Hollis Post-Herald. (Hollis, Okla.), Vol. 17, No. 49, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 21, 1920 Page: 2 of 8
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State Qaatmf aW Whine
PetitioH to W Yttt^MNnr.
H 1920.
ArK'ii'i+r.i la fafor of tha adoption
ttHtMi* Q.e*'Jon No isl'U'i*« K
tttv/f, No 47 'If/* foil tifi* **4
ef the « * ««
A B«H Cnt<tl*4; "An Act Levying
«pe* tM Property of Certain Public
Corp*rali«ns, n (Aflr-wal Ti*
f r tha Mj M«nirc4 of the C«m«4A j
a*Kv,i« of v .« State, PfO/sl ng for
Um Collection r\4 Apperson met
Thereof, «• Pf«*i4«d .n lett 12*.
ArtRe 10, of th« State Canst notion."
Be It Ena/i*d by th«s People of Hi !
HIM* '/f Oklahoma'
H**Unt, I For th* vnw** of mala- ,
ItlttdC th* '.'/tuvn/t* wb'Mli of lula I
Mi*'" Io/ *h" ,**t <*r,UitiU,t j
July I*'. /(Mi Mlwiftif 'h* a/lopOMD of i
tl<l« Ac. for hw.U ftacal year there- ,
after */i annual tax l* hereby levied j
gyrjn tfc<- proptrty of every railroad
9uu u*i0. P'P* Un* compear. telesrrsph
twmii*iiy. awl upon tt« property of
•very puMlc serrU* corpotaikm which
operate* in more than one count y in
this Hi*'*-, such '** to b* equal U*
■m/ aa may >#«; to the average rale
Of Us k«M upon other property la
Unto state for Ilk* pur poses
f«r tffi purpose of determining the
late of Utny to Im applied to the prop-
erty coming under the provisions of
tUto Act for maintaining common
tor any tax year, It la hereby
(he duty of the County Clark of
each county la thla Hi ate to furnish
the Ntola Auditor, In writ Inc. over hi*
algaature anil seal, not. later than Oc-
tober let, each year, a at at em en t ahow-
lag the maintenance (or "general pur-
Mae") tax levy (or each school dis-
trict In hie county for such year; anil
Um Htate Auditor etiall add together
tlM amount of such maintenance (or
"feaeraJ purpose") levy for each and
every school district In this Htate, and
■kail divide the result by the total
Mmber of school districts In this
0ta(e, and the quotient shall be held
•Sd construed to b« the average tax
rata for this Htate for maintaining
common schools for such year; and
the Htate Auditor shall, In a book kepi
tor that purpose, extend the said aver
ate tax rate against all property com-
!■« under the provisions of this Act;
and such tax Is hereby made payable
to the Htate Auditor In like time as
taxes upon other property for similar
purposes are payable throiiKhout this
•lata; and upon failure to pay, the
owner or owners of audi property shall
be subject to like permit lee uh are
■ow, or may hereafter lie, provided by
law for failure to pay ad valorem taxes
regularly levied In this Htate.
0actlon 2, All taxes collected under
ike provision of thla Act ahull, as col
tooted, be paid Into the Hlute Treasury
to the cretllt of the eoiniuim school
fund of the Htute, mid the same shall
1m apportioned and distributed In like
time and munner us other common
achool funds of the Htate.
flection H. Property coming tinder
the provisions of this Act shall not he
llablit for the maintenance or general
purpose lax levy made by any school
district; but such property shall lie
subject to taxation for all other pur-
poses, Including the school district
(levy for "Interest anil sinking fund,"
the same us before the adoplliai of
this Act.
No one hits even advanced a claim
ithat the above measure Is not properly
drawn to make effective the will of the
people of Oklnhoma ua expressed in
Hetilluu 12a, Article 10 til the Htale
Constitution, riillflcd by Ihc people of
Oklahoma August 5, 11*18.
The enemies of Heel Ion 12a will fight
this measure upon t iw ground tnst
•eetlf.il 12a should not he vlt^llied,
To advance such un argument in to
claim that the minority uud NOT the
Majority should rule.
Heotlon 12a hue heen before the
people hi three elections. In the gen
ersl election In III I It this proposition
iwas (partly) before the people. The
legislature had ordered II submitted
io the people for their approval or re-
Jectlon.
