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6
The Commoner.
VOLUME 11, NUMBER I
rcuRBeNT
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A MOVEMENT IS ON foot in tho Oklahoma
legislature to glvo that state a chance to
try government ownership of tho railroads.
Two bills havo been Introduced to that effect.
Tho Oklahoma correspondent for the Kansas
City Star says: "The scheme is appealing espec
ially to farmers. Numerous petitions and letters
aro coming to members of tho legislature favor
ing a state railroad amendment to tho constitu
tion which would permit authorizing state
bonds by a special election. Under the consti
tution a bond issuo may bo voted for only at
a general election, which would not como until
1912. Tho amount of bonds needed is 15 mil
lion dollars. To promote tho undertaking one
bill appropriates tho sum of $15,000 for 1911
and $50,000 each for tho years 1912 and 1913,
for the use of tho utilities road. The people
of Oklahoma are to be asked to provide
for tho building of not only a state rail
road, but for an eight-inch oil pipeline from
Kansas to Texas, where connection would bo
mado with a desirable maTket. A bill of this
kind has been drawn by Representative S. W.
L. Jeffords, of Chelsea. It is intended to protect
tho oil producers against the Standard Oil Com
pany, as tho state railroad is to give tho people
a restraint on privatoly owned railroads. Tho
Joffords bill would appropriate fifteen million
dollars without a vote by tho people. Tho work
of construction would bo entrusted to a superin
tendent, whoso salary would be $ 3,6 00 a year.
Ono bill creates a state board of public utilities,
to bo composed of tho governor and four other
members appointed by him, to control the ex
penditure of all funds in building tho railroad r
and tho earnings accruing from its oneratidn.
This bill also provides for .benefit districts to
be composed ,of any number of counties, which,
upon a petition of 8 per cent of tho taxpayers,
may call an election to find if the people wish
to build a railroad. Tho second bill creates
tho first railroad benefit district of the counties
of McCurtaln, Choctaw, Bryan, Atoka, Coal,
Pontotoc, Seminole, McClain, Pottawatomie,
Cloveland, Oklahoma, Canadian, Kingfisher,
Blaine, Dewey, Woodward, Harper, Beaver,
Texas and Cimarron. Tho route would give
railroad connection between tho extreme nrfrth
wostom and tho oxtremo southwestern parts of
tho state. Tho state railroad would be operated
by tho utilities board as if its members were
tho directors of a private corporation and all its
moneys deposited in tho stato treasury. Should
any privatoly owned railroad offer to sell to
tho stato, the governor Is authorized by tho
bill to call a special election in tho counties
through which tho lino runs to learn if the
taxpayers wish to issuo bonds for the purchase.
The board is authorized to lease railroads when
ever it is moro expedient than owning them.
No tax shall bo levied in any district except to
meet a deficiency between tho net earnings of
tho railroad and tho amount of money required
annually forpayment of interest on bonds and
a sinking fund to extinguish tho Indebtedness
In twenty-five years. A county paying such tax
shall bor reimbursed from tho net earnings of
the railroad, whenever tho earnings are in
excess of tho expenses."
MR. BRYAN SPOKE in Atlanta' February
14th. The Atlanta Constitution said
"Before a crowd which comfortably filled the
main body of tho auditorium armory last night
William Jennings Bryan, possibly the best
known of American lecturers, spoke for moro
than an hour, using "The Price of a Soul" as
his subject. Tho lecture was given under the
auspices of the Atlanta Baraca Union and the
size of the audience was a glowing tribute to
not only Mr. Bryan's unbounded popularity
here, but to the esteem in which the organiza
tion is hold here. The lecture, which is pro
nounced by many as one of Mr. Bryan's best
s aB far removed from the ordinary run of
lectures as Mr. Bryan is removed from the
ordinary run of speakers. In It the speaker
dealt with many of tho perplexing problems of
Zfnt"day cIvilIzatlon. in a manner which
marked him as a man whoso ability as a thinker
is not second to even his own rare ability as
a speaker. His lecturo was the application of
an ethical principle to present-day life, to poll
tics, business and government. Beginning with
the laws that govern legitimate accumulation,
ho discussed these laws with reference to their
relation to tho legal profession, journalism,
commerce and tho ministry. He also discussed
tho application of moral principles to party
life and the problems of government. The rule
ho applied throughout is that set forth in tho
Savior's question, "What shall it profit a man
if ho gain the whole world and lose his own
soul?" Mr. Bryan was introduced by Governor-elect
Hoko Smith, who mado a short, but
apt talk. Mr. Bryan, ho said, stands first In
the hearts of tho American people. No other
man's eloquence has chaTmed and taught so
many as has the Nebraskan's, said the governor-elect,
who wound up his introduction by
saying that Mr. Bryan's chief charm lies in the
fact that he believes something and is not
afraid to say it. In opening, Mr. Bryan referred
to Mr. Smith's talk, telling of the strong friend
ship existing between tho two. He called atten
tion to tho loyal manner in which the governor
elect supported him in his former campaigns,
and wound up by saying that should it so hap
pon that Mr. Smith should be chosen as the
next democratic nominee for president (he said
he saw no reason why ho should not be) he
would support him aB loyally."
