The Weekly Oklahoma State Capital. (Guthrie, Okla.), Vol. 19, No. 35, Ed. 1 Saturday, December 28, 1907 Page: 4 of 8
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WEEKLY OKLAHOMA STATE CAPITAL, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1907.
THE OKLAHOMA STATE CAPITAL
By Th# State Capital Company.
L
PRANK H. GREER. EDITOR.
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Ona Yaor^.M O.B'
Since Jeff Davis has broke loose in the senate
Ben Tillman will not feel so lonesome.
I The "Jim Crow" bill is now in a condition to "go
jimming around" in search of whom it may devour.
f The Massachusetts prohibitionists want Oklahoma
to understand that there arc others, and in Yankee-
dom, too.
' Great chunks of Massachusetts have gone prohibi-
tion. It is great to be a brewer now—that is, a re-
tired brewer.
| Yes, Chester, the democrats will hold a national
convention. They have to select a candidate for
vice president.
I New York papers protest against "blaming it all
011 New York.'' Then let New York quit posing as
the financial center of the country.
f Still, there is one radical difference between Bell
Tillman's pitchforking and ,leff Davis' flapdoodle.
Ben knows better. Jeff will learn.
| Secretary Cortelyou saved the nation from the
throes of a great panic and now he is to be investi-
gated at the demand of Pitchfork Tillman.
S So the big schooner, Thomas W. Lawson, has turn-
ed turtle. We always thought it was a tempting of
providence to give the ship a name like that.
j There is not the most perfect harmony in the de-
partments of state. Governor Haskell and Attor-
ney General West appear to clash quite frequently.
I There is one important subject that the house and
senate are agreed upon, and that is that Oklahoma
should have the $5,000,000 school fund at an early
date.
The great American fleet started upon its lonjj
voyage Monday and is now plowing the waters of
the deep on its way to the Pacific coast—or some
other seaport.
There is no disguising the fact that the financial
condition is greatly improved. The west never
was in better condition. Crops are large, prices are
good, the banks are full of money.
1 Confessing himself a failure as the savior of the
nation and as the prophet to whom the people woulJ
not give ear, Tom Lawson thinks he will trip lightly
into Wall street and be Jack the Giant Killer for a
change.
Now that President Roosevelt has "taken ths
finger out" of the OoMfield front page advertising
stunt, things will likely simmer down to their equi-
librium and Goldfield will be tile obscure point of
the past.
The Williams-Roddie bill, an act creating a state
bank and establishing a depositor's guarantee fund,
taken up as an emergency bill, is a very needful law
nd will doubtless do much to allay the financial em-
barrassment in Oklahoma.
MR. DINWIDDIE, NON RESIDENT,
THE POWER BEHIND THE THRONE
We are told that Rev. Dinwiddie fathered the
prohibition bill and sat in the lobby during the
fight, directing his floor generals. Who is this
fellow Dinwiddie t By what authority does he
presume to tell the lawmakers of the state what
measures to pass and how to spend the state's
funds ? Is he even a resident of the state ? Does
he pretend to represent a constituency in the
commonwealth!
Prohibition has been voted in Oklahoma by a
large majority of tho people who believe it a
good law. The people who voted for prohibition
and for the present officeholders did so fully
expecting those officeholders to enforce the
measure. Mr. Dinwiddies job is completed, and
a good many people think it high time that he
be gent about his business back in New Yiork.
His arrogance in the affairs of the state is be-
coming insufferable.—Tulsa World.
Mr. Dinwiddie is the gentleman who so dexter
usly threw the republican prohibition vote to tho
support of the democratic ticket.
It makes no difference that he is not a citizen of
Oklahoma—ho wields more influence today along
certain lines with a certain element of the dominant
party than any combination of partisans.
His word is law and must be obeyed.
Isn't this rather a humiliating condition for Okla
homa to be placed in, say nothing of the lobby feat-
ure of it ?
A one idead man, with hundreds of dollars pour-
ing into his lap from abroad to be used for prohibi
tion in Oklahoma, dictating laws.
