Wichita eagle., 1888-11-11
CAPTAIN COUCH
TALKS ABOUT THE OKLAHOMA
MOVEMENT AND FEELS
CONFIDENT
Of Early Success in Desired Legis-
latiOn in the Face of Prop.
er Efforts.
A Great Meeting on the goth inst. Assured
Congressman Springer and Weaver
and other Prominent Hen will
be in Attendanee-Tope-
ka will turn out,

gave evidence of firm belief in the early
success ard passage of the Springer bill,
but he was well armed with facts TO sub
stautiate his conclusions. That was the
leading question put at him, as all knew
| that he was just returned from Iowa and
not been home since early in February,
going TO Washington, where he remained
until the middle Of October in the interest
of the Springer bill or the opening OF
Oklahoma TO settlement, and Of course all
readily recalled the captain had spent
many month previous to the
last congress in Washington in
the interest Of the movement which for
a number of years has been discussed and
considered seriously by the people OF
southwest Kansas in particular.
When the conversation had proceeded a
little WAYS dealing with what had actually
been done and after a glance at the
future Of the movement the captain would
put in congratulatory word for Wichita
as a result OF the decisive step taken by
the board Of trade in holding an Oklahoma
meeting on the Goth of this month. He
readily conceded that an active interest in
behalf OF the movement on the part OF
value in counting the forces in behalf Of
the bill at the coming congress. He was
glad to learn that the meeting and the
movement were receiving such hearty
support by the bogrd of trade and the bus
mess men and citizens generally. He was
stronly in the belief that Withita could
well afford to take great interest in the
movement owing to her position, from a
commercial standpoint, outside of the con-
vicJion that there IS a justice in the meas
ure which should be allotted to the many
hundreds and thousands Of people in the
United States who should have better
homes which they could easily secure if
the territory in question should be opened
TO settlement, The unanimity Of action on
the part of the board and city n the mat
ter called forth congratulations and gave
increased evidence of grand and success
full rally tor the desired legislation.
Concerning the meeting to be he, he e
on the Goth inst. for the purpose of ASSIST
ing in securing the desired legislation he
said that Gen Weaver. of Iowa, Springer,
of Illinois, would be here. He had just
left Weaver in Iowa a few days ago and
his defeat for congress would not in tie
least cause him to withdraw his ardent
support of tie bill. He would give all the
time and attention To the matter that
could be expected from any
one and would use all his
influence in that direction He stated rha5
there would be a delegation here from Des
Moines, Iowa, headed by the Hon. Z. H.
Gillett, an ex-member of congress. !. II.
Stinson, OF Washington, Iowa, and others
from that town had promised him 10 be
here, while an important delegatia0 would
be here from Button, Iowa. He stated
that it was wonderful to notice the inter
est in Iowa on the Oklahoma question,
even in the midst of the hotly contested
political fight. While the battle was
raging people had plenty Of time to re
ceive information and anxious to get
it concerning the movement. In
creased information On the question
always gains converts TO the movement.
He spent a day in Topeka and there
found that Ex-Governor Crawford. ex
Governor Osborne, Judge Harvey, Charles
Gleed and many others were glad to
hear of the Wichita movement and
would be here to lend a help
ing hand The people up there were
greatly interested ii the matter and was
not at all jealous that Wichita should
come in with the first meeting on hehome
stretch for the desired legislation. He
said he would be glad TO assist the Okla
homa committee in any way possible, and
as evidence of his good intentions called
on Mr. Fred Bentley, secretary of the
Oklahoma committee, and made many
IL. u i h.r-,
dreds of the circulars of the board 10
personal friends accompany them with
private letters urging their presence and
unanmity of action on the part Of all He
leaves for his home at Douglas this morn
ing and hopes to be able u come back this
week or At least before the meeting.
"Wiu the change of administration in
terfere with the opening of OklahoWa5"
was asked.
To this the captain answered most en-
phatically that it would not. Its not
political question. The friends OF the bill
come from both parties. Its a question Of
justice and its converts follow in the
wake of information. 4 few years ago
the champions OF the movement commepc-
ed the agitation aud the dissemination OF
find out the rival contest; that It is con-
test of the people on one hand and the
cattle meu on the other just so fast do we
get supporters. The east was primarily
prejudiced on the question and the efforts
of the cattle rings hiding behind the
Indians for time deceived them. but as
the mask is removed the cause finds as
loyal and ardent supporters IN the east as
anywhere.
YES. l am very confident the bill will
pass with proper effort at the next session
of congress"
Remember it is very important that
the friends of the bill commence work in
earnest at an early date, for prompt action
Is necessary. The bill stands a. the head
OF the list of unfinished business on the
house calendar and viii be called up early
in the session, probably in December, and
from this you will see the Importance Of
earnest and concerted action from now on
by all the friends Of the movement It Is
nv opinion that the proper work on the
part of the friends OF the measure will be
rewarded with the passage Of the bill II
December, and 1t will then so to the senate
and pass there in a short time. Have no
hesitation in saying that the desired legis-
ton will be secured from the next con-
gress. The opposition is growing weaker
every day in the face OF information and
in due time the cattle men will have no
more control over Oklahoma and the ter
rirory under consideration than other
people"
do you expect the cattle men 10 coz