The Orlando Clipper. (Orlando, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 11, Ed. 1 Friday, February 1, 1907 Page: 3 of 10
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WOULD GIVE EACH HALF I PROHIBITION FORCES
EQUAL REPRESENTATION
Constitutional Convention to Start
New State Fairly to Both Terri-
tories-Second Section of Initia-
tive and Referendum-Knock-out
Blow to Woman Suffrage.
GUTHRIE: The greatest step toward
wiping out the imaginary line which di-
vides the two territories was made by the
legislative apportionment committee, when
It decided to report that there shall be
an equal number of representative and
senatorial districts in both sides of the
state, giving each equal representation in
the legislature. There is likely to be a
big fight in the convention t*i this propo-
siton.
The liquor traffic committee will re-
turn a majority report for state wide
prohibition with possibly two minority
reports, one for the Hughes proposition,
and the other for separate submission.
The convention will be badly split on
this question.
The convention Thursday adopted sec-
tion 2 of the initiative and referendum,
providing that B per cent of the legal
voters petitioning may secure the refer-
endum of legislation to the people.
Th>s committee on general provisions
reported favorably upon several consti-
tutional provisions. One is that no cor-
porations employee or public officer who
has enjoyed an immunity bath shall ever
be permitted to hold office in Oklahoma.
Other provisions reported favorably by
this committee are:
Prohibiting the state or municipal sub-
division from giving aid to railroad cor-
porations; prohibiting foreign ownership
Df land and providing for a graduated ex-
cess tax on persons owning or leasing
aver 2,POO acres, that the statute of limi-
tations shall never be pleaded against the
state or any sub-division by any officer
or ex-officer for recovery of money or
property: all judges shall submit in writ-
ing to the judges of the supreme court
any defects they may find in the legis-
lation or laws of the state and report to
the governor who shall make recommen-
dations to the legislature for correction.
The committee on militia recommend-
ed this short provision, suggested by the
officers of the national guard:
"The legislature shall provide by law,
not Incompatible with the legislation and
laws of the United States, for organizing,
disciplining, arming, maintaining and
equipping the militia of this state."
church people In Oklahoma county, pro-
testing against the Hughes local option
proposition.
A memorial from Okmulgee asking for
early elections was presented by the
board of Okmulgee and one from Leon,
X, T., favoring alfalfa for the state
flower.
Male citizens of the United States over
21 years of age are alone to be entitled
to the ballot of the state of Oklahoma un-
der the report presented to the constitu-
tional convention by a majority of the
suffrage commitee. This report Is con-
curred In by ten members of the com-
mittee. The remaining five will bring
in a minority report recommending prac-
tically the same provision, but with the
word "male" eliminated, thus granting
the ballot to women as well as men.
The first legislature of the state of Ok-
lahoma will be composed of 34 senators
and 103 representatives, should the pres-
ent decision of the legislative apportion-
ment committee stand.
Of the 34 senators 17 will be from
Indian Territory and 17 from Oklahoma
and the Osage nation.
Oklahoma county will be a separa^j
senatorial district.
The 103 representatives are to come,
52 from Indian Territory and 51 from
Oklahoma and the Osage nation.
Each county In the state is a legisla-
tive district and Is entitled to at least
one representatives In the legislature.
The highest number of representatives
given to any one county Is three, Okla-
homa and Pottawatomie counties In Ok-
lahoma, and Muskogee county In Indian
Territory having that number.
There is a stron'g feeling, however,
that Indian Territory should be given
only equal representation with the bal-
ance of the state, and a movement Is on
foot to relieve Muskogee county of one
of its representatives, so as to make
the total number 102, or 51 on each side
of the Imaginary line.
In counties having more than one rep-
resentative all are to be chosen by the
popular vote of the county, which will
not be subdivided Into districts.
This provision will doubtless meet with
strong opposition if reported to the con-
vention, as the larger counties feel that
a representative's campaign should be
limited to a district of the community
in which he lives.
GUTHRIE: As a result of the ex-
perience of the state of Kansas two years
ago, when It's desire to engage in the
oil refinery business in competition with
the Standard Oil Co., was blocked by
constitutional limits, the Oklahoma con
stitutional convention Wednesday adopt-
ed a provision which reads: "The right
of the state to engage in any occupation
or business shall not be denied, nor pro-
hibited, except that the state shall not
engage In agriculture ror any other than
educational and scientific purposes, and
the support of It's penal, chari.table and
educational Institutions."
