The Chickasha Star. (Chickasha, Okla.), Vol. 25, No. 38, Ed. 1 Friday, October 22, 1920 Page: 10 of 12
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Chickasha Newspaper Collection and was provided to The Gateway to Oklahoma History by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
- Highlighting
- Highlighting On/Off
- Color:
- Adjust Image
- Rotate Left
- Rotate Right
- Brightness, Contrast, etc. (Experimental)
- Cropping Tool
- Download Sizes
- Preview all sizes/dimensions or...
- Download Thumbnail
- Download Small
- Download Medium
- Download Large
- High Resolution Files
- IIIF Image JSON
- IIIF Image URL
- Accessibility
- View Extracted Text
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
State Questions and Initiative
Petitions to be Voted on Nov
! 2nd 1920
Argument In favor of the adoption
pf Stale Question No 99 Initiative Pe-
tition No 6 The full title and text
Of the measure rends:
A Bill Entitled: “An Act Levying
tupon the Propertyof Certain Public
l&ervice Corporation an Annual Tax
tlment'
Ter th Maintenance of the Common ' tiowV t“rsta?e Uucrw wvwb lK "nJ
choo cf V 8tste Providing for £) £y “ £e?Hih ° " -°W
the Collection and Apportionment money collected from the public and ja jt ny wonder that the various
‘Thereof as Provided In Section 12a 1 AMnrn nBri ii-reniin h wu t 8ny ona®r ln“ 10 vartoua
in r " Attorney General rreellng has well Legislatures after an exhaustive invee-
jArtlcle 10 of the State Conatltution jn referring to Section 12a:
lie It Enacted by the Teople of the -Surely no one will deny that
State of Oklahoma: the people may provide In the Con
st Itnt ion that the part of the tax
which comes Indirectly from all
the people shall be so distributed
that all ntay have the benefit of
a Just proportion To deny that
tbe people may accomplish the
purpose clearly intended by tbia
amendment and which we sin-
cerely believe Is clearly expressed
is to deny the sovereignty of the
people”
Section 1 For the purpose of main-
taining the common schools of this
Slate for the fiscal year beginning
July 1st next following tbe adoption of
this Act and for each fiscal year there-1
titer an annual tax Is hereby levied
uim tbe proptrty of every railroad
fcompany pipe line company telegraph
company and upon tke property of
every public service corporation which
ioierates in more than one county In
kiiis State such tax to be equal (as
near as may be) to the average rat otutrouo w me i llme be lnItlated a blll that W0lUd
tof tax levied upon other property la ch pay public service corioratton hlm 10 c(nt comrniMt0n out of
llhis state for like purpose taxes for malntalnkig common schools the proceeds of districts benefited
For the purpose of determining the and every school district has th Again he took contracts from citizens
rate of levy to be applied to the prop- same right to the use and benefit of jn districts benefited to pay him 10
Jerty coming under the provisions of the same that they have to share In per cent of w hat their districts would
this Act tor maintaining common the interest collected upon our com- receive So far as known he still
schools for any tax year it Is hereby ! nion school fund or the rentals col- holds these contracts H admitted
made the duty of the County Clerk of lected upon school lands (Sectkms II that if tbe measure went through he
leach county In tbia State to furnish d 36) would realize something like $6000000
the State Auditor In writing over his If somebody undertoook to apportion commission Under such conditions be
signature and seal not later than Oo- these rent moneys to the particular cannot claim to be without personal in-
ttober 1st each year a statement a how- school districts In which the land was terest or bias In the final outcome His
ling the maintenance (or "general pur- located wouldn't it cause a riot? criticism of the Legislators during the
pose”) tax levy for each school dl-j The platform upon which our pres- past years la not without a tinge of
Itrlct in his county for such year and ent Governor made his successful cam- personal Interest Whatever admlrs-
the State Auditor shall add together paipn for nomination said: “ “ ° "
the amount of such maintenance (or “I believe that when a const!-
“general purpose”) levy for each and tutional amendment or an initlat-
very school district in this State and ®d question has bepn duly sub
hall divide the result by the total mitted and ratified by the people
that It should be vitalized by the
Legislature unless subsequently
repealed by the affirmative action
of the voters This is the plain
