Wichita eagle., 1888-11-16

BOSTON AND WICHITA.
Oklahoma and the Peerless Princess
From a Yankee Standpoint.

From the Boston Daily Advertiser
In 1914 a move was made on the part
Of certain so-called ''Oklahoma boom.
erS" to have this land thrown open tc
settlement, but no sympathy was aroused
for the movement outside of the ''boom-
er5. Later, in 1879. Capt. D. L. Payne
organized an Oklahoma colony and an
attempt was made to open the territory
by force, but failed. Subsequent to this
a resort was mad to legislation and this
movement received the approval, if not
support, of the people west Of the MIS-
sissippi river.
a bill is now before congress, known
as the Springer bill," providing for
opening to settlement Oklahoma" and
'No Mans Land" and certain other
lands adjacent thereto belonging to the
uncivilized Indian tribes, containing 49,
900 acres Of land. This bill provides
for territorial government and the edu-
cation and civilization of the wild Indian,
and in no way interferes with the five
civilized tribes who occupy the east
side of the Indian Territory. Up to the
present time the state of Kansas has
uniformly opposed the opening of
the territory, and on what might be
called selfish grounds. Kansas had a
large acreage of government land not
taken by settlers, and its people de-
manded the settlement of Kansas, and
hence were inimical to the settlement of
the Indian country. The present move
ment, calling a convention at the city of
Wichita for November 90, is simply an
assertion on the part Of southern Kan
sas that Kansas no longer fears the
rivalry of the Indian nation, and well
comes its speedy settlement.
The Territory is today the home of the
fugitive from justice all over the United
States, the asylum of the lawless ele-
ment of surrounding states, and the
paradise of that class of humanity to
whom law and order, education and re-
ligion, and municipal town govern ment
are torment. That part of the Indian
Territory that is contemplated by the
Springer bill is under the criminal juris-
diction Of the federal courts, the greater
portion of which is annexed to the fed
eral courts Of Kansas, but there are no
civil courts.
Three railroads now penetrate the In
dian country, from Kansas to Texas.
The Atchison r. r. with two lines, and
the freight haul is a mere nothing
in the Territory. The Hoosac tun-
mel is said to be the longest in the
United States, but from Kansas across
the territory to Texas is virtually a tun-
mel of hours duration. The people of
Kansas, i. e, all those who have enjoyed |
the privileges of any homestead act, will |
not derive any benefit from the settle |
ment of Oklahoma, as the Springer bill |
seeks to give homes not exceeding 100 |
acres to that class of citizens who have |
never had the benefit of any homestead |
or pre-emption act. The people of Kan |
sas settled raw state, built hundreds of |
miles of railroad, and this new settlement |
with completed railroad lines from Texas |
Through Oklahoma)to St.Louis and Chi |
cago, with quick connections through
out the eastern states.
The people of the west and of the city
of Wichita are only interested in the |
opening of the territory, as a means of
trade and commerce, and not
a place to settle its citizens. The people !
OF the eastern states are asked to attend |
the conven ton at Wichita and send del |
egates, to the end that the proceedings .
had may be national in character and |
real facts be known throughout the |
country by the proceedings of body |
not sectional or local.