The Weekly Chieftain. (Vinita, Okla.), Vol. 29, No. 28, Ed. 1 Friday, March 8, 1912 Page: 1 of 8
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V1NITA CRAIG COUNTY OKLAHOMA. MARCH 8. 19 12
NUMBER 28
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APPEAL 10 VOTERS
AS FIHAL RESORT
Statewide Taxation League Will First
Ask Legislature For Relief
Callahan Present.
Oklahoma City March 7. R3lief
? i 1 i j i i
frirum uuruensome taxes mrougn
changes in the fundamental laws and
statutes of Oklahoma to be secured
from the legislature if possible and
resort to the initiative and referendum
if that should fail will be the policy
of the Citizens' Protective League of
Oklahoma given out by Charles F.
Colcord prudent of the organization
at its state-wide mass-meeting held
Tuesday afternoon at the Lyric the-
ater. The assertion that this policy will
bo followed was made by Mr. Colcord
in addressing the audience of more
than 500 men present. He stated that
the present conditions are due to laws
rather than to officials and that rad-
ical changes in the fundamental stat-
utes will be necessary before perma-
nent relief can be secured. .
It also was the unanimous sentiment
of the meeting that this relief shall be
secured through any political party
that Is in power and whose candidates
will stand for economy in the conduct
of the government not only of the
state of Oklahoma but every county
township and municipality and school
district.
The speakers were Seymour C. Hey-
man a prominent booster of Oklahoma
City; Dan W. Hogan president of the
Farmers' National bank; J. Y. Calla-
han of Enid president of the Garfield
iCounty Taxpayers association and
Charles F. Colcord of Oklahoma City
president of the association. The ad-
dresses were followed by a member-
ship campaign in which the list of
names on the rolls of the association
were increased to approximately 200
and assurances were given that a num-
ber of county organizations will join
bodily in the near future.
Callahan's Speech. 1
Mr. Callahan of Enid as he put it
almost "read himself out of the demo-
cratic party" in his address by stat-
ing that the tax question in this state
is bigger than party lines and that the
people now must look to. the city
county and state office candidates who
promise the relief demanded rather
than consider political alignments
when they go to the polls to cast their
votes.
"When I say the announcement in
the Sunday Oklahoman of. this meet-
ins I at once called a meeting of the
Garfield County Taxpayers' associa-
tion of which I am president and we
decided to send a delegation to the
meeting" said Callahan "and I was
selected to come and if I found that
the movement was taking the proper
form I was given authority to assure
you that the entire association in toy
county which has more than 1000
members will join the state associa-
tion bodily.
"One suggestion I want to make is
that aspirants for political offices as
well as all public office nolders should
be barred from membership in this
organization. It should not be pos-
sible for any office seekers to ride the
ass64ation into the place they seek.
"The first thing this league should
do is to elect the next legislature
without taking part in politics fhen
work through county commissioners
ai u get busy with the county attor-
neys. The members of this organiza-
tion should vote for those candidates
to the next legislature who will pledge
themselves to retrenchment and econ-
omy and to get rid of a lot of uneless
offices and present forms of expendi-
ture. What we want is results and
we must get them through the officers
who will give them to us without re-
gard to political parties. The politi-
cians have grabbed this state and are'
gone with it and it i3 up to both of
us as democrats and republicans to
recover our domain and secure the de-1
sired relief. Political parties are aj
mere means to an end which in this i
case is good government."
Fault of Laws. ;
In his address S. C. Heyman urged
every person present to join the asso-
ciation. He said that his position as
president of the Oklahoma City board
of education barred him but that he
would be rid of that position within
a short time and then he would join.
This was taken to mean that he will
not be a candidate for re-election as
a member of the board. Since becom-
ing a member of the board he stated.
he is satisfied the public school funds
of this city have not been wasted but
he said that the city now has sufficient
educational equipment and that there
should be a halt in that particular line.
He said candidates for the board who
favor economy should be elected.
"Most of our officeholders are hon-
est" he said. "It is the laws that are
responsible for our viciously high
taxes. But recently from fifteen to
twenty counties have reported some
of their officials short in their ac-
counts the officers claiming the money
was due them because of fees or other
technicalities. In any other state
these officials would be prosecuted
but in Oklahoma they are exempt.