mandat of the Constitution and
cannot b ignored without injury
to the integrity of our institution
and th apirit of our law and
form of gomernment"
Thomas Jefferson said:
"Absolute asquiescence in the
decisions of the majority is the
fundamental principle of repub-
lics" One of the black spots urem Okla- 's unknown and unthought of when
be subject to like penalties as are honta history Is the repudiation of this "Section 12 A” was adopted the Legis-
now or may herealter be provided by fundamental principle by the Okla- lature could well afford to pas such
-law for failure to pay ad valorem taxes honta Legislature ThlB matter by grave responslbil'ty to the people wno
regularly levied in thia State initiation has been brought before the flow n1 8Ct Instead of the I-egisla-
Section 2 All taxes collected under voters of the State for a final verdict The Legislature well understood
the provision of this Act shall as col- j A "yes" vote upon this measure is a Ej”!leD rffieJ no fundamental
lected be paid into the State Treasury vote to compel respect for and com- of the fon-Mtutlon
to the credit of the common school' pllance with the will of the people of 1 p -
fund of the State and the same shall Oklahoma regularly and constitution- jn( of ranway lbt Vcrv development
be apportioned and distributed in like lly expressed 0f location which has occasioned the
(imp And manner as t)th6r couiuiod PrfpRrwl and submitted ujon bfhaK growth of codiid ucSiirs in the towns
school funds of the State of cillzens of Oklahoma who believe In aud Cr8 This situation has placed
Section 3 Property coming under popular government and who are wil- an gilded burden upon such communl-
the provisions of thia Act shall not be Ung to "acquiesce Jn the decision of ties in the way of additional enroll-
liable for the maintenance or general tbe majority” repeatedly expressed i ment of pupils and to deny them the
purpose tax levy made by any school Argument Oppoaing the Adoption of rlpht to levy laves Uon the public
district but such property shall be 1 State Question No 99 service corporations would be ex-
subject to taxation for all other purl Initiative Petition No 67 treiuely unjust— not only cities and
poses including the school district The Text of the Measure reads: towns but many rural school through
levy for "interest and sinking fund": Tbe proposed Hill is for vltaliz- w hich public service corporations pass
ing "12A" or the Constitution and would be likewise Injured
I To destroy or Injure the school cen
1 ters would close the door to rural stu-
1 dents to aitetul the high schools of
I our cliies and vili'ts-s School centers
’ Hre Just as essential lo the success of
education as our trade centers are to
' tbe success of the community This
bill will take from many of these dis-
' tricts the tavs from public service
corporations but does not assume an
addb'onal burden of taxes
These facts are submitted for your
careful candid consideration
A vote "NO" upon this measure Is a
vote to reject the vitalizing of “12A”
I’lease stop— tbink — coublder before
you vote tor a measure that will lu-
flict a vital injury upon the schools of
the State of Oklahoma
GKi iKGti l I’KNWRIGHT
Pres ltd nf Kdueetlon FI Reno Okla
J C SHKKTS
By leaving thia question off of the Section 12A of the Constitution
regular State Question ballot and plac- adopted by the people of Oklahoma
ing same under the names of candi- August 6th 1913 This matter has
dales upon the State ticket mere than been br°r ®ver7 Legislature since
U 00000 voters failed to find this quee- 18 raUHon nd their failure to ut
tlon or to cast their votes thereon f8v0’t’17 can only be attributed to an
The proposition received 101 636 "ves" extraordinary condition ariousLg- ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF ADOA
and 43133 "no1 votes' Falng Matures chosen from the body of peo- - -
Mv a "majority of all the votes ple ft b 'italWaxtion unfa-
c vorably and failed to adopt same
When Section 12A was adopted
there were but few school boards with-
Ib pedal election In August 1913 re- lB tbe gtate and but few people who tbe action of the Mate Legislature by
celvmg 63330 "yes” vote to 30294 realized the full significance of tbe J°lnI resolution by unanimous vote of
rno" votes whereupon the same be- to ess ure IJke fiiary other questions h011 House and Senate the entire
(Came a part of the Constitution of submitted to an un informed public it membership of those present voting
Oklahoma permitted to become a part of th TES The Fraternal Congress of Ok-