Ily leuvliiK this question off of the
jraguiar Htate Question bullet and pluc
1iik same under (he names of cnudl
dates upon the Htate ticket more than
1V0,00(I voters fulled to And this ques'
tlon or to enst. their votes thereon.
The proposition received 10l,6lltl "yes
rotes and CI,Kill "no' voles. Falling
to reealve a "majority of all (he votes
oast In the election" it lost.
. The measure was submitted at a
•peoial election In August, 1918, re-
.oelvhiK 68,810 "yes" votes to 80,291
r«o- votes, whereupon the same be
|panie a part of tho Constitution of
lOklahoma.
I The Huprtnne t'ourt held that the
paction was not self executlitK. but re-
gulred vital Ulna legislation.
Heel Ion 4G, Article & of the Hlute
Constitution reads:
"The l,egislature HMAI.T. 1'ASH
audi laws us are necessary to
luake effect Ive the pro\lel«aiu of
this Constitution."
Net only wss tills pinln inundate of
ithe Constitution ignorad by the I
(Mature, but In I9ltl the people of the
Htate were usked to re|ieal Section
92u 7(i,0l)8 votes were i-ast In favor
iof Nileli repeal and U'T.M.'fi votes were
loast against the pmposed repeal.
[ The l.eglsiatute etlll n'fushig to
|obey Heotlon <f> of Article f of the
(Const It ut Ion, the measure above
ptiowti war initiated and Is now mil
ppltted to the people of Oklahoma so
jthat by the powtr of our own franchise
p e may enact (lie ieRtMlullou necesaury
|to make sttectlve the constitutional
rrevision heretofore ratlflad.
Dutinir the seven vivirs that have
^lapsed since Heel ion 12a heeam# a
■art of our State Constitution, up
proximately Kour Million lioiiurs have
Kaan diverted from school districts
which >re gnftu. equitably and etai-
«ftuthmally entitled to the aanie; and
'oxlmutely three uuaiters of a lull
doliurs annually Is now diverted
im nchool districts to which the
rightfully belongs
[n the prefsce to Wllllsn^a, Const!
it Ion. the author, who. while u main
of the Huprenit Court, participated
the drclaliai or many Important con
Itttlonal iitieal tons, said
"When such organic law la rati-
vl«ia am « t it pmntr
latfalatfc*. it to wltn th« *>>*a
reaiixatifat that It than a*d thara
kMMMS a tiH orrsafc lav. t«b-
>art to ba ek*mvA 'Mir ta th«
iu/imt aad form jirwldsd ta the
rVjsiMtsilM. uy) 'hat tbi
latvrt by taKHwst, wk*r*
*y*' uJl> yrt*wvi*4. 'k* *x*«'lv«
by admteht/a'lva po er. rn the
o/tr by "m$irxx:!U/*. may aot ai-
• tar, modify or r*p*aJ the saat* by
th* *-z'nh+ ua* of power,
tk'Mfb cupportad by public n«-
D«p i"
Tti* x -n*rat public * rorpora*
ti/*« <A iha Ktxt* ( vb as ccrr«red by
H-edlon 12a/ l>+/ thair taxe^s with
Mft,' y from th* CiMIt, aad
At"/rr<ay funeral Vrt*\.nn hat wall
aaid Io referring to 8*c?lon 12a:
'Horely bo ot* will d«-ny fhat
the i^frpi«* may provide in he (>«•
|t|t«tiMi that the part of the tax
whieb tom** indirectly from all
the people, khaii be *ii di frifejted
fhat ail may have t.'.e Ireneflt of
a )'j*t ptoponion To deny that
the peopi* may a/^rompliah the
porp</se clearly in'ended by thla
smendfoeoi, and whi'.h we um-
c*T*\y believe la clearly ex pi esued,
la to dan/ tha sovereignty of the
people."
Th" Citlwns of every school district
In Oklahoma rontribu'e to the funds
which pay public service corporation
taxes for maintaining common schools,
and every school district has the
same right to ihe use and benefit of
fha same that they have to share in
the interest collected upon our com-
mon school fund or the rentals col-
lected upon school lands (Hectlons 10
and H )
If somebody underioook to apportion
theee rent moneys to the particular
•chord districts In which Ihe land waa
located, wouldn't it cause a riot?
