The Norman Democrat--Topic (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 28, No. 10, Ed. 1 Friday, February 23, 1917 Page: 4 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Oklahoma Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Gateway to Oklahoma History by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
PAGE FOUR
NORMAN DEMOCRAT-TOPIC
THE NORMAN DEMOCRAT-TOPIC. FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 23 1917.
Publl-hH Vvrry i r ^ .
By W. J. HESS
One Year in Advance
|i.*>
Six Months
Ihrec Months
■40
Entered at the posto&cc at Norman,
transportation through the mails as second
ter.
Oklahoma
class mail
for
mat-
DEFEAT OF THE GRADUATED LAND TAX
The Republicans in the House of the Oklaho-
ma Legislature voted almost solidly against the
graduated land tax amendment, although the prop-
osition was in no sense a political measure. The
advocate- of a graduated land tax have ahvay*
sought support of the measure on the the ry that
such tax was a fundamental requisite of air prac-
tical effort to chick the growth of farm tenantry,
but in nearly every session of the legislature since
statehood the submission of an amendment t'>
the constitution to provide for this tax ha- been
defeated in the House after it had passed the
Senate.
It will not do to charge that this re-u!t ha- al-
ways been accomplished by the activity and spec-
ious arguments of the land owners, or a lobby
directly by them, although it cannot be denied
that very -trenuous and well-directed efforts have
been made in previous session-, and that defeat
for the resolution ha- always followed with a
regularity that suggests an amazing c incidence.
The House, however, is known as ihe popular
branch of the Legislature, and it i- frequently
claimed for it that its membership is nearer to the
people and has its ears closer to the ground and
more sharply attuned to catch expressions of the
popular will. Thi- may or may not be true, but
it is a fact that House members are elected for
but two years, and this period embraces normally
but one session. The shortness of thi- term has
been defended with the argument that ;t makes
the member peculiarly amenable to the popular
will, and that it i- to all intents and purposes a
system of "Recall." If the member satisfies the
electorate of In- party and In- di-trict, and he de-
sires a re-election he is sent back, or promoted to
some other office. The fact that only a few old
members are returned from year tn war might
be construed into an argument that an alert elec-
torate has found them wanting, but the fact i-
that the elector- of very few districts are even
reasonably alert when it comes to the selection
of members of the legislature, and the pax is - ,
small and the comparative sacrifice of time and
business so great that only a small percentage of
the membership of either the House or Senate
ever try to come hack for further experience.
Measures like the graduated land tax that fail in
one session must therefore run the gauntlet of an
entirely new body in a succeeding -e.-sioii, and
because the people are generally indifferent on
questions of public policy which do not directlv
affect their right- or interests, such questions have
a slim chance of being submitted to the voters i. •
their approval or rejection.
It would appear, therefore, that if any large per-
centage of the people care to have a vote upon the
adoption of a graduated land tax amendment tilev
must either initiate it at their own e\p<-nse. or
make it an issue in the selection of candidates for
the next legislature.
the laxvs passed by the legislature
tain qualifications, fixed by ti
by the legislature, and the judgi
pas- on the laws must posse
and administ
must have
constitution
of the courts
a certain standard of qualifications, and it x\.,uH
-eem that the men who have the important duty
i • akin., the :xx- should be equally xvell versed
in human, bus i e-s and public affairs and paid a
-.;,ar\ commensurate with the importance of their
work.
I'he-e proposed changes are in no sense a reflec-
tion on the per- .nnel or the efficiency of the pres-
ent leg:-!ature r .,f any of its predecessors. The
xoung men and the old men in both bodies have
quitted themselves with equal credit with their
colleagues of intermediate ages, and except for
some radical measures,—that appear to have bad a
majority ot the people behind them, the work al-
ready .•mpfished at thi- session appear- to be
' . up 1" ti;-; staji iar<l -et by any previoti- le^i--
attire in this state and in advance of the work
done bx laxx making bodies in surrounding states.
Oklahoma i- all right just a- -he is, and the legis-
lature :n it-, present form, and even with its pres-
ent large membership, gets less dra-tic criticism
than several city commissions we might name.
i he trouble with these political theorists and
iconoclasts is that in seeking "efficiency" a, they
term it, they w<>uM revolutionize and destroy our
ystein of -tate government, rather than reform
and adju-t it along constitutional lines.
