
30,000
25,000
17,000
17,000
17,000
Revenue
1912-13
$ 35,ooii
3ii,uoo
30,000"
40,000
30,000
40,000
30,000
25,000
19,000
19,000
19,000
19,000
19,000
13,000
$368,000
Section 13.
$13,038
5,795
5,795
5,793
5,795
Deficiencies.
$
14,903.98 |
6,951.28
2,315.00
4,313.75
3,376.2..
$36,218
$31,909.45
Grand total for biennial period $792,128.20
Another very large item is the Public Buildings' appropriations that are
demanded from every Legislature.
One might say, "Since the schools are established, why do away with
them?" Judging from their recent demands for more public buildings, they:
are far from being established. The appropriations asked for by twelve of
the fourteen schools last winter for dormatories, gymnasiums, etc., totaled
$1,500,000. To establish these schools properly, an outlay by the state of |
$3,000,000 or $4,000,000 would be necessary for buildings alone, in addition j
to the fast increasing cost of maintenance. It is evident to all but a few j
selfish politicians of certain "rings," and some people locally affected, that
such a system, if continued and built up would hold our grand young common-
ewalth as a tax-ridden land from now until time shall be no more. The state
entering on its career as such has a long time in which to develop. This)
development will be brought about the more rapidly by building up such a\
system as will encourage capital and population to come into our state, instead j
of discourage as at present. OLIVER H. AKIN. j
SPECIAL
SALE!
We have five
Coal Ranges
BEST GRADE
Will sell them at
Actual Cost!
You will have to hurry !
J T. Spivey
& Sons
California and Harvey, Oklahoma City
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Simms, P. R. & Armstrong, J. K. The Moore Messenger (Moore, Okla.), Vol. 4, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 4, 1912, newspaper, January 4, 1912; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc109230/m1/4/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.