The Supreme Court held that tbe iConstitutlon Many hundred of school luborna composed of the W O W
ectinn was not self executlng but r& districts losing from 10 to 93 per cent Woodmen Circle Modern Woodmen
ajulred vitalizing legislation of their school taxes unknowingly Royal Neighbors Yeoman A O U W
I Section 45 Article 6 of the State voted this measure upon themselves Knights and Ladies of Security Fr
Nor was this at all surprising It ternal Aid Unluo Ben Hur Home
was a tax measure Intricate ia its ateaders Heralds of Liberty and De-
measure affecting every school die- gree of Honor has endorsed and re-
trlct in Oklahoma No two achool din- quests the adoption of this smentb
tricts were affected alike To know meat also the Naiional Fraternal Con
Not only wa this plain mandate of forFe t1® measure It waa 0f America composed of ninety
the Constitution Ignored by the Leg- eJ‘®®lry to take the average taxable grea( societies by resolution request
Jslature but In 1916 tbe people of the 7 u® 7° eeP C 8r7c® J‘orT°r- its adoption The effect of the adop-
IState were asked to repeal Section !l°n n h Hon ®f tbia amendment would be to
&2a 76093 votes were cast in favor to the 'per capltaP populates Fennlt fraternal beneficiary societies
jof such repeal and 127525 votes wer goe flve tLaand achool district In ft Oklahoma to write more than one
mast against the proposed repeal Statp rm h)g d the kind of certificate also to write Juven-
I The Legislature still refugmg to of vitalizing the measure could lle “rance for the children The
lobey Section 15 of Article 5 of tbe not be known nor could one cast aa adoption of thia amendment will also
jCooatitution the measure above intelligent vote upon the measure erve to atrengthen the exlatenoe of
shown was initiated and is now sub- The question of vitalizing "12A" waa vry fraternal beneficiary society In
(mitted to the people of Oklahoma so submitted to the various legislatures Oklahoma This is the moat important
(that by the power ot our own franchise and by each in turn has been thor- queetlun for the benefit of fraternal
we may enact tbe legislation necessary oughly investigated and after weeks of societies ever submitted to the voters
ito mak effective tbe const national exhaustive study and research each of the state and every number of a
provision heretofore ratified legislature has in turn failed to act fraternal beneficiary society should
P During the seven years that have The reason is that the bill is fuada- vote YES on this amendment and also
(lapsed since Section 12a became a mentally wrong In principle It pur- invite the attention of other voters to
art of our State Constitution ap- port to take from the strong districts Vote YES
Iproxlmately Four Million Dollars have that do not need the money and give j -
been diverted from school districts to the weak districts that do need th 1 ARGUMENT AGAIN8T ADOPTION
which were Justly equitably and con- 'nion®7- L’pon R® face thia seems to be Cr REFEDENDUM PETITION NO
fltutioaally entitled to the same and - ln Iu"t' 11 W88 uutil the -a STATE QUESTION NO 111
three-quarters nf a mil- 80 W PPU® t -
annuaily Is now diverted u1di’brIscertarJ2rP0Wl “' OP®8 Amendment Vicious —
illy t ald(1 by taWng fj d A and Other Fraternal Insuranoe
I In the preface to Mlllams Constl- to aBOth: depriving the S®citie AfUcted
tution the author who while a mem- djgtrirt thus depleted of the power to 1 1
ker of the Ruprenit Court participated taJ tb public service corporations T10 Wnnative argument Is deoep-
In tbe decision of many Impprtaiit con- operating In more than one county tlv and la calculated to mislead the
atltutional questions said: and distributing th money over th voter It Is asserted that the Frater-
"When such organic law Is rmtp entire State Congress of Oklahoma endorsed
fed though much of M la purely
legislation It la with the aoletnn
realization that It then and there
becomes a fixed organic law sub-
ject to be changed only in the
manner and form provided in the
Constitution and that the Lexia-
lature by enactment except where
specially provided the executive
by administrative power or the
court by construction may not al-
ter modify or repeal the same by
the exceasive use of power
though supported by public sen-
provides for the levying of an an-
nual tax upon the property of
every railroad company pipe line
company telegraph company and
upon the properly of every public
service corporal ion w hich oper-
ates in more than one county In
this slate: such tax to he equal (us
near as may bet to the average