The matter came up on a report of the
committee on general provisions recom-
mending a provision of similar Import,
providing that "the right of the state to
engage In mining, manufacturing and
transportation within the boundaries of
the state shall not be denied nor pro-
hibited.
The section as adopted was based on
a substitute by Leahy of Pawhuska, to
which some minor amendments were
made, striking out the words "within
the state," originally Included In the
Leahy substitute. Thin change was made
on the suggestion of King of Newkirk
who thought that In almost any business
MINES SUFFER IDLENESS
Opsrators Say Companies In Combine Are
Cause of Trouble
GUTHRIE: The statement Is made by
J. Hamp Willis, Indian Territory mineral
trustee, with headquarters at Kingston,
that everything in the mining line, espe-
cially In the Chickasaw nation, Is at a
standstill at the present time. He Is vis-
iting all the mining towns, getting data
regarding output and conditions for his
quarterly report.
The shortness of cars for hauling the
product and the scarcity of labor have
united in causing the trouble, and In
some instances a complete shutdown has
resulted. In the Ardmore district the
only company in operation Is an asphalt
concern, whose output Is about 400 tons
for the quarter, a greatly decreased out-
put.
The opinion Is expressed by Mr. Willis
that the output of the mining companies
in Indian Territory has been Interfered
with greatly by large mning concerns
and trusts. He says that the operators
represent this to him. He also stated in
answer to a query that so far as he can
determine there Is no protection In sight
for operators in the territory to prevent
large concerns and trusts freezing them
out.
TAX ASSESSMENT OF RAILWAYS
Kiowa County Township Assessors Aialn
See Whp "Pays Freight"
HOBART: The township assessors of
the state to obtain material and for
other purposes of the sort.
Owing to the absence of TTarned of
Woods county, President Murray an-
nounced the substitution for him, on
the woman suffrage committee of Dr.
Rllby of the same county, A large num-
ber of women's suffrage petitions came
In, together with the usual number of
sta,te-wld» prohibition and two from
WIN IMPORTANT POINT
TERMS OF ENABLING ACT ARE ACCEPTED—TWO MORE
SECTIONS OF INITIATIVE ADOPTED—MINE INSPEC-
TION PROVIDED FOR AND CHILD LABOR PREVENTED—
OTHER IMPORTANT MEASURES
It would be necessary to go outside of Kiowa county have discovered that if the
property of Individuals In that county was
assessed In the same ratio as property
of the railroads not enough money would
l.e obtained from taxation to maintain the
county government. The records show
that the railroad companies operating
lines In that county are assessed at from
three to ten cents on the dollar, while
the property of Individuals Is assessed »t
about 40 cents on the dollar.
GUTHRIE: State wide local option,
with a peculiar force seems to be the
decision of the liquor traffic committee
which held a session Friday afternoon
and decided on the report which It will
make to the convention.
The prohibition clause of the enabling
act has been practically decided on, ac-
cording to a rumor of the meeting. This
portion of the constitution shall be sub-
mitted to the voters apart from the elec-
tion for the adoption or rejection of the
constitution, and if the provision carries
in the entire state then prohibition will
reign. If in the event that it does not
carry In the state as a whole then pro-
hibition shall reign in every county, town-
ship, precinct and ward In which a ma-
jority of the votes were for prohiblton.
A provision of the measure also pro-
vides for the appointment of a law en-
forcement committee to consist of three
men by the governor to enforce prohibi-
tion. Only two of these men shall be
members of the same political party. A
majority and a minority report will prob-
ably be submitted, the majority report
containing the provisions above refer-
red to.
South McAlester would like to enter-
tain the constitutional convention during
the remainder of its deliberations.
The Invitation came to the convention
in the form of a letter to Delegate Han-
raty, and on motion of Haskell was re-
ferred to the committee on rules. The
invitation grows out of the reported epi-
demic of smallpox which is supposed to
be on hand at Guthrie.
In the letter of Invitation the conven-
tion is promised ample hotel facilities,
a convention hall and all necessaries.
After the communication was referred to
the rules committee, Hayes, the chair-
man of this committee, objected to this
action stating that his committee was
greatly overworked. The Invitation was
then placed in the hands of the Judiciary
committee.
While it Is held that It would be per-
fectly legal for the convention to adjourn
to South McAlester or to any other point
In the new state, it is possible that the
health officers of Guthrie could prevent
such action by placing this city under
a strict quarantine.