"At the present time all assessors
are paid on a percentage L.sis 5 per
cent of all valuations of property up
to $1000000 22 per cent on all up
to 3000000 and '-t of 1 per cent on
all above that figure. In Oklahoma
county last year .the total valuation
was in excess of $130000000 giving
the assessor a salary of more than
$13000. Under the recent increases in
valuations it probably will run in ex-
cess of $20000. How would you like
to be the assessor? This is an in-
stance of extravagance in public ex-
penditures. "Lower taxes must be secured in the
state in order to induce outside in-
vestors and the many big industries
and factories seeking new locations to
come here. One man who signed the
call for this meeting told me that about
a year ago he considered moving to
Kansas City to conduct his business
because he said Kansas City mer-
chants could secure capital with which
to conduct their business in New York
City at fro nione to two per cent
cheaper than could Oklahoma City
merchants because of the laws in this
state.
Hearing Refused.
"Some time ago I went before the
legislature in behalf of the retail mer-
chants of this state to secure the en-
actment of a law making it a misde-
meanor for a person to sign a check
on a bank in which he had not suffi-
cient funds to cover the check. I was
refused a hearing by the house com-
mittee though probably 90 per cent
of the members of that body signed
a pledge when standing for election
that they favored the move. Then by
Interesting union labor In the move
we induced its passage by the senate
but the house never brought it out of
the committee. It probably is true
that the house politicians were op-
posed to it because so many of them
were accustomed to passing that kind
of checks."
Mr. Heyman was followed by Mr.
Hogan who urged that men who are
known to be competent and who have
been successful in their own busi-
ness should be urged to stand for of-
fices. Also. he said that one burden
of taxation is that it is not apportion-
ed properly that much property es-
capes. He gave mortgages as an ex-
ample of this. Mr. Hogan asserted
that eight-ninths of all the money re-
ceived from taxes is expended within
the county and that the reforms could
well be started close to home.
Mr. Colcord stated that it has been
proposed that the organization should
seek to enjoin the collection of the
taxes but that three cases now are
pending before the supreme court. One
of these is the case of J. W. McNea
of Guthrie former republican candi-
date for governor. It is the opinion
of the best attorneys stated Mr. Col-
cord that these cases cover all the
points that could be brought up and
that the plan now favored by the
league is to pay the first half of the
taxes under protest and await the out-
come of the pending cases.
The laws of a number of states and
cities notably Vancouver where the
single tax system is in operation were
pointed to as satisfactory by Mr. Col-
cord. In Ohio he said the law pro-
vides that the tax shall not exceed one
per cent on $100 and although when
proposed it was objected to by all the
cities it has proven satisfactory.
One of the prominent out of town
members present was S. P. Render of
Lawton one of the heaviest taxpayers
in that part of the state. He stated
that he will further he organization
of a county association there to work
in co-operation with the state body.
Work on Asylum to Begin.
Dr. Oliver Bagby returned from Ok-
lahoma City over the Katy this morn-
ing and brings the welcome news that
work is to Etart on the hospital for the
insane at this place next Monday
March 11th. Contractor Holmboe was
seen at Oklahoma City and stated that
he would have a force of men here
to begin work Monday morning and
that the two buildings now in course
of construction would be finished with-
out further delay.
IS. GRACE DENIES
0 6 S
and
The Woman i3 Arrested and Furnishes
Bond "A Horrible Mistake"
She Asserts.
' Atlanta Ga. March 6. "God knows
I am innocent" exclaimed Mrs. Daisy
Ulrich Opie Grace yesterday afternoon
after her release on bail pending hear-
ing on the charge of assault wijh at-
tempt to murder her young husband
Eugene II. Grace a prominent build-
ing contractor who was shot myster-
iously at their home yesterday.
Physicians last night stated that
Grace has but slight chances for re-i
covery. Pneumonia already has set in.
Developments
have followed fastfcCL luc tullu ue'-'6u vmuuu-
Since Grace telephoned the police to
rush a doctor to his house.
"Did your wife shoot you?" asked
a policeman after breaking down the
door.
"It begins to look that way" the
wounded man replied.
Mrs. Grace was at Newnan Ga. at
the home of her mother-in-law who
accompanied her back to the city.
When she arrived Mrs. Grace was ar
rested and taken at once at her own
request to the hospital to which her
husband bad been removed. Seeing
her he said: .
"I Don't Know" Husband Says.
"Daisy you are the one who shot
me."
"Why how can you?" she protested.
"You are trying to make me out a
murderer and they will take me to
Jail tonight."
"You are the one who tried to kill
me55 Grace repeated.
"If you persist in that I will take
the power of attorney which you ex-
ercise away from you" said Mrs. Grace
who formerly was the wife of a weal-
thy Philadelphia pulp manufacturer.
