The Weekly Oklahoma State Capital. (Guthrie, Okla.), Vol. 21, No. 18, Ed. 1 Saturday, August 7, 1909 Page: 4 of 8
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PAGE FOUR
THE WEE!^* OKLAHOMA BTATE CAPITAL. SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 1903.
Tht OKLAHOMA STATE CAPITAL
By Th Stat* Capital Company.
FRANK H. GREER, EDITOR.
J, SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
Llaily by Carrier—Strictly in Advanoa.
S 10
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One Month —-—- ~ —-—~—■ ' '
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One Month - - - - ^
Three Months - 1-00
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8ix Month* —— — —
One Year -
No subscription* will bo sent by mail in city of Guthrie.
SUNDAY EDITION.
One Year by Mail *100
WEEKLY.
Six Months * *25
One Year ^
SPECIAL ADVERTISING AGENTS
The Dally and Weekly Cupltal are represented by the
following advertising agents:
Eastern Anent—The N. M. Sheffield Special Agency,
Tribune HuiMing, New York City.
Central Agency The N. M. Sheffield Special Agency,
United States Express Building. Chicago, 111.
In Kansas City—Mart J. Barrons, 302 R. A. Long
Building. Kansas Cltja, Mo.
l'nr the State of Texas—Godbold Special Agency, Dal-
las. Texas.
There having advertising to place with the Dally and
Wee' ! t.itc CupltuI In the above territory, please cor-
respond with the agents as stated above.
D
Corporation Commissioner Love seems to be hold-
ing the fort.
Incidentally, do not forget that the next institu-
tion to feel the probe of State Examiner Taylor, will
b<- the McAlester prison.
('hamuli states that Corporation Commissioner ad-
vised him to take the money from corporations—but
to "Keep still about it."
When Commissioner Watson and McAlester re-
turn we expect to see "Jack" Love made to crawl
ijto a hole—we don't think.
Honest people in Oklahoma City, and there are
such residents of Hogopolis, are ashamed of the
policy and tactics of the real estate grafters.
Good roads make a state and a county. Logan
county is on the right track. Seventy-five miles of
good roads will be of extreme value to every resi-
dent.
Why do the different state officials object, so ser-
iously, to the State Board of Affairs controlling
their purchasers. To the fellow up a tree, it would
seem that there lias been just a little "grafting go-
iug on." Can that be the individual in the wood-
pile.
The fact that the secretary of state's office se-
creted the so-called Oklahoma-City-Orart-City-State-
Capital-Location-Proportion for five days is draw-
ing censure on the office of the secretary. The
facts are every taxpayer ami voter expects a state
official to be honest and abovo board and not just
technically honest.
Now that state officials have announced that Am-
ber-Mead contains four per cent alcohol will the
dispensary department kindly inform the public
the uifferencc between "mead" and "special" and
wh it brewing company manufactures bot.i brands
and why, in the governor's home, it was sold open-
ly over bars and that the city of Muskogee licensed
such saloons as "soft drink emporiums?
DOWNWARD WITH A VENGEANCE.
The Republican party has made good every elec-
tion promise.
The tariff has been revised downward regardless
of the harping to the contrary of *he democratic
press of the Nation.
The net reduction in tariff receipts will equal al
most five million dollars per annum—to be exact it
is estimated that the net decrease will be $4,978,122,-
124
That is a downward revision with a vengeance
but—
With all this the farmer lias been protected as
Well as the manufacturer
Those who deal in luxuries must pay the freight
•—because increases are made in the luxury schedule.
Instead of an income tax there has been provided
a corporation tax calling1 for payments 011 all net
profits above five thousand dollars per annum, and
with it every endeavor has been made to protect
against double taxation.
The president is given power to cancel tariff
treaties and to establish the minimum duty schedule.
With the passage of the tariff bill, as agreed upon
by the conference committee, it is demonstrated that
the Republican party is one of action as well as n
party that keeps its promises.
Let every citizen carefully read the provisions of
the bill, which nr>p',;;v in ether columns, and there
will be nbsop * t'u revision of the
'I III. tl.M 6 V
OKLAHOMA HONOR IS IN QUESTION
The p'urchased Hogopolis petitions,—
Signed by hundreds of men who are not, and
never have been residents of Oklahoma—
Has been (lied with the secretary of state and the
secretary, together with the governor, has gone
I through the lVjrce comedy of detaching from the so-
called petitions the names of those who appear to
have signed.
Every petition was prepared by a paid agent of
the Oklahoma City Real Kstate Grafters' Associat-
ion, and those who have become their tools.