A PHILADELPHIA READER of the Public
Ledger writes to that newspaper to say:
"Xour article this morning, 'Mr. Taft's Task,'
hoping ho will have backbone enough to fight
it out for the passage of the Canadian recipro
city agreement, will be indorsed by all who
are wishing a start in the important matter of
reducing tariffs. Tho republican party, through
the insurgency of so many of the able men in
it, Is trying to demonstrate that it can be made
capable of protecting the interests of all the
people. This demonstration is being attempted
by Mr. Taft in his recent speeches, all of which
are in tho direction taken by the progressive
element of his party. Mr. Taft and Mr. Roose
velt are getting more in harmony with each other
which, of course, will be a material aid in im
pressing the people to leave the correction of
existing wrongs to the party that created them
and has for so long a time permitted the wrongs
to continue. Now, it must be ad
mitted by every thoughtful reader that before
long these two men will soon have used all the
planks of the Denver convention of 1908 to
accomplish their purpose. They and the insur
gent republicans are making splendid progress
in . thIJ direction. Now comes 'the question:
Will the followers of Mr. Bryan (who for the
last fourteen years has been the chief promul
gator of reform policies) decide to vote for a
man of the party which has so long . deceived
the whole country by evading its pre-election
promises? Certainly not. Then, if not, tho
time has arrived when a man of absolute
honesty and ability must be nominated by tho
democratic convention in 1912. The right man
will not only have the votes' of Bryan's fol
lowers, but will easily add to them from the pro
gressive republicans and carry the democratic
party to victory. There is no doubt thTt much
good may be accomplished by Mr. Taft if he
be sincere, during the next eighteen months
If so, every loyal , citizen will heartily thank
him for what he may do. But even then it wU
be remembered that he has already proved him
self a weakling. No matter what good PreS
dent Taft may accomplish, the work can hi"
better continued by a democrat whose record
shall give assurance that he will courageously
nsist upon the absolute correction of all in
tolerable, unjust conditions." m
OEPERRING TO THE president', w
If Hwit the stand-patteVs, Te!lyT
on the 5th of June, 1909, said that it St
any time become his duty "to create for l
party a new majority and control "Onm S
ing upon Mr. MacVeagh's statement thT"
York World says: "This seemf h ?ew
accomplished il 'the houseBTUreSaleei1
where a new majority made npS
crats and seventy-eight republicans adopted the
Canadian reciprocity agreement, aB against a
minority composed of eighty-seven republicans
and five democrats. So far as the house is
concerned, the president has done better than
create a new majority and control for his party.
He has been Instrumental In conferring that
blessing upon the entire country. In the ability
of honest and progressive democrats and repub
licans to work together for the public welfare,
there is hope for good government that trans
cends all party lines."
THE NEVADA LEGISLATURE has passed a
joint resolution which will 'be of general
interest. The resolution follows: "Resolved,
By the republican minority in this joint session
of both houses of the Twenty-fifth session of
the Nevada legislature, in which a democratic
majority has voted to make unanimous the elec
tion of a republican candidate to the senate of
the United States, that our thanks and congratu
lations bo extended with a hearty good-will to
the democratic members for the honorable way
in which they have accepted the result of tho
last election and bowed to the will of the
people as expressed by the popular vote. Be
it further resolved, that -we extend our sincere
congratulations and good-will to the Hon. Key
Pittman of Nye county, for the unequivocal
manner in which he has carried out his part
of the 'gentleman's agreement' made between
himself and the Hon. George S. Nixon, in the
campaign of last fall, in withdrawing from the
contest after the result of the election was
announced and that he has earned the lasting
regard of his political opponents by the fair,
able and honorable campaign made by him in
his fight for the senatorial toga, thereby making
a record of which every true Nevadan may well
be proud. Be it further resolved, that the elec
tion of a republican, who was chosen by the
popular vote, as against a candidate for the
same office with a democratic majority in control
of the legislature on joint ballot, emphasizes
an epoch in American politics of which the
Beil?,tex tb;e Unite States may well take heed,
until the election of United States senators by
a direct vote of the people, shall become the
law of the land. Be it further resolved, that
a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to both
houses of congress in Washington."
c
Tvc?1110 CITY DaiJy Oklahoman
J. says. Diogenes need look no further in his
rnvpr wSnhneSt maD He Is a St dis-
SSSf S?" Whlle assurln& Ms fellow congress
mnT w,Was 0t runnIng for the presiden
tial nomination, Representative Champ Clark,
of Missouri, and likely to be speaker of the
hf??UBe' admitted lfc was pleasant to have
fr LI ment oned in that connection. Such
sIranr3vm,ritSthe laurel wrea. Much
cwS? lent3 than the Action of Champ
that ?e Presidency have transpired, and
not o,, nf Sd f0rtuno may fal1 t0 1 lot is
fo thJ hi n?nJai5ge 0f BMUty. He is fitted
is a dPi!aCe ? j than ono respect. He
at thta Sy?Vifnd democrats are more popular
test twJSS0 . an atrxaliy other Period in the
comnhiJ ?ear2- JIIs salifications are in-
ifi; h s been a country newB"
tial rGinhmdHa College P!dent. Preslden-
IPSXZSJSSL mere basatfIle t0 a
TTERE IS AN interesting suggestion, described
rTe? a-ro7iS ite' prlnted ln the El Paso
thVnWivwald: ?eclarlS that the day of
veteran hf haS bere whGn a confederate
office E. i86,? i?Iven the hIShest appointive
Sack i nil hy the SOn of an abolitionist,
south SrnnCv.bbappealed to thG women of the
federacy JUgh Vth?,. Paueters of the Con
greatoS?' mJaf AtheIr children to honor the
Lincoln ?? rl Amerlcan historyAbraham
deHvorPd it R?Yt E e. Attorney Cobb
El K ,hhe. addrGSS at tb-e meeting of the
f ediricv LvaPf f f the Deters of the Con
to ciSw W5 Was- hold Thursday afternoon,
Robert rc t th0 anniversary of the birth of
"ooeit B. Lee. He referred to the appoint-
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