The platform upon which our pres-
ent Governor made his successful cam-
paign for nomination suld:
"I believe that when a consti-
tutional amendment or un initiat-
ed question has been duly sub-
mitted and ratified by the people
that If should be vitalized by the
Ijftltlslature, unless subsequently
repealed by the affirmative action
of fhe voters. This is tha plain
mandata of the Constitution and
cannot be ignored without injury
to the Integrity of our Institutione,
and the spirit of our laws and
form of gomernment."
Thomas Jefferson said:
"Absolute asquiescence In Ihe
decisions of the majority is tha
fundamental principle of repub-
lics."
One of tho black spots upon Okla-
homa history is the repudiation of this
fundamental principle by the Okla-
homa Legislature. This matter, by
Initiation, has been brought before the
voters of the Htute for u final verdict.
A "yes" vote upon this tneuaure Is a
vole to compel respect for und com-
pllance with the will of the people of
Oklahoma, regularly and constitution-
ally expressed.
Prepared and submitted upon behalf
of eli liens of Oklahoma who believe In
popular government und who ure wil-
ling to "acquiesce in the decision of
the majority" repeatedly expressed.
Argument Opposing the Adoption of
Stats Question No. 99.
Initiative Petition No. 67.
The Text of the Measure reads:
The propoaed lllll Is for vitalis-
ing "12A" of the Constitution and
provides for the levying of un au-
ti ua I tux upon the property of
every railroad company, pipo line
company, telegraph company, ami
upon the property of every public ,
service corporation fehtch oper-
ates in morn thun one county In
(Ills atutc; such tux to lie equal (ua
near ua may be) to th•• average
rule of lax levied upon other prop-
erty 111 thla state for like pur-
poses, and with the further pro-
vision thut there shall he u per
cuplta return to each district Imaed
upon the enumeration of such dis-
trict. The hill also provides the
local districts from levying for
their benefits, any school lux on
such public service corporations
within ila limits.
The above measure Is for the pur-
pose of vltullxltiK and putting into ef-
ect Section I2A of the t'onatltutlon,
adopted by the people of Oklahoma
August fith, 1913. This matter baa
been before every Legislature since
Its rallllcallon and their failure to act
favorably can only be attributed to un
extraordinary condition. Various Leg-
islatures chosen Trout the body of peo-
ple, haw viewed the vltallxatlon unfa-
vorably and failed Io adopt same.
When Heel Ion 12A w as adopted,
there were hut few school boards with-
in the state, und but few people who
reullxed the full significance of the
meusure. Like many other questions
submitted to un un informed public, it
was permitted to become a part of the
Constitution. Many hundreds of school
districts losing from 10 to 9.r> percent
of their school tuxes unknowingly
voted this meusure upon themselves
Nor was this at all surprising, it
was a tax measure Intricate In Its
measure, affecting every school dis-
trict tn Oklahoma No two school dls
lrids were affected alike. To know
the full force of the measure, It was
necessary to take the average taxable
value of the public service corpora-
tions of the Stale, operating In morcf
than one county, and apply the pro-
ceeds to the pi,' capita population,
some Ave thoiisniid school districts in
llto Htate. 1'e II this vvus done, the
effect of vita :ug the ineuaui'c could
not be known, nor could one cast, an
Intelllgt ' vote upon the measure.
The i .-siIon of vitalising "I2A" was
subiul nd to the various legislatures
and by each in turn has been thor-
oughly investigated, and after weaks of
exhaustive study and research each
legislature has in turn failed to act.
The reason is that the bill is funda-
mentally wrong in principle. Il pur
inirts to take from the strong districts
that do not need the money and give
to the wcuk districts 1hut do need the
money t'pon Its face this seems to bi
fair and Just It was not until the
acid ta*t of figures waa applied that
the real injury of the proiioHtnl meas-
ure conld be ascertained
to destroy more school districts than
tt aids by taking money from one and
giving to another: ami depriving the
district thus depleted of the power to
tax the .putollc serrlee cur intra t tons
operating tn more than one county
and distributing tha money over the
entire State.
Ha T hahw at Kfcooi tflatrtata to
tho State that ha*a MA up tea]
achooia aoaid he nScrw* of each ac-
tion. la oa* coaaty alooc. If "HA" |
Jta HTetta, if pat iato «p«ration. are
* Wwaiizcd, th*r« are aoae thirty
dixtrfru that w« id reqatre a Very ea r
the property remain tag ia the diatricU !
of from li/3 mills to as high aa 34*
mills to ran their schools. The limit
tbat itay he levied under the Coaatiio-
Imm is li silit. gehoola under such ad-
i < r««- oadtii/iii wold have to clone or
b* a'>pori«d by pr>>a:e sotrscrlptkms.