The petitions wero in the hands of the secretary
and governor for a number of days before the pub-
lic was given information that such action had
been taken.
• * ♦ • •
There was absolute silence,—
• * • # •
And now the people are asking,—
Was the quietness caused because of shame in that
land grafters had been nble to place the state in a
position which indicates the people of Oklahoma
cannot be trusted to enter into an agreement which
will be honored,—
Or, was the silence a combination of circumstances
such as,—
Hill Cross's residence in Graft City, or—
The twenty thousand dollars bonus raised for the
governor's paper which lias located in Graft City.
• « * •
Oklahoma went into an agreement with the na-
tional government and now the new state has,
through a few selfish individuals, advertised to the
world that Oklahoma cares nothing for her word—
that,..
She is not only the youngest of the sisters, but that
she is the only disreputable one of the family.
Oklahoma has earned such a reputation,—
Because, there are individuals in her domain who
care nothin/ for her reputation.
They would first ravish her, then rob her ,and
afterward advertise her shame to the world through
fake real estate advertisements.
• # * • ■
The national congress can be expected to reeaU
the fiv£ million do'lars given the state as well as
change every oth<r agreement.
Every condition i.nder which Oklahoma became
a state is open for recall the instant the state indi-
cates that it will not abide by its agreement and
which the people of the state through the ballot
concurred in.
• * * • •
The Oklahoma City State Capital proposition is
founded on graft reared in the minds of Oklahoma
City real estate schemers and the petitions were se-
cured through bribery and fraud.
The petitions do not represent the wishes of one
tenth of those who have signed them and who are
legal voters of the state.
The petitions are not such as would tempt an hon-
est man to consider seriously, but it is to be ex-
pected that they will be called sufficient and that
some day the grafters will get the proposition be-
fore the people.
They know that it will not carry,—that the peo-
ple of'the state will turn the proposition down—but
they also know that—
The game will have answered its purpose.
« * « * *
Oklahoma City real estate fakers will have sold
many thousand lots.
Many people will have been robbed,—
Many more people will have invested their savings
in property which has a boosted value and they will
ultimately loose their all, when the Boom Busts.
# * * • •
The whole scheme is based on a desire to sell lots
(to unloa^) in and around Oklahoma City and it is
to be expected that the Graft City real estate men
will at once spread broad-cast advertising matter
which will even go so far as to show the capital
building, already canstructed, on many different
additions.
• * • •
But in the meantime—remember—
Cities in other parts of the state, which might
have had a chance to get into the capital location
contest, four years hence, will have been barred,
that is, if the Hogopolis graft works, through the
selfish action of a selfish city and her rulers—real
estate men.
The people of Oklahoma will kill the Graft City
scheme put out by Hogopolis. The slaughter will
be brutal, but only one district in the state will suf-
fer and that Oklahoma City and surrounding addi-
tions—the home of state graft and state dishonor.
• * * • *
Oklahoma City would hog it all. It has endeavor-
ed to do so in the past. The future will demonstrate
that the people of Oklahoma believe in fair play
and not graft and dishonor.
In the meantime, however, the Oklahoma City
Graft City crowd will have put the people of the
state—the taxpayers—to an expense of hundreds of
thousands of dollars and all for the one selfish pur-
pose—
The lining of Hogopolis, individual, pockets at the
expense of the state and for which th-y have 110 re-
spect.
• * * • •
Their Golden Rule is,—
"Let Oklahoma be damned—get the money."
HASKELL'S PREDICAMENT IS
VERY PECULIAR
Governor Haskell finds l.imself in this rather pe-
culiar situation:
The Oklahoma constitution contains a clause es-
tablishing the Capital at Guthrie until after 1913.
Governor Haskell, as a member of tile Constitu-
tional Convention voted for this clause.
As Governor lie took an oath to support it, waiv-
ing any question as to the binding force ol' this
compact upon moral grounds, and whether it is
the duty of the people of the state to respect and
abide by this solemn compact entered into wjth the
federal government.
The question now up to the people is, whether the
oath he took to "support, protect and defend" this
particular clause is binding upon his conscience.
lie swore that he would stand by this clause, that
being irrevocable, he would never permit it to be
revoked.
He called upon God to witness his good faith and
sincerity of purpose in taking the oath, and to aid
him in keeping it.
The Oklahoma City people seeking to revoke this
irrevocable ord'ngnee foresaw this difficulty
They cared nothing for the moral question in*
volved, but they realized that Haskell could not
call the election to revoke this ordinance without
violating the oath he took.
The question was, would he do it!
They care nothing for his newspaper.
But they said, "We must get Haskell interested.
