The Shawnee Daily News-Herald (Shawnee, Okla.), Vol. 17, No. 130, Ed. 1 Monday, January 20, 1913 Page: 1 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Oklahoma Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Gateway to Oklahoma History by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
-
A Vote for Shawnee for the County Seat is a Vote to Save Tax Payers Expense of the Superior Court
THE SHAWNEE DAILY NEWS-HERALD
Exclusive Associated Press Report. Largest Circulation In This Section ol Oklahoma
Shawoet Daily He raid, Vol. i6/Cona«lidated\
Shawnee Daily News, Vol.ifiVDec. i 1911/
SHAWNEE. OKLAHOMA. MONDAY, JANUARY 20, WIS.
NUMBIOR lit.
COMMITTEE IS
CONSIDERING THE
IMPEACHMENTS
I'HINUS MOVING RAPIDLY
STATE OFFICERS' FIGHT-
WEST AGAIN ACTS.
ipecial to News-Herald.
Oklahoma City, Jan. 20.—Although
the house impeachment committee
is in executive session considering
the proposed impeachment of State
Auditor Leo Meyer and State Printer
Giles Farris, things moved rapidly
the state officers' fight today.
Both Farris and Meyer today filed
their answers to the charges of the
attorney general, sent to Governor
Cruce to the legislature Saturday
afternoon. They deny the charges
in detail.
In the house the resolution to in-
vestigate the attorney general's ex-
penditures, in which it was charged
tiiat he charged up shoe shines and
iuch like at exhorbitant prices in
Uis expense account, was passed.
The attorney general today re-
i'iled in the county court a case
against Mr. Farris, and also filed
a perjury case against Mr. Meyer.
The Farris case is the same as the
one dismissed in justice court last
week. The Meyer case is based on
:m allegation that Mr. Meyer swor«
to a claim supposed to be advance
-alary to a stenographer, which
claim was not advanced and which
naa not yet been satisfied in full.
FtTWCHU* sKKVH ks
OF HAHMON HAKB18.
a large gathering of friends at-
eoded th< funeral services of the
sate Harmon Harris Sunday after-
noon attesting by their presence
Che high esteem in which he was
held by all who knew him.
At the undertaking parlors a
prayer was said and the remains
were viewed for the last time, and
at 2:SO o'clock impressive services
were held at the Emmanuel Epis-
copal church, in charge of Rev.
William Duliamel.
Following tiie church services the
remains were laid to rest in Fair-
view cemetery. The bearers were:
Dr. H. H. Wilsou, Hon. S. P. Free-
ling, Kib H. Warren, John F. Ker-
ker, W. T. McNulty and Pike Baker.
The many beautiful floral offer-
ings sent by sorrowing friends made
a most beautiful display, and an
imposing cortege followed the re-
mains to the cemetery
The various livery firms of the
city tender the use of their car-
riages and funeral paraphernalia
for the services.
FARMEKN' SCHEDULE.
By Associated Press.
Washington, Jan. 20.—The agri-
cultural schedule of the tariff came
up today before the house ways
*nd means committee. It ' is the
portion of the Payne-Aldrich tariff
which appeals most to farm-
ers. Democratic members stated to-
day there would be material reduc-
tions.
SUPERIOR COURT A
LOCAL OPTION MATTER
aT ■ — ,
Superior Courts Can Be Abolished Only By a Majority
Vote of the Tax Payers and Voters of the County.
Senate and House Bills Both Provide for the Rule of the
Peop e in Abolishing or Retaining Superior Courts.
An Interview With Senator Charles F. Barrett, Chairman
of Committee on Public Buildings, Majority
Floor Leader in the State Senate.
[Editor's Comment.—We consider this interview of Senator Barrett's the very best thing yet said on the .Superior
Court and the County Seat Question.
T
COUNTY SUPERIOR
COURT QUESTIOS
Senator Chas. F. Barrett returned
Saturday evening from his legisla-
tive duties at the state capital for a
conference with his constituents on
matters of interest to this county
and city and to spend the Sabbath
with his family.