I hex are i arried away by the highbrow fetisch
"i citx managers and "commission forms of
government" and thex lose sight of the egregious
..nd costlx failure- that have been made by this
h L'lilx centralized form of administration in the
railroad world, and other fields of private enter-
prise, where the courts through receivers have
I ad to take over the property and bring order out
of chao-.
Ihe "commission form of government" has not
vet had sufficient trial to warrant the assertion
that it is a -ucce- even as applied to the closelv
identified interests of the inhabitants of a citx, and
there l- nothing in the current history of civic
achievement to indicate that a legislative law fac-
tory i -ixtecn members, in session all the time
and prepared to pass ordinances or laxx- to meet
each tmergenc;. or demand that might arise,
would give us either more efficient or more eco
nomic laxv- than we now enjoy—or denounce.
PuMished ir The Norman Democrat-
Topic February 23, 19171
ORDINANCE NO. 266
rdinan . to a-se-> the cost of
*'reet improvement in Street Im-
; -joven -nr ln-trict Twenty-Three
> comprised of East Grav Street
rrom the x*.-t line of Peters Avenue
•o the ea-t lire oi the right-of-way of
the Atchison. Topeka and Santa lt
Kailroad, in the City of Norman. Ok-
Plock 5 Lot 18 N J4 ft -'4.02
i'lock 5 l ot 19 N '4 it M.llJ
Block 5 Lot 19 S 39 it. 4 in oi N ''3
it 4 in. 24.^3
P.lock 5. L t 19 S 23 it. 4 in. of the X.
II'1 ft 8 in. 14'.:
I'.lock ? Lot 19 S -'3 ft. 4 in. ... 14.05
I'dock = L t .1 N 54 r. 34.02
Black 5 Lot 20 S 33 ft. S in. of the X.
*7 ft. K in. 2O.X0
Block 5 Lot 20 S 29 ft. of the N. 116
lahoma, against Ihe taj "and" ^ ^20 S 23
Block
HI. ck
: Block
i Block
! Block
j Block
i -lock
Block
Lot 21
Lot 22
Lot 23
Lot 24
Lot 25
Lot 26
Lot 27
Lot 28.
I.ot 29
Lot 30
Lot 31
Lot 32..
NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS HORSES AND MULES FOR SALE ']
ship 9-2-
Xonnan
4 in. 14.65
87.86
87.85 .
87.86 j
87.85
tracts of land in said street improve*
mcnt district
He it ordained by the mayor and
c uncilmen oi the City . f Norman
Oklahoma
Section 1 That, whereas, the board
ot appraisers heretofore appointed by
re> lutio: to appraise and apportion * !■- *.*
he Inner ts re -lilting from the paving! I'lock
nd otherw-e improving of the por Mock
Greets, avenues and other illock
public pla - ribed in the title of Block .
ordinal < - , to the several lots and 100 ft. of land beginning at the XW
tracts r>? land which are liable to as-j corner of lot 32 of block 5, thence "
-nient to | . the c -t of * uch im- west 10** it. to the east line of the dudley
provements, which cost has been as- Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe R. R.
ertained to Se the sum of three company's right-of-way, thence south
thousand t ve hundred and eighty-two ' "*0 ft. thence east 100 ft. to the west
v *..">82.91 . have per- ' ,!r lot 'J. block $474.40
The
taxpayer*- in Xorrn.
west, at the court 1
March 1, 2 and 3, comniencriL' it 8
o'clock a. ni. The taxpayer-, « i Liberty
township will meet at \\ . D. Mor-
oney s residence on March 2nd, and
at New !I ;>«- scl ool u
township i>n Man rd
W. J. I'.ARNWRI),
County Assessor
By I.. L. McCOMB,
Deputy.
1 have several head of good young
horses and mules that I will sell for
cash or terms. See stock at my barn
three blocks east of court house, Nor-
man, Okla. Telephone 5.
6-tf DAVIS BREXDLE.
.. 87.45
.. 87.07
H7.W)
s7.(*
__ 87.01
__ 86.67
86.66
ANNOUNCEMENT.