Th.x hjwuc to school districts would
be repeated in arying degrees all
over the State, destroying aad iajur-
i g t jfldred-. of school that are now
proe;*-r1og.
la it any winder that the various
r^glaiatnres after an exhaustive inves-
tigation. knowing tbe facta—knowing
the havoc and deetns'-tion it would
cav <-. knoamx that it l tearing domn
our present school ayvtem Instead of
building it up; knowing that it would
[ f/e an Injury with no wans of repara-
tlon left und«-r the Constitution or the
' law, and knowing 'hat thousand* of
|' hlldren all over the Htate would be
I th is left without the means to be edu-
I rated, refused to vitalize- 12A"? Who
<an say that the Legislature did not
act wisely in refraining from inflicting
' sur-h Injury?
H -Bator Russell has with great per-
sistence pressed this matter. At one
> time he initiated a hill that would give
, hirn 10 per cent commission out of
I the proceeds of districts benefited.
: Again, he took contractu from citizens
J in districts benefited, to pay him 10
' per rent of what their districts would
! receive. Ho far as known, he stiil
holds these contracts. He admitted
that If the measure went through he
would realize something like 160,000.00
comtnlaslon. Cnder such conditions he
|cannot claim to be without personal In-
I terest or bias In the final outcome His
criticism of the legislators during the
past years Is not without a tinge of
personal Intereat. Whatever admira-
tion one may have for Henator Ku««ell,
one cannot but feel that his vision has
been clouded - his Judgment warped by
self Interest. Hurely it cannot be truth-
fully said that Kenator Russell would
have the people believe, that all the
Legislative bodies of the past who
have refused to follow his demands
have acted from improper or impure
motives; (hey were actuated by the
highest Ideals of Justice and right. The
Legislatures have refused to take upon
themselves such disastrous conse-
quences.
Henator Russell in his argument for
thla measure complains that th£ Leg
Islaturea havo not acted. In view,
however, of the irreparable injury that
such actions would have Inflicted upon
the schools of the Htate—Injury that
was unknown and unthought of when
"Hectlon 12A" waa adopted, the Legis-
lature could well afford to pass such
grave responsibility to the people who
now must act Instead of the legisla-
ture. The Legislature well understood
this, and in pausing the question to
the people, violated no fundamental
principle of the Constitution.
The centers of population are upon
lines of railway, the very development
of local ion which has occasioned the
growth of communities In the towns
and cities. This altuation has placed
an added burden upon such communi-
ties in the way of additional enroll-
ment of pupils, and to deny them the
right, to levy tuxes upon the public
service corporations would be ex-
tremely unjust—not only cities and
towna, but many rural schools through
which public service corporation pane,
would be likewise injured.
To deatroy or injure the school cen-
ters, would close the door to rural stu-
dents to attend the high achoolH of
our cities and villages. School centers
ure Just as esaentlal to the auccens of
education as our trade centers are to
the success of the community. Thla
iilll will lake from many of these dis-
tricts the taxes from public service
corporations, but doea not. assume an
additional burden of taxes.
These fads are submitted for your
careful, (undid consideration.
A vote "NO" upon this measure Is a
vole to reject the vitalizing of "I2A."
Please stop think—consider before
you vote for a measure that will In-
Wlct a vital injury upon the schools of
the Htate of Oklahoma.
OEOIIOB n. FKNWRIGHT,
Pres. Rd. of Kdiicat ton, K1 Keuo, Okla.
,f. Hll ICK.TH,
Member of Hit. of Kiloentlon, CnpHit, Okla.
It. I >. DAWHON,
Pres. Hit. <>f Education, Clinton, Okla.
r, K. OR A V til LI.,
Pres. lid. of Kducatlon, t.awton, Okla.
(J. C\ ABICKNATHY,
Pres. lid. of Hducatlon, Shawnee, Okla.
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF ADOP
TION OF REFERENDUM PETI-
TION NO. 38, STATE QUE8TION
NO. 111.