rate of tax levied upon other prop-
erty in this state for like pur-
poses and with the further pro-
vision t hut there shall be a per
capita return to each district based
upon the enumeration of such dis-
trict The bill also provides the
local districts from levying for
their benefits any school tax on
such public service corporations
within its limits
Tbe above measure Is for the pur-
pose of vitalizing and putting Into ef- Member of Bit of l-:jirtion Copan Okla
‘ K lu PAWSiiN
Pres tut of Kit jest Ion Clinton Okla
t K GKAYU1LL
Pres Bit of Kdm-ation luiwton Okla
O C A BsritXATlI Y
Pres Bd of Education Bbawmes Okla
I Many hundreds of school district la
the State that bare built up fins
achool mould be sufferers of such ac
tion In one county alone If "11A"
Its effects If put Into operation are
were vitalized there are tome thirty
districts that would require a levy on
the property remaining In the district
of from 15t£ mills to as high as S08
mills to run their schools The limit
that may be levied under the Constitu-
tion Is 15 mills Schools under such ad-
terse conditions would have to close or
be supported by private subscriptions
This injustice to school districts would
be repeated iu varying degrees all
The centers of population are upon
1 and requests th adoption of th
braendmnl I contend that the Fia-
lernal Congress of Oklahoma does not
! represent the desires or the best In-
terests of the members of the bene-
ficiary fraternal societies In Okla-
homa It was organized tram tbe top
to ferve tbe selfish ends of certain
head officers ot certain societies which
It Is claimed are represented In said
Fraternal Congress I proiatse to show
that it would be-against the publlo
food and the Interest of fraternal In-
surance societies tu Oklahoma lor the
tmeindment to be adopted Real re-
' forms come from the bottom as In a
tree tbe vital currents of Ufa com
tip through the roots the body the
branches ®fhe flower to the fruit They
do not coute from the top
What is th Fraternal Congrea of
Oklahoma? How is it composed f
What ia Its purpoM? No camp or
lodge electa delegates to attend its
meetings About four years ago W A
Fraser Sovereign Commander of the
W O W waa ta Oklahoma City and
a few of his henchmen and a few
others got together and organised
what they railed the Fraternal Con-
gress of Oklahoma They are high
sounding words It Is true There Is
no basis of representation or fixed
time of meeting for said organisation
and only a few attend its called meet-
ings In thd facts herein given you
will see the sinister purpose of the
organization
Members of the Legislature Deceived
Tbe Fraternal Congress of Okla-
homa gave a banquet to the members
of the Legislature In the Le-Huckloa
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 purpoe
but contributed tbe money which the
bead ocers used to pay the expenses
ot the banquet contrary to tbe prin-
ciple "Taxation without representa-
tion Is tyranny" Member of the leg-
islature evidently believed that tb
FTaternal Congress of Oklahoma rep-
resented the members of tbe several
societies concerned In this they were
deceived aa the facta hereinafter dis-
closed will show The legislature
merely submitted tbe proposed amend-
ment to the people for their ratifica-
tion or rejection Several members of
the legislature who voted to refer the
proposed aniendinnt to the people
will vote against the same
Object to Convert into Old Lin Com-
panies The laws of the various states rec-
ognize two lines or types ot' policies
one for profit and the other lor mutual
protection Eec 3 of Art 19 of our
Constitution exempts Instil auce com-
panies which are not conducted for
profit and Insuring only their own
members (fraternal societies) and all
of which the interest of each respect-
ively shall be uniform and mutual
from ortuln burdens imposed upon
old line foreign liie insurance com-
panies Foreign life insurance com-
panies organized for profit are per-
mitted to write different types of in-
surance and thev are required to pay
to our state $2i'-0 per annum $300 for
each agent ami two per cent on prem-
iums collected In Oklahoma For th
year 1919 the New York Life insur-
ance Co paid to our state on pretu-
iuins colic ct-d alter deducting divi-
dends $2751384 Other companies
paid large sums to our state Frater-
nal iusuranc-e societies which write
uniform and mutual policies only
pax $300 when permitted to do busl-
iOb and do not pay alLything 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
Tbia is admitted in the affirmative
argument I 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 n-