Grace then relented.
"I don't know who did it" he said.
Here is the story told by Mrs. Grace:
"I left the house at 12:15 o'clock to
go to Newnan where I was to stay
while Mr. Grace was in Philadelphia
for which place he planned to leave on
an afternoon train. When I left him
my husband was about ready to get
up.
"Mistake" Says Wife.
"I knew that he was not feeling well
but did not think he was very sick.
He said he would meet me at the de-
pot but when he failed to do so I
went on to Newnan thinking he had
been detained on business. The next
thing I heard was when I reached the
home of his mother. They said there
that 'Gene had been shot. My arrest
and the accusation of my husband is a
horrible mistake."
Grace told the police when they first
reached him that he first discovered
he was shot at 6 o'clock in the morn-
ing wnen he awoke with a burning
sensation in his side.
"I told my wife" he said "and ask-
ed her to get a doctor. She left the
room and came back later saying she
was unable to reach any one over the
telephone."
Grace says he then became uncon-
scious and when he next awake he
worked his way to the telephone and
called the police.
Much importance is attached by the
police to the corroborative testimony
of J. C. Ruffin and his wife negro ser-
vants. The woman says she made a
fire in Grace's room about 7 o'clock
at Mrs. Grace's request. While she
was in the room the woman says
Grace groaned several times and Mrs.
Grace said:
"You are not sick Gene. You are
sleeping.
RufHn says Mrs. Grace told him as
she was leaving the house that her
husband was sick and that he had
wanted a doctor but had changed his
mind and if the doctor came he was
to be sent away. Mrs. Grace denies
giving any such instructions.
A 32-caliber pistor was found on a
window sill in the hall on the floor be-
low Grace's room. It had one empty
chamber. The key to the door of the
room which the police found locked
was in a receptacle in the hall where
Mrs. Grace said it usually wn kept.
The police arrived about two hours
after Mrs. Grace says she lit. Chief
of Detectives Lanford said Yesterday
afternoon that the blood e:i Grace's
pillow was clotted and dried afd he
did not think it could have dried that
way in less than tiiree hours.
1 ROW WILSON'S
BOOKS ARE OPEN
ashington D. C March 7. Just
back from Oklahoma where the friends
of Governor Woodrow Wilson won a
decisive victory in the democratic
state convention that elected delegates
to the Baltimore convention Senator
Thomas P. Gore who led the Wilson
fight in that state today issued a state
ment in which he punctures the charge
made by the Clark headquarters that
money influenced the result.
"The choice of our people for the
presidency is not for sale" is one of
the sharp comments of the blind sen-
ator in speaking of the widely cir-
culated charge and he added by way
of challenge "Wilson's books are
open; I trust their books are open.''
After telling of the determined ef-
fort of the friends of the speaker to
I v 1 1 : 1 .11....!.-- r -v i -1 . .
ma wnere tnere are oo.ouo rcst-jent
Missourians Senator Gore makes it
plain that the sentiment in behalf cf
Governor Wilson in Oklahoma was in
great measure spontaneous and that
his victory was due to the faculty
which he has of appealing to the popu-
lar heart and imagination.
"I may add" continued Senator
Gore "that the people of Oklaho.na
were not unaffected by the fact that
a western man is running against Wil-
son in the west a southern man run-
ning against him in the south and a
northern man running against him in
the north.' They were unwilling to
suppose or suspect a triple alliance
but they know that if anything should
happen hereafter which savored of
such an alliance it would tend rather
to hinder than to insure a united de-
mocracy and to dim rather than to
brighten the prospects of a splendid
democratic triumph in November next.
Senator Gore in his statement issued
last night said:
' "I can not disguise my satisfaction
over the results of the recent state
convention in Oklahoma. The plan to
divide the delegation between Clark
and Wilson was worked out before I
left Washington. The Clark delegates
are instructed to come to Wilson when
they leave Clark and vice versa. This
was all lever desired. It was design-
ed to maintain harmony among the
democrats of Oklahoma. We had no
disposition to make any direct slap at
the speaker. The Wilson men con-
trolled the committee on resolutions of
the convention. The majority report
recommended the divided delegation in
pursuance of our plan. A a enthusias-
tic friend of the speaker brought in a
minority report instructing delegates
to vote for Clark.' This raised the
issue squarely and it was squarely
met. The minority report was voted
down by a majority of twenty-nine. I
may add that Wilson lost two counties
by cno vote each one county by two
votes three counties by three votes
and two counties by four otes each.
