Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1893-12-28


| the Committee on TERRITORIES Il port,
fnvorabiv Provisions of thc Blli Al
mittinR the Territory.
WAeHNoroN, Dee 2l.-Yesterday
the ouse committee on territories
unanimously reported bill for the ad.
mission OF Oklahoma into the union as
q state The bill defines the bound.
aries as follows, The section Of eJan-
try bounded on the north by the states
of Colorado and Kansas. on the east by
the Indian territory, on the south by
the state OF Texas ami the Indian ter
ritory and on the west by the state OF
Texas, the territory OF New Mexico and
the Indian territory. The commlttee's s
bill differs from those previously pre-
sented in so defining the boundaries as
70 exclude the territory of the five
civilized tribes from the boundaries OF
the proposed state.
In the committee several important
amendments were requested by Repre-
sentative Flynn and These were acceded
20 without contest The proposed
state, not including the lands now in
dispute, contains 23,265, 700 acre or
1853 square miles II Greer county,
now claimed by both Texas and Okla
homa, Is added there will be added L.
5i2, 160 acres The population of the
proposed state is $50, 900.
In the report which accompanied the
bill the committee on territories made
a strong showing for statehood. The
only vulnerable point for attack Is the
small assessed valuation, and the con-
sequent burdens of "a state administra-
tion. According 10 the last report of the
governor of the teiritory, the assessed
volume of property was nearly sl4, 900,
900, but the committee report agrees
that the valuation has increased from
a little less than s7,O0O,O0O in 1891 TO
nearly $4,000, 900 in 1892, and one by
one discusses the elements which go TO
make up state showing the right of
the territory for admission.
The amendments made by the com
mittee TO the original bill were OF great
benefit to the proposed state. Okls
homa win have two representatives in
the Fifty-fourth congress inst cad OF
one, If the bill becomes law. To sec
tion s of the bill was added prcviso
donating for charitable, educational,
penal, and reformatory institutions
$50, 600 acres Of land TO be appropriated
by the legislature. Five per cent. of
the proceeds of the sale of public lands
within the state, which shall be sold by
the United States subsequent TO admis-
sion into the union, will be paid to the
state TO be used as permanent fund
and must be applied TO Che common
school fund
To the first section of the bill de5u.
ing its boundaries, the following clause
was added so as TO prevent opposition
from the Texas delegation: "But in.
asm1ch as there is a CONTROVERSY be.
tween the United States and the state
Of Texas as TO the ownership of what
is known as Greer county, it is hereby
expressly provided that this act shall
not be construed 10 apply 10 said
Greer county until the same has
been adjudicated and determined to be-
long to the United States"
Incorporated as part of the report is
the report Of Gov Renfrow, giving the
financial condition of the territory and
the statistics showing last years crops.
Commenting on this showing, the re-
port says:
''Oklahomg is blessed with an unsur.
passed climate, and the soil in the
greater part of the territory is admir-.
ably adopted TO the growing of almost
every kind of plant. In agriculture
the territory has never failing source
of support and income. The people
who settled Oklahoma brought with
them little more than energy, pluck
and endurance. and more than the
average of the progressive spirit which
characterizes the best American citi.
Eens. Therefore. while the money
value of the property is not so large as
the property in other territories which
have been admitted, the total assessed
value Of property in Oklahoma territory
during the last three years shows an
increase of from nearly S7,OOO,O 900 in
1891 10 S13, 95l, ,O5G in 1898"
The section of the bill authorizing
the statehood convention has the usual
qualifications as 10 the legality of vot-
ers. The number of delegates is fixed
at seventy-five, appOrtioned among the
counties by the governor, chief justice
and secretary of the territory. The
convention is TO be called by the gov.
ernor the sixth Tuesday after the pass.
age of the act and the proclamation is to
be issued fifteen days after its passage
by the terms of the bill the delegates
elected meet the fifth Tuesday after
election and formally declare in the
name of the people that they adopt the
constitution of the United States. For
defraying the expenses of the conven-
tion $50. 900 is appropriated.
Until otherwise provided, Oklahoma
will be entitled 10 two representatives,
and the representatives, together with
the governor and other officers, may be
elected on the same day of the election
for the ratification or rejection of the
constitution
Sections 10 and 80 in every township
in the proposed state are granted for
support of the common schools. and
the section reserved by the president
by his proclamation opening 10 settle
ment the Cherokee outlet, the Ton
gawa and Pawnee reservations is re-
served and granted TO the state for the
use and benefit Of the university of Ok
lahoma, territorial normal school and
the agricultural and mechanical col
lege of the territory of the state as
may be prescribed by the Legislature.
Section 33 is reserved for erection OF
state penitentiary, state reform school
and state capitol building and insane
asylum.