"Let us offer him $20,000 to move his paper to
Oklahoma City.
"We cannot offer him this amout of money out-
right to buy him, but let 11s do it indirectly."
Does any one doubt that this was their plan and
purpose 1
If any one does, he is very simple.
They made the proposition to Haskell and it was
accepted.
The money was raised and they are now waiting
to see if the goods will be delivered.
This is the situation that confronts Governor Has-
kell.
We do not mean to say that the Governor prom-
ised to come through, but this is what the Oklahoma
City people paid their money for and what they ex-
pect.
If the Governor delivers the people will say we
paid the price and got what we were after.
If he doesn't, ho can say, "You paid for the
paper and you got it.'
In the meantime, the public looks on and awaits
the outcome.
WILL THEY BECOME ALL HONEST.
But since some of the democratic papers of the
state are finally waking up to the shortcomings of
the present administration it is not necessary for
The State Capital to dwell on the matters of par-
dons ot parols.
What we desire is that every democratic paper in
the state become honest and tell their readers the ex-
act conditions which have been found to obtain in
the dispensary department, the penitentiary and the
governor's office and then for these same papers to—
Insist that every department of state be examined
by Honest State Examiner Taylor.
If every book and department is right there will
have been no damage done—but if there are faults
found the state will have been done a great favor.
Why not insist that "A public office is a public
trust"— %
It was once democratic doctrine and surely no
one can turn such policy down.
Let the investigations continue and let there be
no doubt about the matter of demanding that those
who may have taken state money, without warrant
or law be made to disgorge or suffer the conse-
quences of law violation.
Because a man is a democrat is no reason why
the democratic papers of the state should be deaf
and blind to his or their fault.
It cost the taxpayers of the state millions of dol-
lars to get statehood and about the only benefit they
have had up to this time has been the privilege of
voting for national officers, and—■
They are paying dearly for that privilege.
Texas four times as great on one side of the state
and on the other where they never paid taxes under
territorial rule, they are wondering if they all , 0
broke keeping lip administration favorites.
Every property owner in the state will be called
upon to pay two and one-half mills on every dol-
lar's worth of property he has in the state this year,
to keep up the administration.
Just double the taxes paid last year.—
And, from all indications the same men who have
aised their taxes this year will sec that they are
loubled again next year.
Is there any wonder that there is a desperate ef-
fort being made to prevent the peoplo of the stati
getting a fair and true election.
Have not those in power some strong motive to
desire holding onpreventing a change and all
that.
There is one thing sure these same men who arc
opposing the referendum of the Taylor election law
will be out in the next campaign opposing Examiner
Taylor,—why? They could not rule or ruin him,
Come 011 honest democratic papers of the state.—
Get honest.
Demand that there be an honest examination of
all state books and that there be no whitewash used.
It is said that the democratic ;ress of Oklahoma
is bound hand and foot to the machine.
It begins to look as though there was truth in the
assertion.
At any rate administration pie counter crow fel-
lows say they are.
Cannot the democratic papers of Oklahoma
prove they are independent and honest.
The affairs of Oklahoma certainly should be of
the greatest importance,—and
Only honest administration of public affairs will
keep any party in power.
Some of the political servants of the people may
find it difficult to present a "character" to their next
employers.
On the other hand—wonder why the governor
don't jump on some one his own size. The State
Capital is so young' and unsophisticated that it
looks like cruelty to continue to knock us. lake a
£ull out of tile Uklaliomau or the New State Tribune.
WHERE WILL THE SCANDAL END?
It has been brewing for a number of weeks, but—
It took a picnic and then the return journey to
bring the mattter to a head.
We mean, of course, the firing (FIRING is the
proper word) of William L. Chapman, from his
comfortable seat as secretary of the state corpora-
tion commission, for the reason, as stated by Com-
missioner Love, that—
"Chapman has been receiving money from corpor-
ations while in the service of the commission in di-
rect violation of the rules of the department."
In other words—Chapman, of Report Card and
Kickapoo Indian fame, -is charged with having
grafted from corporations which are compelled to
do business in the state.
* • • • •
If this was done, who knows that tho hold up
game stopped short of a few hundred dollars.
• • • • •
The troubles of the present democratic adminis-
tration seem to have just begun and now that tho
Corporation Commis^on has actually jumped into
the "lime light," there is promised a number of in-
teresting news stories, especially from that depart-
ment of state government.
Up to the present time the breath of scandal has
only touched on the following departments of Ok-
lahoma government.