This amendment was lnitiuted by
the action of Ihe Htate legislature by
Joint resolution by unanimous vote ot
both llouae and Senate, the entire
membership of thoBe present voting
YKH. The Fraternal Congress of Ok-
lahoma composed of the W. O. W.,
Woodmen Circle, Modern Woodmen,
Royal Neighbors, Yeoman, A, 0. U. W.
Knights und l.adies of Security. Fra-
ternal Aid Cnlcn, Hen Hur, Home
steaders, Heralds of Liberty, and De-
gree of Honor has endorsed and re-
quests the adoption ol' this amend
ment, also the Nut iona) Fraternal Con
gross of America composed of nhiety
great societies by resolution requests
its adoption. The effect of the adop-
tion of this amendment would be to
permit fraternal beneficiary societies
in Oklahoma to write more than one
kind of certificate ulao to write Juven
lie hiaurunco for the children. The
adoption of thla amendment will also
serve to strengthen the existence of
every fraternal beneficiary society in
Oklahoma. Thla ia the most Important
question for the benefit of fMiternal
societies ever submitted to tho voters
of the state und every member of a
fraternal beneficiary society should
vote YKS on this amendment and also
Invite the attention of other voters to
vote YKS.
ARGUMENT AGAINST ADOPTION
OF REFEDENDUM PETITION NO.
3B, STATE QUESTION NO. 111.
Propoaed Amendment Vicious —
Scheme Exposed—W. O. W.. M. W.
A. and Other Fraternal Insurance
Societies Affected.
The affirmative argument Is decep
live and la calculated to mislead the
voters It is asserted that the Prater
■al Congress ot Oklahoma endorsed
1 coatead that the Fra-
ternal Coagreea of Oklahoma doe* not
represeat the dee tree or the beat ta-
tereru ef the member* o< the bene
tebsTj fraternal societies in Okla-
homa. It was organised from tha top
to serve the selfish ends of certain
head officers of certain societies which
il is claimed are represented in said
Fraxemai Congresa. I propose to show
that '.l would be agai<m the P2blie.
good aad the interest of fraternal in-
surance societies m Oklahoma for the
aroerndment to be adopted. Real re
tonsj come from the bottom, as in a
tree the vital currents of life come
up through the roola, the body, the
branches, the flower to the fruit- They.
do not '.otte from the top.
What is the Fraternal Cor^reaa of
Oklahoma? How is it composed?
What is its purpose? No camp or
lodge electa delegates to attend its
meetings. About four years ago W. A.
Praser, Sovereign Commander of the
W. O W., was m Oklahoma City, and
a few of his henchmen and a few
others got together and organized
wh%t they called the Fraternal Con-
gress of Oklahoma They are high
aounding words, it Is true. There is
no basis of representation or fixed
time of meeting for said organization
and only a few attend its called meet-
ing*. In the facts herein given >ou
will see the sinister purpose of the
organization.
Members of the Legislature Deceived.
The Fraternal Congress of Okla-
homa gave a banquet to the members
of the Legiulature In the Lee-Huckins
Hotel for the purpose of "boosting" a
certain proposed law and the said pro-
posed amendment to our Constitution.
Of course the rank and file of the
members belonging to the several fra-
ternal societies concerned knew noth-
ing about the meeting or its purposes,
but contributed the money which the
bead ocers used to pay the expenses
of the banquet, contrary to the prin-
ciple, "Taxation without representa
tion is tyranny." Members of the leg-
ialature evidently believed that the
Fraternal Congress of Oklahoma rep
resented the members of the several
societies concerned. In this they were
deceived, as the facts hereinafter dis-
closed will show. The legislature
merely submitted the proposed amend-
ment to the people for their ratifica-
tion or rejection. Several members of
the legislature who voted to refer the
proposed amendment to the people
will vote against the same.
Object to Convert into Old Line Com-
panies.
The laws of the various states rec-
ognize two lineB or types of policies,
one for profit and the other for mutual
protection. Sec. 3, ol Art. 19 of our
Constitution exempts Insurance com-
panies which are not conducted lor
profit, and insuring only their own
members (fraternal societies), and ail
of which the Interest of each respect-
ively shall be uniform and mutual,
from certain burdens imposed upon
old line foreign life insurance com-
panies. Foreign life insurance com-
panies, organized tor profit, are per-
miuod to write different types of in-
surance, and they are required to pay
to our state $200 per annum, $3.00 for
each agent and two per cent on prem-
iums collected in Oklahoma. For the
year 1919 the New Y'ork Life Insur-
ance Co. paid to our state on prem-
iums collected, after deducting divi-
dends, $27,543.84. Other companies
paid large sums to our state. Frater-
nal Insurance societies which write
uniform and mutual policies, only
pay $5.00 when permitted to do busi-
ness, and do not. pay anything on pre-
miums collected. It is the object of
the proposed amendment to "lay down
the bars'' so that fraternal societies
can write different types of policies.