Senator Barrett was asked as to
the outlook for legislation in re-
gard to superior courts. "I intro-
duced on the first, day of the ses-
sion,' said the senator, "a bill
amending the present superior court
law by providing what might be
termed a ipcal option provision. This
amendment would give to counties
having the requisite population of
30,000 or more, and a city of 8,000
or more, the right by a majority
vote at either a special or general
election to secure a superior court,
and it further provides that an elec-
"a bill has been introduced by
Representative Riddle of Grady
county in the house providing for
abolishing superior courts. This bill
I am assured by Its author, also
carries a local option provision.
That is the present legislative Btatus
of the superior court matter. How-
ever, those people who are confi-
dently expecting that superior courts
will be abolished by this legislature
are being misled in their enthusiasm
for that result. As a matter of fact,
there is a general disposition of
members of the legislature from
counties not having superior courts,
to keep hands off and allow the
representatives from counties in
which these courts have been estab-
lished to say whether or not they
shall be abolished or a provision be
made allowing the continuence in
counties that appear to need and
desire them. I am in receipt of
many unsolicited letters from prona-
tion shall be called by the commis- nent and influential people in coun-
"Courts and county seat* should
be located for convenience and ac-
commodation of the people of a
county and not because the citizens
of any town desire the location for
the purpose of drawing trade and
business. I have taken no active
part n this county seat struggle. I
teen years. During that time the
failure to secure railroad facilities
has not only crippled the enterprise
of the progressive citizens of Te-
cumseh and Itept them from making
like progross and growth, but by
reason of the natural law which
governs the location of cities and
Your
Opportunity
If you don't deposit your
money in this bank the
other fellow will.
The State
National Bank
sioners for that purpose whenever
ft petition signed by twenty-flve per
cent of the voters of the count>
shall be filed with them. The
amendment further provides that
counties now having superior courts
can abolish them by a majority vote
in the same manner and by the
same procedure stated above for
their creation in counties not now
having such court.
'I introduced this bill as the only
practical solution of this superior
court problem. I recognize that
there is an organized and determin-
ed opposition in this county to a su-
perior court. I also recognze that
under present conditions with a con-
stitutional inhibition against folding
any term of the district court any-
where in the county, except at the
county seat, there must be an equal-
ly determined disposition on the
part of the citizens of Shawnee and
the people living in the north part
of the county and the other parts of
the county more convenient to Shaw-
nee, to maintain a superior court in
Shawnee, where two-thirds of the
court business of the county origin-
ates.
"I want to faithfully represent the
interests of all the people of this
county and I want a majority to
rule, and 1 know of no other fair
way in which to settle this vexed
problem in this county than to give
the voters a right to determine at
the polls which way the majority
lies. 1 also believe that this is a
county problem affecting in no way
the ctizens of the state who live in
counties ineligible under the laws
to secure the location of a superior
court, and therefore think it is pure-
ly a matter that concerns the voters
of those counties having a popula-
tion of 30,000 or more..
"Of course this bill has still to
run the gauntlet in both houses. It
may be amended, modified, changed
or defeated altogether but legisla-
tion along this line is certain."
ties that now have superior courts
urging me to do all in my power
to defeat any bill that proposes to
ubolish them. Here is the text of
a letter reecived on the 17th Inst
from one of the leading legal firms
of Tulsa, Ok la.:
"Mr. Charles F. Barrett,
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Dear Sir:—It is the earnest de-
sire of every member .of the Tulsa
bar that the bill pending which
seeks to abolish superior courts be
defeated in committee and a substi-
tute measure reported out which
will permit the retention of the
superior ccurt in Tulsa county.
"The court in this county is ab-
solute necessity and its abolishment
would be a serious blow to the ad-
ministration of justice.'