And yet all evidences go to show that the law, if
made according to his dictates, may prove a useless
l«.
One way to make useless a law, the shrewdest way
vet known to man, is to overload it, with so much
that is repulsive to the average citizen that popular
sentiment will not back the officials in its enforce
ment.
Another way is to smuggle into it features that
are unconstitutional.
The latter is often done through blinded enthusi-
asm in a cause.
It. now looks as though, with Mr. Dinwiddie lead-
ing the movement, both of these load stones may
find lodgement in the prohibition law.
However, Dinwiddie or no Dinwiddie, when the
measure becomes a law The State Capital shall ad-
vocate the enforcement of it to the letter.
In fact, all laws, whether thought to be good or
bad, should be rigidly enforced.
If good they will bring about good results, and if
bad they can be repealed.
But hold,—
The prohibition law is being made an emergency
law.
Unless it is proven unconstitutional it must stick
Tho referendum to which our democratic friends
pointed as a means for correcting unpopular legisla-
tion, will avail the people nothing.
In short, Mr. Dinwiddie, a non-resident, is makin
for Oklahoma one of her most important laws, and
his work is to be lasting.
It is estimated that if the railroads are compelled
to put on special coaches and erect separate wait-
in? rooms, it will cost the railroads over one mil-
lion dollars. And yet the Leader knows of no ac-
tion by the law makers that may drive capital away
from the state.
The burning of the main building of the state
university at Norman is of untold loss to the state
Wo have few great educational institutions and tha
loss of such a 1 uildhig a* was the one at Norman
wieans the crippling, for the time-being at least, of
•One of the foremost among them.
How the mighty have fallen. The other dav Pat
Crowe, the celebrated bandit, visited Omaha iind a
hackman held hiin up all night for a bill of $8, an I
then the chief of police gave him an hour to get
out of town, and vet. not so long ago Pat was re-
garded as Omaha's chicf attraction.
Before the speaker of tho house had his "wages''
raised from $6 to $8 per day, lie gave it out that
during the two weeks' holiday members should not
draw pay. Since the $2 raise we understand that he
is agreeable to the perpetuation of "wages." This
is proof positive of the justness of Mr. Murray's
claim that he is keeping his eye on the taxpayers
dollars.
The Enid Eagle, in mentioning the fool move of
Senator Goulding in presenting a bill for removal of
the state capital, etc., says:
"We really do not sec why Enid should be-
, come mixed up with this affair, as, so far as we
know, as a community she is taking no stock in
the matter one way or the other. We are en-
tirely in the dark, but presume to say that Enid
is attending in a quiet and orderly way, to her
own business, arid that keeps her out of mis-
chief.
THE GOOD NEGRO IS IMPOSED ON
BY THE ROWDIES OF THE RACE.
There is now and has been for some time
a considerable complaint by the citizens about
the amount of idleness among our people. They
say that there is no day in the week but that
you can find from twenty-five to 100 idle men
on the streets. It is said that these idlers con
gregate on the sidewalks, curse, swear, use vul-
gar and profane language, to the shame and
disgust of all passers-by. It is further said
that these idlers put the negro poulation of this
city in bad light before the other race and cause
them to speak disrespectfully of our race. We
know that this is true to some extent, and we
arc sorry that we cannot dispute the charge.
Our people in all cities should he very careful
about their manners. They should hunt work
and employ their time in making a profitable
living for themselves and family. There should
be some improvement among us along this line.
No one who has no income can make an honest
living without work. Idleness breeds crime and
shame, and crimes make criminals. Let all of
us talk to our young men about this matter and
see if we cannot have them improve along this
line.—The Oklahoma Safeguard.
The Safeguard lias struck the keynote to the sit-
uation.
The loafing, swearing, swaggering, foul-mouthed
element of the negro race is in the main responsible
for the conditions that exist in Oklahoma today.
Place as many loafing, foul-mouthed white men
on Guthrie's street corners as there has been of ne-
groes in the past and the good, law-abiding citizens
and visitors would cry out in strong voice for an
enforcement of tho vagrancy law.
These are cold facts.