J B. Dudley and Ralph ('. Ilardie
announce that they have formed a
partnership for the ki-iu ral practice
of law under the firm name of Dudley
& Hardic with o111«<• in the same
uilding formerly occupied by J. |{.
i C. F. TEEL
Optometrist
71-100 doll.. , pcl „
ormed their duties according to law, 100 ft. of land beginning at the S\\
< s such apj ra>«-rs and have returned j corner of lot 1 block 4 « ). T. thence
nd led wiri th- city clerk a writ- west to the east line of the A. T. &
•en report <>? their said appraisement >• ' ■ R- R company's right-of-way
indI apportionment, and thence north 140 ft thence east to the
uherea-, -ter the 'ilintf i -aid re- XW corner of lot 1 block 4 (). T.
port, the mayor and councilmen did i'309.87.
ppoint a time for holding a session Section 2. That the assessments
to hear and onstder any complaints hereby levied against said several
r objections concerning >uch ap-1 lots and tracts of land, shall bear in-
praisement and apportionment, and merest from the date of the passage
caused due notice of «>uch session to "f this ordinance, at the rate of seven
be published according to law. and in '7> per cent per annum, and said as-
pursuance of such action and publi- ^essments shall be payable in ten
ation, such >< - non was duly conven- ' Cjual annua! installments. The t"ir<t of
•1 and held ' . the mayor and council- -uch installments, with interest to
' en n the ''th day of F ebruary, 1917, that date on the whole assessment
:in^- -hall be payable on the tirst day of
W Mereas, at said session the mavor September. 1917, and one installment
rid councilmen did hear and onsider thereof, with interest on the whole
all complaints and objections to said amount remaining unpaid, to said
appraisement and apportionment, and dates, respectively, shall be payable
' 'I an^ there review the same, on the first day of September
i he latest styles in millinery are
'iow on display at Mrs. I.izzie Smith's.
OVER
Barbour's
Store
Norman, =:
Drug
Okla.
r
CHANGING THE SIZP; AND FORM OF OUR
LEGISLATURE.
The regular bi-ennial storm ■ >f t ritii i in of the
size and form of the legislative branch of our -tate
government is now raging in the columns of the
Daily Oklah oman and many of our weekh ex-
changes, and as usual these political theorists
show little promise of getting anywhere because
none of thetn agree, and most of the proposed
remedies arc wild! \ impractical and wliolh v ision-
ary. It is no answer to their criticisms of present
conditions to call them names and decrv their
ideas and arguments.
The charge they make that the present legis-
lature is too large and unwieldl\ i- both literal!*
and theoretically true, but the legislature can be
reduced in si/e without destroying our republican
form of government, and it ought to be material-
ly reduced in membership without going to the
other extreme and abolishing representative go\
ernment altogether.
Under the Constitution the House of Represen-
tatives might be reduced by a legislative act, but
the plan of apportionment, a change oi -,• 11 ars and
the limitation of sessions to bi-ennial, and for
sixty days each, would have to be changed b\ con-
stitutional amendment. The Senate could not be
reduced in membership except In constitutional
change, so that any attempt to remedy matters
would practical!* result in extended fundamental
changes in that part of the constitution which re
lates to the structure and control the procedure of
the legislative branch of the -l il< government
If an amendment were submitted that tin Sen-
ate should be reduced in membership to not less
than twenty-five, and not more than thiru six,
and the House to not less than fift\. nor more than
seventy-two, the amendment might earn as a
long '-lep in tlie direction of greater c flicietv ■
The highest efficiency would not be obtained,
however, until the )*iv \\ i- inctca-ed. nd the limit
of sessions increased from sixty to ninetv, or one
hundred and twenty days in bi-ennial . n-. .r
preferably sixty da; s and an annual session.
Ihe growing tcndenc. in Oklahoma to end
precocious infants and "baby" membi i • tin le
islature. has not had a noticc.tlile effe • in either
increasing and decreasing the efficiency or ineffici
ency of the legislative body, but on the principle
of "Safety First" if the membership i
duced it might be the part of good jtt
advance the "age of consent" in both hi
least five years.
On the other hand, since this i claimed to lie a
progressive movement, in a prog re ivi ' iti and
a progressive age, the voters of every h ■ 1 a ■
district should be prohibited from nominal in . i
the legislature fo- iliferou- n bark ei 1
of the Silurian age.
The officers elected and appointed to enforce
"BONE DRY" LEGISLATION.
In the language of more than one "oldtimer"
as he reads the daily newspapers "has the whole
< oomtng country gone crazv on this bone drv
business ?" And "where will it all end?"
\\ e-t \ irginia is passing a law to supplement
her present rigid "bone drv" prohibition law de-
claring all property s„ch as drug stores, express
office®, warehouses, wharves, etc., public nuis-
ance- where any liquids containing as much as
' lie and a half per cent of alcohol is handled or
allowed to light.