eigies and prestige of tbe fraternal so-
cities would be scattered Wbu th
Y oodmen of the World began to write
types of policies other than the one
which had been built up by tbe old
members the rates on tbe old mem-
bers were increased It waa probably
contemplated that with many of the
old members forced out of the society
it would still go ou with tbe same
officers at its head The rates were
greatly increased and at the saute
time the Sovereign Commander's sal-
ary was Increased from $12500 to $25j J
000 per year In addition to large sum
allowed for expenses Remember that
such a man was the moving spirit be-
hind the Fraternal Congress of Okla-
homa which urges tbe adoption Of th
proposed amendment Let us mem-
bers think for ourselves When we
see our Interests betrayed let ua 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 thoy
could under tbe guise of a fraternal
society write old line insurance Arter
writing one type of policy for awhile
the unscrupulous could use the pres-
tige of the society in fostering another
type of policy and as the old polloles
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 take out other in-1
aurance find they have no insurance
or the rates are so increased until
man cannot carry their insurance I
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma 'in
the case of Pretorluna vs Bloom 171
Fac 917 in construing Sec 3 of Art
19 of our Constitution which tbe pro-
posed amendment would change j
among other things held: "It is a
matter of common knowledge that life
Insurance as written by the old line'
company both stock asid mutual 1
highly complicated and involves In-
numerable variations of policy form
nnd privileges — every gradation possi-
ble Fraternal benefit insurance has
never taken such character simplic-
ity— oeenras — la the dominant idee
et Over and against the complexity
variety and inequality and want of un-
iformity of the old Line insurance
stands the simplicity the uniformity
mutuality and oneness of the frater-
nal benefit type of Insurance and this
differentiating teat baa been oarrled
Into oar oonstltutUm etc It le true
that the beneficiary aaeoolatioA oon en
gage la old line Inkuranoe but when ' aa asset to Oklahoma not a liability
it does' the day of Its special privilege ! (6) The lateat survey of all th
la gone nor does the order meet the educational systems of th different
requirements that the fraternal aseo- states and territories of the United
elation must be conducted without Plates hi the spring of 1920 places
profit Yet It Is the character of tbe Oklahoma 36th In the list compared
business transacted and not the mere with our alKter aisles This survey le
formal working of the organization bused primarily on the amount of
which will fix the true status of the money spent in each state per pupil
order and per teacher per year considering
Amendment Would Cause Litigation romU snd aMendaiir
i purely impartial and striking evidence
If V “r B d J°Wn' that Oklahoma la not doing enough
our beneficial fraternal societies are manCan for l)Pr common school
a owed to write a diversity of com E ho’ha a pride In Ok-
plicated policies they will be fre- ahoma good nniB ba now an op-
quently contested and they will be jortunlty to make Oklahoma lead the
harder for our member to understand (-non Certalnly w don t care to re-
than one pla n shnple type of a policy maln h S6tb ate n b VDloa edu
as sugegsUd by our Supreme Court -Hnnaii-
Also oe our Supreme Court held It is
the character of the business transact- not '71 Kth8
ed which fixes th status of our fra- eP h Common School? The state
ternal societies and not their formal ?0T1“pporU‘i‘e 8 't
workings When we begin to write mirations W ho goes to he wi-
eld line Insurance or a diversity o( ge and universities? An iMPMtlon
policies that are not uniform and mu- ®f her enrollments shows that the
tual as our Supreme Court held the ! ud"t8 “7 7" 'T1 C Tl
day of special privileges granted to wealthy school districts md counties
our fraternal societies that write 1 fow Ukhtlng tblu amendment C®p
uniform end mutusl policies will be1'?' t® 8ld t0 common school
ended If we mend our constitution 1 r“ch nlor8 prple nd d“ th
and “lay the bars down" and say that 8188 n“r® K°7d' he 7"
our fraternal societies can write any‘n ® hlher n"tttutl whose stu-
type of a policy than an old line com dt" V8 Prhnry end In great ma-
pany can write the old line companies Jort7' from "hv center
would refut'd to pay $200 per yeurtl Th slut ia now upending from $100