Had it been otherwise and had such persons shown
evidences of good citien&hip they would have found
defenders and advocates of their rights in many who
today are among those favorable to the work of the
legislature.
Thus it is that the innocent arc made to suffer
for the offenses of the loafer and the blasphemer.
The better element of the negroes is going at the
proposition in a way to at least command the re-
spect of every fair-minded citizen in Oklahoma.
We are creditably informed that a strong move-
ment is on foot among them to press the cause of
reform.
And the article quoted from the Safeguard would
bear out this idea.
Now is indeed the accepted moment for effective
reform work, and as the good work gains ground
just so far will the negro regain the friendship of
those who are today staudijig aloof because of the
rowdyish element that has of late years been con-
stantly before their eyes.
The good, law-abiding, industrious negro has
more friends today than he may think, but he can-
not be helped in his troubles so long as his entire
race is pulled down by an evil class that thrusts
themselves and their unconth ways upon the peo-
ple.
Let the reform proceed and all fair-minded people
will applaud—and many, in fact, will contribute tc
the work.
AN ASTOUNDING QUESTION
IS SATISFACTORIALLY ANSWERED
In so much as the State Capital took the same
grounds regarding the pipe line proposition that did
tho Times-Journal, we reproduce an editorial from
that paper which sheds some light upon the matter:
"Monday's Time-Journal contained an edi-
torial on real emergencies not seen by the leg-
islature, in which it was incidentally stated that
gas companies are building pipe lines to draw
off Oklahoma's gas, but the legislature is tak-
ing no notice of the work, while the "Jim
Crow" bill was declared an emergency meas-
ure and pushed through on a trot. The state-
ment about the gas mains from outside brings
a protest from Governor Haskell in the form
of a telegram, and he asks us to show him. The
governor will recall that he took the oath of of-
fice two hours ahead of schedule time on No-
vember 16th in order to order the officers of
Washington county to watch certain workmen
who were alleged to have brought a pipe within
two hundred feet of the Oklahoma line. He
ordered, so it was alleged, the officers of Wash-
ington county to put in jail anyone who should
come upon Oklahoma soil for the purpose of
making such a line.
Did this not look as though pipe lines for the
purpose of draining Oklahoma gas fields were
being constructed 1
Attorney General West asked the supreme
court of the state to enjoin parties from mak-
ing such lines. Did that not indicate clearly
such work was in progress? When the supreme
court declared that it had no jurisdiction the
officers of Washington county were again urged
to prevent the consummation of the work then
in progress. Does this not warrant us in the
conclusion that companies are, or at least were,
a few day8 ago constructing one or more lines'
for the purpose of drawing upon the state's
supply of gas?
Mr. Governor, we refer you to your own pub-
lic acts, those of your attorney general and the
records of Washington county, Oklahoma, as
evidence that pipe lines are or were under con-
struction.
Mr. Governor, we were compelled to assume
that work was in progress on lines which threat-
ened the welfare of the state, or assume that you
the attorney general of the state, the sheriff and
court officers of Washington county, were beat-
ing the air for some advertising when no one
was thinking of piping out our gas.
It would not be quite the right thing to ac-
cuse the whole state government of putting up
tin soldiers for the purpose of shooting them
over to astonish the other boys.
Now, Governor, we hope we have answered
your inquiry as to who is building pipe lines
and where. If at any time we can be of further
use to you, call on us1 and we will, as a good
citizen, come to the aid of the state."
The State Capital received no word from Gover-
nor Haskell regarding the doubts expressed as lo
the truthfulness of the report of an attempt to run
pipe line into Kansas, but since the Governor has
asked the Times-Journal to "show him" it would
appear that the whole matter was a grand stand
play of some one's.
If this be true, where does the blame lie?
It certainly does not rest upon the newspaper;
that were furnished information through state of-
ficials and through action taken by the attorney
enoral.
If indeed there was no occasion for so much hustle
and blow the attempt at "grand stand play" should
rest upon the one precipitating the scare.