In committee of the whole Friday morn-
ing the convention adopted sections 3 and
4 of the initiative and referendum with
only a few minor amendments. Section
3 provides that referendum petitions shall
be filed with the secretary of state with-
in 90 days of the adjournment of the leg-
islature. The veto power of the governor
Is abrogated as to measures voted on by
the people. All such measures shall be
voted on at the regular biennial elec-
tions except where a special election is
called by the governor or the legisla-
ture.
Under the provisions of section 4 the
referendum may be asked for against
any section of a law In the same man-
ner that it may against the entire bill,
and a petition against any section of an
act shall not delay the enforcement ot
the remainder of that act.
The discussion on the two sections oc-
cupied the entire morning session, and
when the final vote had been taken on
section 4 the committee of the whole
arose and the convention adjourned for
the day.
Senators, representatives and all Judi-
cial state and county officers are to be
required to subscribe to a drastic oath
before assuming the duties of their of-
fice, under a provision recommended fa-
vorably by the general provision com-
mittee of the constitutional convention.
After the usual declaration of obedience
i to the laws and constitution of the state
and th.s faithful performance of the du-
ties o- the office of which chosen, the
oath »jrther recites that "I have not
paid or contributed, eithc directly or in-
tion, except for necessary and proper ex-
penses expressly authorized by law; that
I have not knowingly violated any elec-
tion law of the state, or procured it to
be done by others in my behalf; that I
will not knowingly receive, directly or
indirectly, any money or other valuable
thing for the performance or non-per-
formance of any duty pertaining to my
office, other than the compensation al-
lowed by law."
Subjects of foreign governments are
prohibited from owning or controlling
land in the state of Oklahoma by a sec-
tion in the report of the committee on
agriculture, favorably reported to the
convention.
Aliens acquiring land in the state are
given five years in which to dispose of
their interests.
The report also provides for a state
board of agricultu.e of not more than
twelve nor less than five members, to
be elected as the legislature may pro-
vide. The board shall be a part of the
state government and act as the board
of-regents for the Agricultural and Me-
chanical college of the state. Their other:
duties, and their compensation, shall be
fixed by the legislature.
The board is given full Jurisdiction-
over matters affecting livestock, includ-
ing the quaratine regulations. A live-
stock sanitary department is provided for
apart from the board of agriculture.
Inspection of mines, oil and gas wells
in the state of Oklahoma will be under
the supervision of a chief inspector, who
must be a practical miner, elected by
the people, under the provisions of a re-
port from the committee oil mines, min-
ing and oil.
The Inspector Is to be elected for a
term of four years, and the legislature
may provide for the appointment of as-
sistant inspectors as they are needed.
The legislature shall also provide for
proper ventilation of the mines, construc-
tion of means of escape and such other
provisions as may be necessary to pro-
tect the health and safety of the work-
men, and may also provide for the drain-
age of the mines, the prevention of wan-
ton waste of coal and other minerals
and oil and gas and the protection of
the streams and rivers from pollution.
Neglect or failure of the mine owner
to comply with the regulations make
him responsible for all damage to the
life and health of employes.
Employment of boys under the age of
lfi years and women and girls of any
age around mines is prohibited. Eight
hours Is made the maximum working day,
excepting in cases of emergency.
Railroad companies or stockholders are.
prohibited from owning, controlling or,
operating any coal mine, oil well, gas
woll or oil refinery within the state.
Until the legislature shall make provis-
slon for the safe operation of mines the
act of congress approved March 3, 1901,
with amendments approved July 1, 1902,
shall be enforced as laws of the state.
STEVENS IN FULL CONTROL
To Be Chairman and Chief Engineer of
Canal Commission
WASHINGTON: Announcement was
made at the war department that the of-
fices of chairman and chief engineer of
the Isthmian canal commission would be
combined and that John F. Stevens, chief
engineer, would be given the appoint-
ment, the understanding being that he
will maintain a residence on the isthmus.
The resignation of Chairman Shonts, It
also was stated, will be accompanied by
his resignation as president of the Pana-
ma Railroad company.
Secretary Taft also announced his pur-
pose of filling the four vacancies existing
on the isthmian canal commission by the
appointment of some of the bureau ohlefs
directly, any money or other valuable i in the employ of the commission now at
thing to procure my nomination or *lec- 1 work on the Isthmu*
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The Orlando Clipper. (Orlando, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 11, Ed. 1 Friday, February 1, 1907, newspaper, February 1, 1907; Orlando, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc305591/m1/3/: accessed March 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.