This is admitted in the affirmative
argument. 1 agree that that would be
the effect of the amendment if adopt-
ed. Instead of all- new blood going to
support one type of a policy, the en-
etgies and prestige of the fraternal so-
citieH would be scattered. When the
Woodmen of the World began to write
types of policies other than the one
which had been built up by the old
members, the rates on the old mem-
bers were increased. It was probably
contemplated that with many of the
old members forced out of the society,
it would still go on with the same
officers at its head. The rates were
greatly increased and at the same
time the Sovereign Commander's sal-
ary was Increased from $12,500 to $25,-
000 per year in addition to large sums
allowed for expenses. Remember that
such a man was the moving spirit be-
hind the Fraternal Congress of Okla-
homa, which urges the adoption of the
proposed amendment. Let us mem-
bers think for ourselves. When we
see our interests betrayed, let us act
for our common good. To allow fra-
ternal societies to write different
types of policies would be a fruitful
source of fraud. In that way they
could, under the guise of a fraternal
society, write old line insurance. After
writing one typo of policy for awhile,
the unscrupulous could use the pres-
tige of the society in fostering another
type of policy, and as the old policies
are supported by new blood from new
members the rates would be greatly
increased or be unable to pay the old
policies at death. Members, when
they are too old to tuke out other in-
surance, find they have no Insurance
or the rates are so incraased until
iiiun cannot carry their Insurance.
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma in
the case of Pretoriana vs. Iilooin, 171
Pac. 917. in construing Sec. 3 of Art.
19 of our Constitution, which the pro-
posed amendment would change,
among other things, held: "It is a
mutter of common knowledge that life
insurance us written by the old line
compuny, both stock und mutual, is
highly complicated und involves in-
numerable variations of policy, form
and privileges every grudation possi-
ble Fraternal benefit insurance has
never taken such character: simplic-
ity oneness Is the dominant idea,
etc Over and against the complexity,
variety and Inequality and want of un-
iformity of the old line insurance
elands the simplicity, the uniformity,
mutuality, and oneness of the frater-
nal benefit type of Insurance, and this
differentiating test has been carried
into our constitution, ate. It ia true
that tha beneficiary association can «•-
gage la «M lis* toauraace. hut
it does the day of tta special privilege* \
is gone, nor does the order meet the
requirements that the fraternal asso-
ciation must be conducted without ,
profit. Yet it is the character of the t
business transacted aad oot Use mere [
formal working of the organization j
which will fix the true statu* of the
order.
Amendment Would Cause Litigation.'
if the "bars are laid down," and J
our beneficial fraternal societies are.
allowed to write a diversity of com- ,
plicated policies, they wiil be fro-1
quently contested and they will be
harder for our members to understand
•ban one plain, simple type of a policy,
as sugegsted by our Supreme Court.
Also, as our Supreme Court held, it Is
the character of the business transact-
ed which fixes the status of our fra-
te:nal societies, and not their formal
workings. When we begin to write
old line Insurance or a diversity of
policies that are not uniform and mu-
tual, as our Supreme Court held, the
day of special privileges granted to
our fraternal societies that write a
uniform and mutual policies will be
ended. If we amend our constitution
and "lay the bars down" and say that
our fraternal societies'can write any
type of a policy than an old line com
pany can write, the old line companies
would refuse to pay $200 per year,
$3.00 for each agmt and two per cent
on premiums collected in Oklahoma,
unless the fraternal societies which
are allowed to write the same type of
policies are required to assume the
same burdens; and, as held by our
Supreme Court, if our laws attempt to
impose upon them different burdens
or grant privileges to one not granted
to the other, such law would be viola-
tive of the fourteenth amendment to
the Federal Con«tit*ition, which guar-
antees equal protection of the law.
Every Past Head Counsul of the W. ■
O. W., except probably one, and a
number of other prominent members
of the societies effected, and the mem-
bers generally when they understand
tho facts and see the viciousnss of
the proposed amendment will vote
NO.