The following is an interesting chapter from 4he
proceedings of the house of Thursday. It explains
itself:
The committee on house expenses submitted
a report showing a total of $217.50 daily for
employes' salary. The only successful attempt
to amend the report was that which provides
the chaplain shall receive five instead of three
dollars a day. The successive efforts to increase
the remuneration of the pages, postmaster and
usher were tabled. The schedule which was
adopted follows: Chief clerk, secretary to the
speaker, official reporter, auditor and speaker's
stenographer $6.00; sergeant at-arms, assist-
ant official reporter, minute clerk, journal, bill
record and information, clerk committee, read-
ing, engrossing and enrolling clerks and mes-
senger, $5.00; four committee stenographers,
$4.00; assistant sergeant-at-arms, committee
clerks, assistant reading, assistant engrossing
and enrolling clerks, door keepers, day and
night watchmen, postmaster, calendar and prop-
erty clerks, $4.00; mail clerk, committee mes-
senger. cloak room attendants, $3.00; pages,
$2.00; chief janitor, $3.00; assistant janitor,
$2.50.
The salary of the speaker was increased from
six to eight, dollars."
There is more prose than poetry in the above, to
the average taxpayer.
THE REPUBLICAN PRESS IS
DUBBED THE OBSTRUCTION PRESS.
The Leader makes a general onslaught upon the
republican press of the state.
It calls them "the obstruction press."
It says: "Just now the obstruction press is busily
engaged in declaring tho legislature and the state
officials are driving capital from the state."
And then it goes into a spasm, asserts that "the
railroads charge five times as much for freight
transportation as they do the people of other
states."
The fact is, not a single republican newspaper to
our knowledge has protested in the least to the
movement to make the railroads carry freight as
cheap in Oklahoma as they do in other states.
In fact, the State Capital has commended the ac-
tions, both of Governor Prantz's and Governor
Haskell's administrations, in bringing about a re-
duction in freight rates.
It isn't in that an administration exacts like
treatment from railroads that is given in other
states that the liability of driving capital from tho
states lies.
There are many acts talked of and there is much
action by law makers and enforcers of law that is
calculated to keep capital out of the state.
This is true!
Just now as a disparaging feature to railroad
building is the proposed law to make the railroads
of the state provide special waiting rooms for the
negroes and put special coaches on every train.
In some, in fact, many counties, there are not a
baker's dozen of negroes, and yet, if the law in
made in conformity with the pending bill the*rail-
roads, to conform to that law, must provide a spec-
ial waiting room for negroes.
And all roads must run special coaches for ne-
groes. if it carries one or more of the unfortunate
objects of democratic hatred.
The general assembly may come to its senses and
yet be just and fair with the railroads.
No one objects to regulation of the railroads but
that regu'ation should be along just and fair lines.
The naming of points where waiting rooms should
be provided should be left to the judgment of the
commissioners and not made universal.
There are many other things that have been pro-
posed that are equally as unreasonable and unjust
as is the one here mentioned.
The State Capital has referred" to them in the
past more in the spirit and desire of enactment of
good and just laws than in a spirit of censure.
And just here, we might suggest, is a thought
carried out by some of our democratic friends that
is erroneous:
The State Capital is a republican newspaper.
The legislature is democratic.
The State Capital criticises honestly a bill and too
many of the friends of that bill take it for granted
that the criticism is prompted through party pique.
This is wrong.
The State Capital in criticising—condemning or
commending—will and does so through a spirit of
right and justice as it, sees the right.
The State Capital has a right to do this—
In fact it is recreant to a duty if it fails to do
OPICS
THE GRIP HAS A
HOLD ON THE EFFETE EAST
The grippe is descending upon the east
like a pestilence.
It Is no respector of persons.
Now, even now, the whole Astor family
Is down with it.
Young Mrs. John Jacob Astor is so sick
that she na8 canceled all her social en-
gagements.
Then Colonel John Jacob came down
with it, and finally his mother, Mrs. Wil-
liam Astor. has succumbed to the pre-
vailing malady.
Their splendid residence In Firth avenue
New York City, is filled with 'lulnlr.e,
whisky, nurses, hot baths, flannels and
woe.