The office of the governor—
The State Dispensary—
The office of the Attorney General—
The school land department—
The board of education—
The state prison board—-
The board of pardons—
The agricultural department—
* • • a •
The people do not fear asking—When will it end?
* • • •
But let's get back to the Corporation Commis-
sion—
Mr. Chapman was bounced by Commissioner
Love—
Chapman's friends insist that "Jack Love was
feeling badly because of the effect of attending
picnic."
Mr. Chapman, through his friends, is said to have
intimated that should "Jack" Love insist on the re-
moval of Chapman there will be handed out "a
bunch" of information which won't help Mr. Love's
cause and that Mr. Chapman will also give out a
little inside democratic administration history
which won't sound good to the taxpayers.
Of course this is all second hand information—
that part of it which indicates that Chapman con
tends that the corporation commission docs not dare
remove him—
In fact Mr. Chapman is "saying nothing, but saw
ing wood",—
But Chapman was fired, says Mr. Love, for re-
ceiving money from railroad corporations for in-
formation, which by all rights as well as the regula-
tions of the department should have been furnished
corporations without cost the same as to individuals.
Chapman does not deny that he has been furnish-
ing such information for pay.
• • • •
There is an interesting stoTy back of the simple
little hold-up game which has started the scandal in
in corporation circles and which gives promise of
spreading "some."
The story runs about as follows:
"A certain corporation, one that hangs wires in
the air, discovered that it was not" getting prompt
information regarding the rulings and orders of the
corporation commission. A representative of that
corporation went to the office of the commission to
see what the trouble was and it is alleged he re-
ceived word to the effect that he could get all the
information he desired by the payment of fifty dol-
lars per month, just like other railroad companies
had been doing. *
That would have been a private graft and would
have started trouble.
The representative of the corporation, which
stretches wire, would not consent to the hold-up, it
is said and reported the matter to Commissioner
Love. Mr. Love called in Mr. Chapman, and Mr.
Chapman did not deny the charge.
1 * # * * #
The ax dropped— , ,
But just before striking it stuck and hangs
quivering, waiting the pleasure of Commissioners
Watson and McAlester, Watson so far standing tor
Chapman.
Some one got a chill and Chapman holds sway.
Some one got a chill and Chapman was not taken
into Texas to answer to the Kickapoo Land fraud
charges.
Some one got a chill and Chapman held cm to his
Report Card Graft.
The question is what is the club Chapman holds
over the daministration and what kind of a hand
does he hold in the office of the corporation com-
mission game.
RATHER HARD TO UNDERSTAND.
Under the circumstances the violent opposition
of the Spanish people, in the army and out, to the
shipping of troops to Africa and the further pros-
ecution of the war there is not easy to explain.
It may readily be understood wliy they might
object to the carrying on of a long, unnecessary
and costly war, but whatever the merits of the con-
flict with the Moors the reports show that the
Spanish troops at Melilla are iu danger of being
overcome by force of numbers and captured or de-
stroyed. Spaniards have never been accused of
lack of courage, and as it is contrary to the niles
and customs of every country to refuse to go to the
reljef of their own soldiers and citizens in emer-
gency the opposition to government orders in this
case is something of a mystery.
THE ANGEL CHILD
Not nisliy weeks ago an Atchison
woman gave a party for grownups and
one fond mother took her Angel Boy.
There was Ice cream, and tho Angel
Boy put his dish on the parlor floor and
smatiered it on the carpet, and then
when it was reduced to a liquid, ho
dabbed his Angers in it and got it over
the women's dresses. But the mother
only sat and smiltd. On another occa-
sion, when there was a dinner party,
the Angel Child, who wus an uninvited
guest, wus a girl, and thU Angel Girl
seized a cut glass tumbler and began
hammering the highly polished table wltli
It. 4nd the motner ieoked at it with
ft fond, proud smile and said nothing.
These, and many other instances of a
similar nature, will explain something
about to happen. A number of women
have vowed that the next time something
like tnis happens, they will catch the
mother by the neck and shake all the
dreamy fond pride out of her, and will
then spank theAngel Boy or Angel Girl
till its howls awaken Leavenworth. "We
have btood all this fond mother indul-
gence ti 181 we intend to utand," said
one woman, who recently had a mirror
broken by an Angel Child pounding Iti
foot In It. while Its mother looked on
with a proud sndle that said: "Isn't
It a dear."—Atchison Globe.
THE FARMERS WILL BENEFIT.