"It is interesting to read the ex-
planations which have not explained
the outcome of the Oklahoma conven-
tion. Of course there were local dif-
ferences in the way of carrying the
sfato for Wilson. It was pre-empted
Clark territory. Oklahoma joins Mis-
souri There are several hundred thou-
sand Missourians living in the state.
Many of them are loyal democrat:?
nany of them loyal supporters of tha
speaker. On the seventh of October
last the state committee ordered our
state convention for February twenty-
second. It was a Clark coup done by
the speaker's friends for the speaker's
benefit. I favored a later date. Dur-
ing the holidays the speaker delivered
seven of his characteristic speeches in
Oklahoma. This fanned the fervor of
his friends. As late as the middle of
January tne situation was so desper-
ate that Wilson's manager refused to
permit the governor to visit Oklahoma
and deliver an address the first week
in February. His theory was that to
lose the state so soon after the visit
would cause a reaction and have a
damaging effect in other states. Thus
promising was the prospect for Wil-
son one month before the Oklahoma
convention.
"Almost every sinew known to polit-
ical warfare was employed in the
speaker's behalf. Several parties
went to and fro in the state canvass-
ing for him constantly. The state was
sowed down with anonymous circulars
assailing the record and writing.- of
Governor Wilson. Ilia record was
thoroughly ventilated and I may add
thoroughly vindicated by our conven-
tion. I declared fro mthe beginning
that no one could tortue me into say-
ing a single word against the speaker
or any other democratic candidate. I
do not believe that a war of crimina-
tion and recrimination should be wag
ed for the democratic presidential
nomination. I do not believe that any
candidate who conducts or counten
ances such a war should be nominated
can lie nominated or vvjll bo nominal
ed. It is but preparing a harvest of
whirlwinds for our own reaping.
"The most comic charge yet ful
minated against Governor Wilson In
respect to the Oklahoma contest is the
following:
"The Wilson fight there has been
costly desperate and splendid. It was
good politics for him to make such
a light for the spectacle of a candi-
date from a northern states loading
off by carrying one in- the far south
west would impress the country. Re
alizing this the Wilson .managers have
poured money into the state for paid
organizers and newspaper publicity.
The amount is estimated at from $40-
000 to $00000."
"This reveals an imagination much
more active than activate. I deliver
ed one advertised spo; v. in the state.
The Wilson state-wide ck.b raised $130
and a collection was Ukou up at the
Wilson caucus during the convention
to pay a deficit of $200. Several col-
umns of plate matter were used during
this contest. The other expenditures
were incurred by mysejf and consisted
of printing planographiug and pos-
tage. The total was a mere trifle
merely dust in the balances as com-
pared with the golden guess above
submitted. I did not suppose that any
democratic candidate would expend
$40000 in all the forty-eight states
combined. Wilson's books are open.
I trust that their books are open. The
author of that estimate over-estimates
the difficulties of carrying an enlight-
ened state like Oklahoma for such a
candidate as Governor Wilson. More-
over he over-estimates the witchery
of gold in my state and underesti-
mates the integrity and patriotism of
the Oklahoma electorate. I do not
know how $40000 could be expended
to advantage in Oklahoma. The
choice of our people for the presi-
dency is not for sale. It is not bought
and sold in the market place. It is
not auctioned off to the highest or the
worst bidder. I must repeal the inti-
mation. The candidate whose repre-
sentative would suggest that the holi-
est democracy of Oklahoma had been
controlled by corrupt or corrupting
money is not entitled to the suffrage of
our citizenship.
"The sentiment in behalf of Wilson
in Oklahoma was in great measure
spontaneous. It was the instinct of
the masses for the leader that can
lead for the man of the hour for the
men of destiny. It was due in part to
the faculty which Governor Wilson has
of appealing to the popular heart and
imagination that faculty which will
enable him under existing circum-
stances to defeat any republican who
possesses like faculty and overwhelm
any republican who does not possess
it. It was the intelligent faith that
Governor Wilson embodies the spirit
of real and rational progress that he is
neither reactionary upon the one hand
nor revolutionary upon the other that
he personifies that spirit of progress
which has characterized the race and
which must characterize the race until
ultimate decay begins. The people of
Oklahoma favor the nomination of a
democrat who is both worthy to win
and able to win. They believe that
Wilson will win that Wilson bears the
double charm of ability and availabil-
ity. These were the words we con-
jured with. This and "This only is
the witchcraft I have used." I may
add that the people of Oklahoma were
not unaffected by the fact that a west-
ern man is running against Wilson in
the west a southern man running
against him in the south and a north-
ern man running against him in the
north. They were unwilling to sup-
pose or suspect a triple alliance but
they know that if anything should
happen hereafter which savored of
such an alliance it would tend rather
to hinder than to insure a united de-
mocracy and to dim rather than to
brighten the prospects of a splendid
democratic triumph in November
next."