Here In Oklahoma we have It but don't
make so much todo over It.
And since the whisky cure i.\ a thlnqr of
the past, we won't have ncr.r murh
of It.
JEFF DAVIS GIVES VENT
TO HIS SLUSH VALVE
Jeff Davis, the senator from Arkansas
shocked tlie dignity of th© upper house
by a sad effort to be funny.
lie even attempted to be witty at the
expense of Roosevelt, and here is what
he sukl:
"Our president—and X speak of him fn
tlie most respectful terine—besides his
salary of $60,000 a year—and I say that
that Is not excessive—is paid by this
congress >35,000 a year for traveling ex-
penses. and approximately $113,000 a year
for living expenses. Ah, Mr. President,
this is enormous. This is tunreasonabie.
The president of the United Htatos has
five children, I believe. It Is true that
he should live In acordance with the
dignity of the position wliich he ocon •
pies, but, Mr. President, I have the pres-
ident "skinned a block" in the matter of
family. I have eight Ohildren, and It does
not take $113,000 for my living expenses.
No., sir."
How distressing this must sound to tha
president. Oh, my countrymen! Oh, plat-
itudes of amazing latitude! Oh—bosh!
The editorial columns of the State Capital are
expected to give forth honest, sincere thoughts on
what ever subject is touched upon and it can be
counted upon to do that very thing at all times
when discoursing or commenting upon a subject of
general interest.
Now that the interstate railroad rates have gone
into effect between Oklahoma and Kansas a ticket
can be purchased from points in one state to points
in the other at the 2 ceuts-a-miie rate.
The following from the St. Louis Republican puts
the negro question in a light that is understandable:
"The final table just issued by the census bureau on
the recent census of Oklahoma gives the population
of the new state by race and voting age. The tables
si" -v 334,035 white males of voting age to 15,420
Indians and 30,047 negroes of voting age in the total
population of 1,414,177. Including 'scattering re-
turns' from all other races the white males of voting
age still exceed the total of all other races combined
more than seven to one. On this showing there is
no more ground for a 'race question' in the present
state of Oklahoma than there is in that of Maine or
Massachusetts. The certainty of the future is that
the increase in the white population of the state
will be far in excess of that possihle from all other
races combined. If the bogie of an alleged race
issue or race question in the present or future of the
new state so alarmed any one as to turn him back
from becoming a resident or an investor in the state,
these figures ought to be decisive against a delusion
which does much to retard southwestern progress.
The operation of equal laws, 'with equal and exact
justice to all men.' is an Oklahoma program certain
to result in continually increasing development.
Difficulties created by an alleged race question ars
imaginary, with not enough ground under them to
support even a delusion."
HIGH ART AS IT
18 VIEWED IN TRENTON
Thers Is an Industrial Art School In
Trenton. N. J. The other day the min-
isters of that town met and declared
that there was too much suggestlvenes*
in the pictures und models set before th«
students, and that the purposes of arl
would be just as well conserved If thera
was more modesty la the exhibition.
Accordingly when the public visited tha
art halls of the school they were amaaed
to see the reproductions of the masters,
the marble tints of which have become
mellowed by age and smoke, with glar-
ing white fig leaves attached.
The supporters of the idea said that th*
glare of the clothing would grow lead
with time and the accumulation ei
smoke.
The news of the saratorial additions ta
the classic statues spread through Tren-
ton and the exhibition rooms of the
school were crowded with an eager and
laughing crowd.
Poor Diana, as she Is fastening a sandal
to her exquisite foot, is s'f*oped in suclj
a charmingly natural position that it wa<i
found impossible to conceal the objects
able nakednes otherwise than by turn'*
lng her face to the wall.
Accordingly the lovely Dinna, she. of aH
the marbles, has been left untouched.
It was suggested by one of the sight*
seers that Apollo be given a pair of trenin
sers, cotton for summer and flannel Int
winter, to serve the time and occasion
as well as to be free from offense.