"With the influential senators and
representatives from the other coun-
ties in the state where these courts
have been established and where
they still desire their maintenance
and particularly some such counties
as Tulsa where the superior court
has been established and is main-
tained at the county seat where they
aiso have regular terms of the dis-
trict court and the county court, it
can be seen that it will require lit-
tle effort to defeat a bill which
would seek to abolish the superior
court in a county where conditions
are such as those which now con-
front us in Pottawatomie county.
'I said in my campaign both for
the nomination and election that
the superior court proposition in
this county should await the peo-
ple's decision on the county seat
matter. I said then and I say now
that if Shawnee is chosen for the
county seat I will use every effort
in my power to have the superior
court in Pottawatomie county
abolished If the county seat re-
mains in Tecumseh, then I shall
feel it my duty to uee every honor-
able means to wuuotata Uie superior
coart La ttwwaoo.
am personally as much a friend of j the commercial and business influ
Tecumseh on all matters that per-fences which contribute to their
tain to her growth and develops at | growth, Tecumseh has decreased in
1 am of Shawnee. In ali^fh population and there is uo present
earlier years of Shawnee's civic
growth and expansion, while 1 was
the editor and publisher of a news-
paper, I fought for the development
of the whole county, the commercial
and industrial growth of both Shaw-
nee and Tecumseh, and always dis-
couraged every attempt on the part
of Shawnee's citizens to initiate a
county seat contest, I fought for the
location of the Santa Fe yards south
of the river and between the two
towns; I did all in my power to
promote the building of the interur-
ban and the location of Benson
Park between the two cities. It was
my dream for years that we could
build up a residence district along
the line of the interurban that would
practically unite the two towns and
build here by united effort the great
city to which this great county and
splendid agricultural district reach-
ing out for many miles in all direc-
tions was entitled to build. I have
never been engaged in any real
estate promotion scheme or stood for
any propositions that would discrim-
inate against our sister city. Only
two years ago, as a member of the
legislature, I introduced a bill and
secured its passage through both
branches of the legislature to locate
on the site of the Shawnee Mission
Polytechnic Institute or Vocatin-
al school, which would have been
equally as important to Tecumseh
as to Shawnee. The governor vetoed
this bill, although it carried with it.
the promise that Shawnee would se-
cure at her own expense the trans-
fer of this splendid property, worth
many thousands of dollars, from the
governmen* to the state.
"I recount these matters merely
to show that I hare no personal or
selfish bias against one town and
in favor of the other, but I recognize
that it is an economic condition and
not a matter of sentiment or preju-
dice that ought to influence the vot-
er in deciding once for all the mo-
mentous question of where the fu-
ture capitol of Pottawatomie county
fchall be locat«
"The constitution provides that
once this question is settled it can
not be again brought up for a
period of ten years. This contest
was instituted in 1909, four years
ago and the vote to be held upon
it February 5th is merely a de-
layed vote. Railroad concentration
at Shawnee; industrial growth and
development; public spirit and ec-
terpriao have made Shawnee a city
of 15,00*) people in tfcn past seven-
possibility that it can recover In
the immediate future its lost ground
Shawnee has continued to grow, not
at Tecumseh's expense but in spite
of the fact that within five miles
of her borders there was a city en
joying more political advantages,
and inhabited by as aggressive, pro-
gressive, and tenacious a people as
have ever combatted overwhelming
odds, and won success in any west-
ern state. In spite of their 'oyalty
to their own city the old residents
of Tecumseh have seen their leading
lawyers, leading doctors, merchants
and business men tire of the long
fight against natural conditions and
remove to the larger city or to some
other place whre they could get
larger returns on the energy and
enterprise which they were capable
of putting into their life's work.
"The trade that once made Te-
cumseh, before the coming of rail-
roads to this county, the greatest
inland city in Oklahoma, has been
attracted in large measure to Shaw-
nee, not only because the concen-
tration in this city of three great
railroad systems, two of which have
located here their shops and ter-
minals, employing many hundreds
of men, but made this a great mar-
ket town, but because the growth
and advantages of Shawnee has
made it possible to maintain here
great mercantile and trade estab-
lishments that can successfully bid
for the trade of the farmers not
only of this county, but of sur-
rounding counties.