If you wish to protect our membera,
vote NO.
lf~you do not want the public im-
posed upon, vot,e NO.
I hereby agree to meet W. A. Fraser,
Sovereign Commander of the W. O.
W., or any other person who favors
the proposed change in our constitu-
tion, who by reason of their ability
or position are entitled to represent
the affirmative side, at different places
in Oklahoma, before the members of
the societies effected, and will affirm
the charges I have made here.
, Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM M. FRANKLIN,
Of Oklahoma City.
Past Head Consul'of Oklahoma Jur-
isdiction of the W. O. W., member of
Wroodmen Circle and some other so-
cieties effected, and citizen and tax-
payer in Oklahoma.
BETTER SCHOOLS AMENDMENT
(Sec. 9a, Art. 10.) State Question No.
109; Initiative Petition No. 72
Be It Enacted by the People of the
State of Oklahoma:
"Section 9a, Article 10! For the
purpose of maintaining the Common
Schools of this State, the State Board
of Equalization shall each year levy,
on an ad valorem basis, a tax of not
less than six mills and not more than
ten mills upon all taxable property
within the State not exempt from tax-
ation as public, charity, or fraternal
property.
Until otherwise provided by law,
such taxes collected shall be paid in-
to the State Treasury to the credit of
the Common School Fund of this
State, and shall be apportioned and
distributed to the several counties of
this State in like time and manner as
is now provided for the apportionment
and distribution of other Common
School Funds of this State."
(1) This proposition is based on
the guarantee already in our constitu-
tion to the effect that every child in
Oklahoma shall have equal education-
al advantages with all other children.
(2) There are now oil properties
in Oklahoma valued at about $500,000,-
000, paying only a small production
tax. This was fixed years ago when
ad valorem taxation for the individual
property owners was fully one-third
(1-3) less than we now pay. This oil
production tax has remained the same.
This amendment is intended to put the
oil properties under an ad valorem tax
the same as other property. Adding
the value of these oil properties to our
present assessed valuation of $1,644,-
448,675, gives $2,144,448,675. Six mills
applied to this would result in about
$20 per child for each and every
school district in Oklahoma as state
aid for its common schools.
(3 There are 5,716 school districts
in Oklahoma. Over half of the 673,106
school children involved live in dis-
tricts now levying the maximum local
tax. whose school boards find it far in-
sufficient to maintain a nine months'
accredited school term.
(4) A majority of the 77 counties,
involving two-thirds of the children
of the State, will share much more
money annually from this State and
than they will contribute to this fund.
It is also true that the remaining
share at $20 per child without losing
one cent of their present local funds.
Then, certainly this means that the
wealthy centers will aid the weaker
school districts and thereby give equal
educational opportunities to all chil-
dren, no matter in what section of
the state they live.
(5) Surely the education of the
child is the concern of the whole state.
It is not a local school district busi-
ness. Since(the child is later a citi-
zen of the whole state, not restricted
to any district, he should have as good
schooling opportunities as the more
fortunate ones in wealthy districts. He
is entitled to thiB even though he hap
pens to live in a district of low prop-
arty valuation. He will make a de-
sirable citizen or a dangerous one
later, depending on what school ad-
vmntagea ha haa had. He should he
ia asset to Oklahoma, not a liability.
($) The latest survey of all tha
educational systems of the different
Mate* and territories of the Cnited
States in the spring of 1920, places
Oklahoma 36th In the list compared
with our sister states. This survey ia
based primarily on the amount of
money spent in each state per pupil
and per teacher per year, considering
enrollment and attendance Here is
purely impartial and striking evidenca
that Oklahoma Is not doing enough
financially for her common schools.
Every citizen who has a pride in Ok-
lahoma's good name has now an op-
portunity to make Oklahoma lead the
Union. Certainly we don't care to re-
main the 36th state in the Union edu-
cationally.
(7) Why not let the whole state
help the Common Schools? The state
now supports the higher educational
institutions. Who goes to these col-
leegs and universities? An Inspection
of their enrollments shows that the
students are five to one from cities,
wealthy school districts, and countiea
now fighting this amendment. Cer-
tainly state aid to common schools
will reach more people and do the
state more good, than the funds go-
ing to higher institutions whose stu-
dents are primarily, and in great ma-
jority, from wealthy centers.