$300 for each agmt and two per coni! I® $200 per year per capita to educate
(fa premiums collected la Oklahoma GfffiO people at higher institutions Yet
unless the fraternal societies which 'there are threejuarters of a million
are allowed to write the same type ol boys and girls in our common schools
policies are required to assume tbl®lhlng for one-tenth as much e large
same burdens and as held by our P8rt ® which may come from the oil
Supreme Court If our laws attempt to ®nI corporate wealth of Oklahoma
impose upon them different burdens (8) The insane asylums eleemosy-
or grant privileges to one not granted nary institutions prisons and relorma-
to the other such law would be viola-1 torle are filled with Inmates from
tiv of the fourteenth amendment to where? By actual count the cities and
th Federal Conetitutlon which guar
antees equal protection of the law
Every Past Head Counsul of the W
O W except probably one and a to support these necessary Inst it u-
number of other prominent members tlons It would be absurd to ask each
of the societies effected and the mem-local district city or wealthy county
bera generally when they understand - to support Its own criminals and In-
thn facts and see tbe vlclougnss of sane Yet those same centers are not
the proposed amendment will vote willing to aid the poorer school dis-
NO tricts to support decent schools
(9) This amendment doe not rnsan
If you wish to pitect our members
vote NO
If you do not want the public im-
posed upon voe NO
i k-rhu w a z-
6ov3sn w"a
W or any ether perwn who fsvor
"
the Proposed chang In our const tu-
tion who by reason of their abilty
snttuz rnrr
or position irt entitiod to rtprewnt
u
"
In Oklahoma before the members of
the societies effected and will affirm
the charges I have made here
Respectfully submitted
WILLIAM M FRANK UN
Of Oklahoma City
Tast Ilesd Consul of Oklahoma Jur
isdlction of the W O W member of
Woodmen Circle and some other so-
cleties effected and citizen and tax-
payer in Oklahoma
schools under this amendment When
this blll was filed ln April they be-
came at once busy Olficea were
opened statisticians emplojed map
made eakera employed for pay
agents sent out over certain sections
of Oklahoma to cite In vivid and
lie It Enacted by the Ueople of tbe fai’hlc figures the loss to them
State of Oklahoma Others have since been misled Into
"Section 9a Article 10: For the fH’osing this law Hut it' Is destined
puriKme uf maintaining the Common ft pu' our ch“'
Schools of this State the State Hoard l 0‘" n Mmo '“It'll®d-
of Equalization shall each year levy0"81 l“8 to come:
on an ad valorem basis a tax of not 12) A rdy ha'ln f'inl ®
less than six mill and not more than hey 1n‘‘ed 8nd th hlih °
ten mills upon all taxable property °'e1a!e tbir t8e‘“ol8-( 8Tnie “f®"
within the State not exempt from tax- V08’hy dl'rl8 8V8 ak'-" 8 very
ation as public charity or fraternal 80 rHh itude whereby they oppose
property th Is amendment which Is calculated
v to assist their wenker colleagues
Intil otherwise provided by law t ti is amendment does not rob
auch taxes collected shall he paid in- game wealthy districts of one
to the Slate Treasury to tbs credit of cent 0j tbe
money they now get and
the Common School Fund of this jn addition gives eBch also $20 per
State and shall be apportioned and jmpil the same as It gives the weaker
distributed to tbe several counties of dlftricts who now wish to go stronger
this State In like time and manner as jor their schools hut can not on ac-
I now provided for the apportionment count of constitutional limitation
and distribution of other Common Surely the -doKll ln the manger" will
School Funds of this State” not fgbt better common schools for
(1) This proposition is bssed on the whole state they already enjoying
the guarantee already iu our constltu- these benefit themselves
tion to the effect that every child ini (13) Misled opponents of this
Oklahoma shall have equal education- amendment have tried to Intimate that
al advantages with all other children ft will operate to draw the children
(2) There are now oil properties sway from the farm Nothing could
In Oklahoma valued at about 6uo0uo- be further from the truth On the
IKK) paying only a small production contrary the very purpose of this
tax This was fixed years ago when Bill 1 to keep our children ln the ru-
ad valorem taxation for tbe individual rai consolidated union-graded and
property owners was fully one-third etnu’I community schools by giving
(13) less than we now pay This oil them the same advantages as obtain
production tax ba remained the same in ctv schools Then they will not be