'Now, what Is the logical deduc-
tion from the foregoing statements
That Shawnee will continue to
grow. That Tecumseh cannot by
reason of insurmountable difficul-
ties, lack of transportation line*
lack of superior municipal utilities,
such as gas, sewerage, ample water
supply, fire protection, paving, etc.,
hope to overtake her former rival
but preesnt neighbor, and that as
a result after the remaining six
years of this ten year period rolls
around, should Tecumseh secure the
victory at this time there will be a
renewal of the contest with the ad-
vantages at that ime so overwhelm-
ing in favor of Shawnee that her
success would be assured. What in
the natural order of things then
does this portend? It means that
there will be continued friction be-
tween Uie two towns for the next
six years TKaiaseb will try by
(COXTIXUfflJ OX PAGfl WGHT.)
V ^ * 4* *{- •£«
* V
V TO THE CITIZENS OF
* SHAWNEE AND POTT A-
+ W ATOM IE COUNTY: *
4* THE FOLLOWING ARE *
* HEADLINES FROM FRI- *}•
DAY'S TECUMSEH "COUN- +
* TY DEMOCRAT:' [•
.J. "TWENTY-FIVE THOUS-
* AND DOLLARS THE PRICE
—GIGANTIC SCHEME EX- ^
* POSED BY PARTY WHO *
•I- HAS LARGE INTERESTS *
* IN ANOTHER LOCALITY— *
* THREE HUNDRED THOUS- *
AND DOLLAR BOND ISSUE *
* TO FOLLOW IF COUNTY
SEAT IS MOVED TO SHAW- *
V NEE -TEN THOUSAND DOL- *
•j- LARS PLEDGED TO CON-
•I- TROL THE NEXT ELEC- i
V TION." 4*
•J- "Our information comes
►J* straight from one whose in- ^
V terest is not in Packlngiown,
bul who is on the inside,
•J* who sajs (lie game is loo
•1- strong for him.**
V "A bond issue of $300,000
Is to be >oted to locate the
•}• eonrt house and jail in pack-
►J* ingtywH.'1
*$2:>,000 is to be put into a
•J* site; #2.">,000 for furniture 4*
•J* and fixtures, this to be equal-
ly divided between two fur-
•J* nitore dealers in Shawnee
•J* who are to have the eon- «|«
•I- tract to do the furnishing; •{«
•J- !t<M)00 to go Into the jail
•f* aad $J0,060 into I he eonrt •£«
•J* house."
•J- Why the Democrat did not
•J* also charge a conspiracy on
•J* the part of the citizens of
4- Shawnee to unload the ex- 4*
•J* pensos of the Balkan War,
the Boxer uprising and the
Mexican revolution upon the J*
taxpayers of Pottawatomie -J"
county, we are unable to un-
•J« d^rstand
•J* The sanitary reasons for •$«
locating the propose stock- •{*
•J* yards four miles outside the
•J* city are perfectly obvious; 4*
•J* and the ridiculousness of
4* supposing that anybody
♦J- would ever conceive of the
•J* idea of wanting a court 4*
•J* house four miles from town
•J* Is also apparent.
•j* The reason for the Demo- 4*
crat publishing such whole-
V cloth lies, in the sheer des-
•J* peration of its hopeless
•J* cause, will be clear when ]•
-l the county printing bills of •!•
•J* the Democrat are explained. 4*
►J* The presentation of the
•J* truth compels us to refrain
•f* from wasting our time in re- 4*
futing such ridiculous, un-
4* warranted and absolutely
•J* false appeals. •J*
•J* But the fact that such &
•J* misrepresentations are bo-
ing sent out all over the
county makes it imperative 4*
that every patriotic citizen 4*
should lend a hand in spread- £•
ing the rea'. truth about the
county seat situation to the 4*
citizens of the county.