The state is now spending from $100
to $200 per year per capita to educate
6,000 people at higher institutions. Yet
there are three-quarters of a million
boys and,girls In our common achoolo
asking for one-tenth as much, a large
part of which may come from the oil
and corporate wealth of Oklahoma.
(8) The insane asylums, eleemosy-
nary institutions, prisons and reforma-
tories are filled with inmates from
where ? By actual count the cities and
counties now fighting this amendment
furnish two-thirds (2-3) of the Inmates.
Yet, the whole state is taxing itself
to support these necessary institu-
tions. It would be absurd to ask each
local district, city, or wealthy eounty
to support its own criminals and in-
sane. Yet those same centers are not
willing to aid the poorer school dis-
tricts to support decent schools.
(9) This amendment does not mean
an increase in tax for those districts
which do not need additional funds
for schools. The local levy may be
cut down in any proportion deemed
advisable by the voters in each school
district. It simply makes a certain
definite aid available from the state
each year so that school boards may
not be embarrassed in their attempts
to give the district a respectable
school term under proper standards.
10) Examples of what some of our
sister states are doing for elementary^
schools on an annual per capita basis
are: Delaware $25, Washington $20,
and California $30, with many other
states doing likewise.
(11) Who were the first opponents
of this proposition? The railroads, the
corporations, the oil interests, and
those cities and wealthy school dis-
tricts who saw that they must pro-
vide the money for better common
schools under this amendment. When
this bill was filed in April, they be-
came at once busy. Offices were
opened, statisticians em||oyed, maps
made, speakers employed for pay,
agents sent out over certain sections
of Oklahoma to cite in vivid and
graphic figures the loss to them.
Others have since been misled into
opposing this law. But it is destined
to put our common school system on
its firm footing since statehood, and
lor all time to come.
(12) Already having all the funds .
they need and more, with which to
operate their schools, some of our
wealthy districts have taken on avery
selfish attitude whereby they oppose
this amendment which is calculated
to assist their weaker colleagues.
Yet, this amendment does not rob
these same wealthy districts of one
cent of the money they now get, and
in addition gives each also $20 per
pupil, the same as it gives the weaker
districts who now wish to go stronger
for their schools but can not on ac-
count of constitutional limitation.
Surely the "dogs in the manger" will
not fight better common schools for
the whole state, they already enjoying
these benefits themselves.
(13) Misled opponents of this
amendment have tried to intimate that
it will operate to draw the children
away from the farm. Nothing could
be further from the truth. On the
contrary, the very purpose of this
bill is to keep our children in the ru-
ral, consolidated, union-graded and
small community schools by giving
them the same advantages as obtain
in city schools. Then they will not ba
compelled to move to the cities.
(14) Thousands of our rural chil-
dren now transfer each year from
their home districts in order to ob-
tain better school advantages. Many
more thousands are not able even to
transfer and consequently are never
in reach of a high school. Out of tha
673,106 school children hi the state,
250,001 are in reach of high schools.
The remaining 423,105, or nearly two-
thirds, are not in reach of any high
school.
(15) Big centers of wealth and pop-
ulation should not oppose this amend-
ment. Such cities are founded on'tha
patronage of the surrounding country.
Even where such city loses a few dol-
lars on the education of the children
of the remainder of the county or
state, it is building an asset for itself
in good will and better citizenship.
(16) Some of these same ditsricts
now draw eight, ten and more dollars
per year for each pupil from the oil
within the county.
(17) What ia a struggling district
to do when it has gone the limit lo-
cally to support its schools and finds
itself confronted with more children
than dollars. Hundreds of our school
districts are in this condition. Con-
fronted with the necessity of fising
unqualified teachers, poor equipment,
and short terms of school, they have
no recourse. WTiat remedy do the op-
of lobbyists who would flutter around
every legislative session with an un-
ending assortment of "uplift schemes."
Everything would be suggested, from
a traveling dls-washer to a poultry
farm at each school. Sure, uome of
these suggestions would be good —
fihey wtnld be just grand, flow many
at these suggestions the Legislature
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White, J. Warren. Hollis Post-Herald. (Hollis, Okla.), Vol. 17, No. 49, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 21, 1920, newspaper, October 21, 1920; Hollis, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc185215/m1/2/?q=food+rule+for+unt+students: accessed June 21, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.