HOW DISHEY'S HAT
IS III THE RIIIG
Musokgee Okla. March 6. Beneath
the fringe of tnat silver cloud which
appeared over Oklahoma's political
horizon several months ago in which
the face of Theodore Roosevelt was
easily discernible by the political ob-
servers and by the public generally
and which has since become more
plainly discernible while that of
George C. Priestley is riding along in
the same cloud there appeared yes-
IS
I1CKI1 OUT TAFT
Former President Has 276 And Taft
49 Delegates in Early Returns
Priestley Favorite.
Oklahoma City March 7. Reports
received up to 10 o'clock Wednesday
night from 43 of the 70 countus iu the
state that have held republican county
conventions show 270 delegates in-
structed for Roosevelt 49 for Taft
102 for Priestley and 45 for Harris.
Counties representing a total of 52
delegates are in the contest list in
cluding Ixgan Tulsa Bryan Stephens
and Pittsburg. The total representa
tion in the state convention will be
543.
It appears from these figures that
the sage of Sagamore already has four
votes in excess of a majority in the
convention.
IIITA IS DRIEST
Sll
Anticipating the action of United
States Marshal Grant Victor under
federal authority Sheriff II. E. Riden-
hour today closed every club and joint
in the city where there was the faint
est suspicion that liquor was kept
and there is little doubt but that Vinita
is a dryer town today than it has been
since the advent of statehood. Suffi-
cient warning has been given the
liquor venders that trouble will ensue
if they do not stop now to practically
stop the sale of intoxicants irf'Vinita.
Very few men have the hardihood to
go against Uncle Sam and the chances
of a penitentiary sentence.
terday still a new face. Clone scrutiny
revealed the features of L. G. Disney.
As it sweeps over the state in the
roaring of its thunder are heard the
words "On to Washington."
On tne wave of the boom which it
is expected will land Theodore Roose-
velt In the presidential chair. George
C. Priestley is riding with his bid for
the honor of being republican national
committeeman from Oklahoma and L.
G Disney one of the first' to catch a
glimpse of the Roosevelt cloud as It
appeared over the horizon is climbing
aboard with a boon for the Senate to
succeed Robert L. Owen.
For several days the political ob-
servers have reported that a strange
face could be seen outlined in the
Roosevelt cloud. Iu spite of their
close observations the features were
not readily distinguishable but late
yesterday afternoon an observer from
the top of the Mid-Continent building
shouted "It's Diz" and the boys below
took up the cry.
Thus far in this Oklahoma storm
L. G. Disney has concerned himself
principally with his task of keeping
the Roosevelt cloud from breaking and
vanishing into thin air. The colud cer-
tainly has not vanished and politically
the sun will probably be partially ob-
scured until after the national con-
vention. Disney has made a name for
himself in his capacity of cloud maker.
Hi; friends see no reason why he
should ride into the senate on the
wave of the same boom which they
believe will put Theodore Roosevelt
back in tho presidential chair. With
Disney at the hem to direct the cam-
paign this fall a republican legislature
wll be seated in Oklahoma City they
nrgue and a republican legislature
will see to it that a republican goes
to the senate.
Disney admitted yesterday after-
noon that he is a candidate for the
senate. He is going to run he is go-
ing to make the race for all it is worth
Roosevelt is to sweep Oklahoma toe
state is going republican without a
doubt Disney is going to get out and
work for the success of the republican
ticket this fall and everyone admits
that he is a worker whose efforts us-
ually bring results so why not make
t'ie race? is his argument.
C E. Creager has wanted to make
that same race. Throughout the strug-
gle between the Roosevelt anc the
Taft adherents however Creasrer has
remained "on the fence." He has been
waiting to see which way the wind
was going to blow and when he founi
out he was going to jump in and be
swept along with it. But both Roose-
velt and Taft men have said "nix" to
this kind of politics and Creager will
probably not be a candidate for anything.
ROUGH
RIDER
STATEHOOD
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Marrs, D. M. The Weekly Chieftain. (Vinita, Okla.), Vol. 29, No. 28, Ed. 1 Friday, March 8, 1912, newspaper, March 8, 1912; Vinita, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc772591/m1/1/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.