Kfois,a- j- wrestling with legislation that pro-
vides a fine of not le-- than five dollar- and not
more than twenty-five dollars for smoking a . far-
cttc.
Oklahoma has just pa-sC,| a law that prohibits
any common Carrier from hauling into the state
any malt, -piritou- or vinous liquors or anyone
from selling, delivering or having in pos-e-sion
ny of the contraband, and the cigarette smokers
' ' ' ' "f the state arc trembling in fear that
the "hone dry" cigarette bill which passed the
House may yet creep through the Senate.
, '''I>e and cigar smoker-, and chewer- of the
long green, have visions of their present immunity
being assailed within two years, and the smokers
and private drinkers of several other states are
going down before the embattled white ribboners.
And only last year we were sending cigarette
to the soldiers at the front and laughing at the
prohibition candidates for the presidential and
oilier offices'
I he woman suffrage amendment is -till in the
oiise Democratic caucus, and sentiment toward
it is reported to be crystallizing in its favor as the
statesmen m that body gain time to look at the
fjtiure. Tlie attitude of opposition assumed bv
e Kcpubhc.in members is in line with the reac-
tionary; policies pursued by the members of that
pari\ in Oklahoma ever sjIK-,. statehood. They
'"ught the constitution, and have constantly op-
po-ed every progressive and constructive idea ad-
vanced by the Democrats, and approved and ad-
\ oca ted by their own part\ in the more progres-
sive state- Personally these rigid old -tandpat-
lrl>,'"e all yi, e icllows, hut tlu v never lose si..ht
of the good old Republican po'licv of "getting
theirs even if they have to walk backward- on
important public (juestion^.
and did by resolution confirm said ap-
praisement and apportionment, as so
reviewed, and,
Wherea*, all legal requirements
have been fully complied with to au-
thorize the levying of*a--cssments to
;-.i\ the cost of said improvements,
against the several lots and tracts of
l-' i'd liable to such assessment:
\'ow, Therefore, there shall be and
hereby i>; 1 \ i• cl and assessed against
the several I««ts and tracts of land in
"aid street improvement district, the
amounts respectively stated in said
report of the board of appraisers, as
n v iewt <1 and conf rmed, as follows
'Exhibit A."
Old Town.
I.ot 1
Lot 2
Lot .1
Lot 4
Lot 5
Lot 6
Lot 7 r;
Lot K
Lot 9
Lot 10
Lot 11
Lot 12
Lot 13
Lot 14
Lot 15
Lot lo
I'lock 5 Lot 17 X 54 feet
I'lock 5 Lot 17 S 23 ft
X. 116 ft. 8 in of 17...
I'lock 5 Lot 17 S 39 ft
\. 93 ft. 4 in. of 1
Mock
I'lock
Mock
116 ft.
Mock
I'> lock
I'lock
Hh.ck
l' lock
I - lock
B lock
Block
Mock
Mock
Block
Block
Bio k
Block
I'lock
Block
Mock
$86.66
86.67
.. 87.06
87.06
.. 87,(K.
.. 87.07
.. ■ ,.45
.. 87,4/.
.. 87.85
.. 87.86 :
.. 87.85
87.8/'.
.. 87.85
.. 87.86
.. 87.85 1
. 87.85 j
.. 34.02 I
"f the !
__ 14.65 J
4 in. of the
24.53 |
4 in.
— —j mw, • ■ f each
the year 1917 to 1926, inclusive:
Provided, however, that the owners
of any of the lot- and tracts of land
-o assessed, shall have the privilege
of paying the whole amount of their
; respective assessments within thirty
• 30) days from the date of the pas-
sage of this ordinance, without inter-
est; and, provided, further, that the
Owners of the property upon which
said work or any part thereof, not
less than one block, shall have at any
time been completed and approved,
shall have the right to make payment
of their respective assessments with-
in thirty (30) davs from the date of
the approval of said work or any part
thereof with interest at the rate of
seven (7) per cent per annum from
the date of the passage of this ordin-
ance to the date of payment: and,
provided, further, that if the work for
which any property owner proposes
to pay his entire assessment with in-
terest has not been completed and
approved w ithin four (4) months from
the date of the passage of this ordin-
ance, then and in that event, four '4)
months interest only shall be added to
said assessment: and the owners of
said property shall have all other op-
tions as provided by Chapter 10, Arti-
cle 12 of the Revised Laws of the
State of Oklahoma, 1910.