This amendment Is Intended to put the compelled to move to the cities
oil properties under an ad valorem tax (14) Thousands of our rural chit-
tbe same as other property Adding dren now transfer each year from
the value of these oil properties to our their home districts ta order to ob-
present assessed valuation or $1644- tain belter school advantages Many
448675 gives $2144 448675 Six mills more thousands are not able even to
applied to this would result in about transfer and consequently are never
:$20 per child for each and every In reach of a high school Out of jth
scbool district in Oklahoma aa state 673106 school children In the state
aid lor its common achool 250001 are ln reach of high schools
(3 There are 5716 school districts The remaining 423105 or nearly two-
ln Oklahoma Over half of the 673106 thirds are not in reach of any high
school children involved live in dis- school
tricts now levying the maximum local (15) Rig centers of wealth and pop-
tax whose school boards find it far in- elation should not oppose tbia amend-
sufficient to maintain a nine months' ment Such cities are founded on the
accredited school term patronage of the surrounding country
(4) A majority of the 77 counties fcven where such city loses s few dol-
Involving two-third of the children !r8 on tbe education of tbe children
of the State will share much more ®? the remainder of the county or
money annually from this State and State It 1 building an asset for itselt
than they will contribute to tbi fund 1“ 8®®d better cltlzenuhlp
It Is also true that the remaining (16) Some of these same dilsrict
share at $20 per child without losing now draw eight ten and more dollar
one cent of their present local funds per year for each pupil from the oJ
Then certainly this means that tbe
wealthy centers will aid the weaker
school districts and thereby give equal
educational opportunities to all chll
dren no matter ln what section of'tself confronted with more children
the state they live than dollars Hundreds of our school
(3) Surely tbe education of the districts are In this condition Con-
child la the concern of the whcde atate 'fronted with the necessity of using
It Is not a local school district bust-! unqualified teachers poor equipment
ness Since the child Is later a citl- and short terms of school they have
tea of the whole state not restricted 'no recourse What remedy do the op-
to any district be should have aa good I of lobbyist who would flutter around
schooling opportunities as the more every legislative suasion with an un-
fortunate ones In wealthy district He ending assortment ef "uplift scheme
$ entitled to this even though be hap- Everything would be suggested from
ipene to live In a district of low prop ’ a traveling dls-waaher to a poultry
rty valuation He will make a d'farm at each school Sure some of
atrsble eltlsen or a dangerous one these suggestions would be good— -Jeter
depending on what scbool ed- they would be Just grand How many
ullage be has bad H should be'of these suggestion tb Legislature
counties now fighting this amendment
furnish two-thirds (2 3) of the inmates
Yet the whole state Is taxing Itself
an increase in tax for those district
which do not need additional funds
for schools The local levy may be
cut down ln “7 proportion deemed
“v?1" i? r r" in “cb
district It simply makes a certain
®l8rl“- mes cer a n
definite aid available from the slate
school boards may
D0t be embarrassed ln their attempt
to give ihe a strict a respectable
-ChK1 -Flu UUUFF UF Ud!
lo) Examples of what some of our
sister states are doing for elementary
schools on an annual per capita basis
are: Ikduware $25 Washington $20
'and California $20 with many other
: states doing like fie
(11) Who were the find opponent
of thl proposition? The railroads the
ri’oratlon the oil Interest and
h°He ci'“8 8nd 88hJr 8Cho°' d"-
f18 ?'ho 8aw lh8t nU8t Pr°-
vide the money for better common
within the county
(17) What i a struggling district
to do when It has gone the limit lo-
cally to support It schools and find
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.
Matching Search Results
View 11 places within this issue that match your search.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.
Kayser, J. W. The Chickasha Star. (Chickasha, Okla.), Vol. 25, No. 38, Ed. 1 Friday, October 22, 1920, newspaper, October 22, 1920; Chickasha, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1895950/m1/10/?q=j+w+gardner: accessed July 16, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.