And it was suggested that the mant!<
of Venus, which falls In beautlfnl fold*
about her hips, be hoisted Just a trllU
with a pair of euApenders.
MercuTf, with hl« winged feet, loofcefl
positively abashed with its glaring whlt^
•cant raiment, and hfg nakedness
so marked that It seemed to rvurt him.
Tha Winged Victory even In her modejtj
has been passed into a dark corner, fo<
there was one bold enough to suggest
how the outlines of her form, whicll
■hone transparently through her robes,
could be clothed, save by sack clofh oi
darkness.
Tho dlrsotors of the school were called
en many times during the afternoon t^
defend their position, wliioh many of tbi
patrons of the school called ridiculoirs.
They claimed that eo many complaint*
had como from parents of children study-*
lng at the school that the action wu4
necessary,
CURRENT COMMENT
Rev. Dinwiddie, a non-resident, is having more to
do in way of framing some of the Oklahoma law*
than have individual members of the legislature.
If ever a boasted lobby rule was broken it is be-
ing done in the case of this gentleman from Wash-
ington. What is his hold upon the law makers?
This is a question that is puzzling many persons.
No liquor, no democracy, is the way the people
of Mobile feel since the Alabama legislature passed
the statutory prohibition bill. The Mobile people
did what they could to prevent the passage of tho
bill and now they are reported as actually planning
to secede from Alabama and form a little state of
their own. Everything is in a turmoil, and what
hurts"so bad is the smashing of the old tradition that
has been cherished bo long, that toddy and democ-
racy go hand in hand. This delusion dies hard with
the brethren who have been so long wedded to both,
and they feel that if they have to give up their
toddy they might as well go the rest of the way andon?,'
vote tho republican ticket. |an though deplorable, tnclrtcnl
* .. , — . „ . 1 *1 Burtlmn oolitic#
DE ARMOND AND WILLIAMS
From the Kansas City Journal.
According to some of tlio.se who havi
followed the animosities of the national
house of representatives, the long and
bitter conflict between Representative D«
Armomd and Representative Williams wai
due to end in tho flow of blood- Thai
two men of such national prominent!
oho'ild stoop to the taotlos of bar room
ruff I Mi I sin ia quite l ad enough, but thai
they should thus disgrace itip high bodj
of which they are mamfoars iv wholly In*
excusable. If the press reports are cor-
rect, It was the Missouri member who be-
gan to open hostilities by going over tu
the desk of the Mississippi member and
calling him a liar. This places a ver?
lar^e share of the responsibility foT th*
subsequent disgraceful proceedings upon
DetArmond. Neither Williams nor any
other member is expected to ait calmljl
and beer that brand without some kln4
of resentment.
Personal encounters in tlhe hoaee sjiiJ
senate have not been rare, but they havi
always been deplorable. Seldtottf hav4
they amounted to more than an exchange
of personalities, anvd occasionally a blow
or two. Neither of the combatants In
yesterday's afTair received more eeriou|
harm than a scratch requiring an appll*
cation of courtpilaster. Probably no fcr<
mel attention will be paid to this dls<
turbance of tihe dignity of the house, a]
adjournment had been taken for the day^
If precedent Is followed. Mr. PeA.rmr>n4
will send an apology to Mr. Williams a>r,tj
the latter will accept it, thus oloslng th<
Incident.
The most unfortunate feature of suclj
scenes is the publicity given them outsMf
the country. No doubt by this time tl.s
London papers have long arid vivid ae*
oounte of the "rebellion' 'that broke out
and how half a dosen members wer<
taken to the hospital on etrefrchers, wltlj
a resultamt fear for the safety of the re«
publio felt by the people, etc. When \\
comes to yellow Journalism the newspa-
pers of I<ondon and other great European
cities are fully abreo«! of tlve.lr contom-
pornrles on this side the Atlantic. Bo faj
as the people of the United States "ri
L
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Greer, Frank H. The Weekly Oklahoma State Capital. (Guthrie, Okla.), Vol. 19, No. 35, Ed. 1 Saturday, December 28, 1907, newspaper, December 28, 1907; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metapth353036/m1/4/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.