Section 3. That this ordinance
-hall take effect and he in full force
from and after its passage and publi-
cation according to law.
Passed and approved this 16th day
The First National Bank
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA
Capital ?-°d Surplus $70,000
E B JOHNSON. Pre*
WM. SYNNOTT, Cashiei PHIL C KIDD, Vice Pre*
Denver Runyan
J. R. Stogner
93 ft.
_ I.ot 17 S J.l it. 4 in. of 17 14.65 February, 191..
- I.ot 18 S 23 it 4 in. 14.f>5 Sinned liy th. mayor this 16th day
• I.ot 18 S 23 ft. 4 in. of the X. ' °f February, 1917.
X ill. of 18 14.65 (Seal) L. C. LINDSAY,
5 I.ot 1H S 39 ft. 4 in. of the X. | Attest: Mayor.
4 in. 24.53 J. MARTHA WISH, i ity Clerk'.
iieu-|> ,|nr- of the state can tell l>\ the end
s week whether the legislature looks upon
helpful and worthy agency in the
' n K I, or simply as :t poor
ignored at all other times than just
be r
cnt to
l>v at
Tin
of thi
the pre— a-.
battle for the
relation to be
O'l-'e th, prini.it or general eletcion. Four or
ini)".riant bills affecting new-papers and the
I'liM:-!..!- ht.Mness are on the calendar for action
ni the immediate present.
RETURN OF THE NATIONAL GUARD.
Tl""' ■'"'N "i people in Oklahoma will repoice
W('k ' ''' t,K' return to their homes of the
I!'""'. ' '"Huigent of i he Oklahoma National
1 "!'i. ei. lit months of loval and efficient
: • -ice on M, s u an border. Four units of the
.11,ltd have been already mustered out and have
1 " M homes and ihe regiment is to
" ■ h I ' Sill this week.
Whether these seasoned -oldiers will take up
■g.i n the duties of National Guardsmen after bc-
i:1M ' red .in of the federal service is a very
!l,"1 ;',ave question for those who are tax-
"i uiih i!i, responsibility of keeping up the mili-
'•1 r\ organization r,f the state.
" -' '"'V1! tllat ,hey will not, for most
ol them are entitled by their service to either join
the reserves or be discharged. '
l!v reason of their experience their services
• ' ' " !ti\aitiaMc to Hi*- state organization, and
!« ' innot be replaced with men of equal effici-
ency in \car>.
McGINLEY'S
SPECIAL COFFEES
City Pride. . 25c a pound
University Special 30c a pound
The above brand of coffees are
roasted at our store every day.
BAKERY DEPARTMENT.
Our bakery department can supply
you with bread, pies and cakes. This
department is kept at a high standard.
GROCERY DEPARTMENT.
Our grocery department handles
the best of fancy and staple groceries.
MEAT DEPARTMENT.
We carry a complete line of fresh
meats. A visit to this department will
make you a regular meat customer.
FRESH VEGETABLES OF ALL
KINDS.
McGINLEY'S
PHONE 101
RUNYAN & STOGNER
LOANS AND INSURANCE
Office in Cleveland County Enterprise Office
Jas. D. Maguire
Everything in Hardware, Paints and Oils
ESTABLISHED IN 1389
Bain Fym Wagons
Anchor Buggies and Spring Wagons
Black Hawk Corn Planters and Listers
Oliver Riding and Walking Plows
Brown and Janesville Cultivators
Glidden Barb-Wire and Hog Fence
Charter Oak Stoves and Steel Ranges
Keen Kutter Edged Tools
Stearns' Mixed Paints. Oil Paints.
Prices as low as Quality of Goods Permit, and Terms at,
Liberal as the Nature of the Risk Suggests
a
SECURITY STATE BANK
Norman. Oklahoma
The Largest State Bank in the County
CJiVIrJiL STOCK $30,000
Patronize a hank whose deposits
are guaranteed. Will appreciate
your business
C. H. BESSENT
Cnshier
miller
insurance
Real Estate, Rentals, Farm Loans Citv Lo-inc R™,r
Life, Accident, Health. Fire, Burglary, Liability, Tornado;
Automobile, and Live Stock Insurance.
We represent Twenty of the Largest and Strongest Old
Line Companies.
* 1
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.
The Norman Democrat--Topic (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 28, No. 10, Ed. 1 Friday, February 23, 1917, newspaper, February 23, 1917; Norman, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc120410/m1/4/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.