In the investigation of the commis-
sion on country life, bad roads wer«
found to be one of the main reasons
of the Isolation of the farmer, and re-
snonslble, directly and Indirectly, for
many of the drawbacks of rural life. N<1
matter how fertile the soli or how fav-
orable the climate, the farmer cannol
make material headway toward pros-
perity without improved roads. Bad
roads means isolation (Qpm school,
church, and market, and, as a conse-
quence, no great social, moral or mental
uplift can be expected until the isola-
tion enforced by ill-kept roads Is don«
away with by- Improved means of com-
munlcatlon.
Road building Is becoming a science^
and Instead of having work done undei
the Incompetent direction of county o«
town officials, the states are assuming
the responsibility of control, with excel-
lent results, in Massachusetts road
making under the supervision of stati
officials has become an art, and. as a
consequence, the Old Bay state Is Treat-
ing a system of highways which has fe\*
equals anywhere.
Incidentally, as a direct result of con.
structlon of good roads, the value n{
country prosperity in Massachusetts hai
rapidly Increased. New York. Ne*
Jersey, Maryland and Virginia have re.
cognized the value of centralized, sclen.
tlflc control of road construction, an*
the results are justifying the method. I
practically every case greatly increased
farm values lmve followed the 1m.
provment of the roads, and when th<
Washington-Richmond highway is con.
structed the farmers along the routi
will be the ones who will reap the prln.
clpal benefit.—Washington Post.
OKLAHOMA NOTES
Many of the trees on the collet
campus are suffering for water. Flvi
gallons around each tree will save them
—Alva Pioneer.
~-o~~
The Oklahoman taken the cake In th
classics. Its editor, however, must b
1 naturalized Kngllshman, as he call
'eni "The ol pcllol."
There Is one complimentary thing tha
may be said of a "muchly" bow-l^gga
man who lives at Stillwater. He look
cool these hot days.
The Blackwell Fair association en
aged as a free act, the noted Herr Gran
ada, and wife, who gave their mid al
performance on a high wire, and wit
fireworks at night.
Governor Haskell and his dlspensar
board may be Incorruptible but wher
ever whiskey flows in prohibited terrl
tory. thero I* taint and prima fad
those who handle it are tainted.
When Mexican laborers employed b
the Santa Fe railroad company wet
paid their monthly wages several dai
ago they sent more than $1,000 by regis
tered letter to their homes in dlfferea
parts of Mexioo.
—o—
Domestic science training In oti
schools means that Oklahoma girls ai
to be taught how to make the flnej
biscuits In the world out of the bei
flour on earth." say* the OklnhomM
Which Wichita mill Is shipping flour I
Oklahoma City?
Cherokee proposes to make the town!
prisoners earn their "keep" hereaft«
nnd to carry out the plan the marahi
and police judge have had cast a numh«
of 30.pound balls with suitable rhali
attached. The hope Is expressed thi
tho -streets of Cherokee will look bett«
In the future.
J. F. McMurrays, lawyer of McAleste
was about to realize on a dream t
millions bv renson of a contract wll
the Choctaw ind Chickasaw India*
when Big Chief Green McCurtain pr«
tested to the interior department. Sec
retnry Ballinger is a mild-mannered mo
and puts It up to McMurray this wa;
"It |s not appropriate that Indlvldua
negotiate or make contracts of a trlbi
nature."
—o—
The hall storm that knocked a t&
blades off the corn and leaves off ft
eotton plants In Logan county recent!
was a mcp shower of bouquets In com
pari son with the one that descended ups
a prosperous section of Nebraska lai
week. An area ten mTles wide an
thirty-five miles long was swept as pie*
as a billiard table, so far as crops a:
concerned, entailing a loss approxlmat
Ing 400.000.
Councilman Davis of Muskogee put
ting forth his best endeavors to Indui
his associates In the elty council to he|
hjm put through an ordinance making i
a punishable offense for owning or malr
talnlng a building or structure whei
rats are harbored or permitted to r«
main. The fine povlded for rang<
from $5 to $f.O for each day of the r<
dent's proven habitation. Mr. Davi
probably has not heard of the famot
tramp rat killed who gravely Inform*
a housewife that he could rid the pretu
Ises of rats If she would • furnish hli
with dinner The offer was accept*
and a bountiful meal served. Ti
tramp provided himself with a nice W
stick, selected a shadv spot In the froi
yard and sat down; then with a detei
mined etpresslon on his bushy fae
said to the housewife: *Tra readj
bring on your rats," ^
V/ ' :'/
' "Y /
\ "• -
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Greer, Frank H. The Weekly Oklahoma State Capital. (Guthrie, Okla.), Vol. 21, No. 18, Ed. 1 Saturday, August 7, 1909, newspaper, August 7, 1909; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metapth352757/m1/4/: accessed March 28, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.