Every citizen should make
it his duty to visit county •{*
seat headquarters at the 4*
Convention Hall as often as
possible from now until af- v
ter the election on Febru-
arv 5th, to lend assistance
in informing the voters on
Shawnee's real attitude on
the county seat question.
County Seat Committee,
Convention Hall, Shawnee.
"HOLD ALL TIMBER
LANDS" IS CONANT'S
WARNING TO I). S.
COMMISSIONER OF COIil'OBA.
TION TELLS TAFT OF NECES-
SITY OF INCREASING
OWNERSHIP.
Mrs. Jno. Cowan returned Sunday
evening from Oklahoma City, where
she has been visiting the family of
Mr. and Mrs. H. G. [^arsh.
Associated Press.
Washington, Jan. 20.—The concen-
tration into the hunds of a few
powerful Interests of an enormous
percentage of the timberlands of the
United Slates has created a problem
so grave for the nation in the judg-
ment of Luther Conant, Jr., commis-
sioner of Corporations, that today he
recommended to President Taft that
the existing national forests not only
be retained by the foderal govern-
ment, but increased as far as practjv
cable. "**
This note of warning was sounded
l>y the commissioner in forwarding to
the president the full text of part
one of the bureau of corporations in-
vestigation of the lumber industry
made by direction of congress. a
(Continued on page four.)
INSANE MAN WAS
TERRORIZING HIS
NEIGHBORS SUN.
KfiBTC AND QUICK ACTION OF
CHIEF HAWK SAVED THE
DAT.
Hy Wright, at several different
times an inmate of the insaue
asylum, created a near panic Sun-
day afternoon in the 1,000 block on
East Tenth street, and bloodshed
was threated until the diplomacy,
uerve and quick action of Chief of
Police C. C. Hawk, who was called
by neighbors, saved the day.
Wright became again deranged
and took up his position in the rear
door of his residence, a six-shooter
in his hand and a razor in his
pocket. He had all the neighbors
"buffaloed," and Chief Hawk was
sent for. It looked like it would
be a case of "shooting it out" with
Wright, but luckily, pausing in his
threats long enough to scratch his
ear, at the same time lowering his
gun, he permitted the chief to
"rush" him, and he was soon over-
powered.
Wright has recently been causing
considerable trouble, showing signs
of returning insanity. He will be
taken this afternoon before the in-
sanity board
NEGRO KILLING.
The police Saturday night were
v/arned by McAlester to be on the
lookout for a negro, Henry Smith,
who killed another negro there.
+
•I* *!• -!• -I* •!• •!• -i- *'•
NOTHING CRIMINAL.
By Associated Press.
Washington, Jan. 20.T. J. Leah),
representing the Osage Indians,
told the house Indian affairs com
mittee today there was nothing im-
proper or criminal in the negotia-
tions for the Uncle Sam leases.
six kiled in alberta blaze.
Edmonton, Alberta, Jan. 20.—Six
were killed in a fire that swept th«
business section of this city. The
damage is estimated at $300,000.
+ 4
4- THE WEATHER.
By Associated frewt.
New Orleans, Jan. 2#,—
4* Oklahoma: Cold it ex-
4* treme eastern Oklahoma.
4- Temperature will fall «e
twent) degree* in Uie ivext
tiiirtj-sJx boon. 4*
+ + + + + +
Your Bank
Should be selected with care
From time to time we will
outline a few of the features;
the possession of which you
should require of the itant:
in which you may decide to
deposit your hard earned cash
The first and most important
of these is—
SAFETY
This bank offers its deposit-
ors tl>« protection of :i Ca8h
Reserve of 60 per cent and in
addition to this, their deposits
are GUARANTEED.
"Better Be Safe Than Sorry."
Security State Bank
J
LI
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Weaver, Otis B. The Shawnee Daily News-Herald (Shawnee, Okla.), Vol. 17, No. 130, Ed. 1 Monday, January 20, 1913, newspaper, January 20, 1913; Shawnee, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc91858/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.