The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-12-01
SPEECH OF THE HON. SIDNEY
CLARKE AT THE KINGFISHER
CONVENTION.

| ClaRAE AT The AiNGc 1oaG1s
| CONVENTION.
| Mr.. MAYOR: In behalf OF the Oklaho-
ma statehood executive committee. and In
behalf of the members OF this convention,
| 1 beg to return to you my sincere thanks
| for the cordial words of welcome you have
just uttered. We have heard before OF
the hospitality of the people OF Kingisher.
| We have heard before of your fair women,
| Of your public spirited men, of your dis
tinguished statesmen, OF your able law
yers, and of your sklllful politicians. We
| rejoice with you in the prosperity OF your
| beautiful city, and are ready 10 be taken
into your confidence with all that the
term implies.
But we are here, sir, for something more
| than the interchange OF soclai converse
and the exercise of mutual good Will. we
| have come from all parts OF this great ana
| fertile domain-from two sister terri
| tories, now nearly blendld into one-to lay
| the foundation of r new American COM
monwealth We are here TO speak for
more than 500 600 American citizens now
denied any participation In the general
| government under which we i've, and to
| demand OF congress in no uncertain terms
| that protection and defense which can
government of sovereign state In con-
tiEuing this great work, SO auspiciously
inaugurated By preceding conventions,
we have left our politics behind Us. As
Democrats. Republicans and Populsts,
we are here to join heart anu hano IN one
great purposeAto establish here govern
ment and civilization which shall eInancl-
pate US from the subjugation OF foreign
rulers, and which will BE- the pride and
glory OF eur children and our chiidren's
children to the end of time. Such work
rests upon the highest principles OF patriot
ism and duty, ami is strictly non-partisan
in all its essential features. 1t is not too
much to say that the true heroes
of this age, are men who
have wrested our public domain
from the clutch of barbarism. who have
penetrated the wilderness, cultivated the
prairies, built towns and cities, ana found
ed in the present century more than thirty
states. Ii in founding the future state OF
Oklahoma-larger in territorial area than
the great com nonwealth of Missouri. and
destined 10 be equal in wealth to any OF
the great states of the Mississippi valley
We followed IN the footsteps OF the States
men and heroes OF the past, and are mind
full not only Of the obligations of the pres
ent but of the demands Of the future, we
shall make no mistake. Let US remember
the words of one Of the greatest, wisest
Il
man is fit TO participate In the government
of great societies, with elements combined
MS ours are, who hes.tates about dlSoDlig-
ing the few who have access to him Tor the
sake of the many whom he will never see. ="
What, sir, does this statehood move
ment mean? Upon what does it rests
Why should it be pushed with vigor to
successful conclusious 1t means full
and free deliverance from the lntolerable
conditions which exist under "A territorial
government. Under all circumstances
aud under all parties territorial govern
ment is the temporary creature OF an eX-
listing administration. 1t Is without the
independence necessary tor imptrtial &c.
ton, and inadequate for the tull protec-
ton of llfe liberty and property. II is the
dim ref, ction Of partisan officials at
Washington who are often ignorant OF
territorial needs, and care little for the
wishes or the welfare Of the Masses Of the
people.
Useless rubbish from the states is often
sadded upon the territories. to stand in
the way of all progress, and to ObsJruct
ter conditions. 10 IL word, the territories
are The footballs OF political parties.
They are hattered by the reso-
lutions of political conventions, but
the promises are made only TO he broken
Here we have taxation without repreSen-
tdtlOD, ana the very ATSt ptluClpit Vi uOno
rule IS subordinate to an authority far
distant from us, and with ears deaf to our
peculiar conditions. Surely, the citizen
of "a territory who is satisfied to live aud
breath in such an atmosphere and not
step forward into the sunlight of Jude
pendence and statehood, must place little
value upon his rights Of American citi-
Zeuship and take but little pride in the
progress Of the community in which he
lives.
In contradistincton to such condition
of mental conditions in an outlying pro-
vince,th blessings and benefits that state
hood would bring TO us can hardly he over
estimated. The proposed state would con-
tain about A, 600, 900 acres Of the most
magnificent section of The United States.
1t has at present abouy l $40 miles OF con-
structed railroad and lies directly in the
pathway OF all he great systems of rail-
way transportation which pereate the sur
rounding states, and Is less than 800 miles
from tide water on the south. At tni- mo-
meut it has not less than Sl00.O00.000 of
taxable property. The tax is on railroads
at the same rates such property is taxed
in the adjacent states, would yield IA rev
enue of more than $500, 900 per anuum.
more than twice the amount necessary TO
pay the annual expenses of the state gov
ernment. Our population, exclusively of
the Indian tribes Is over half million,
which is nearly equal to the combined
population of Utah, New Mexico and
Arizona Statehood would give Us the
control Of our school lands. Until that
point is reached we cannot lay the founda-
tion of proper school system. A proper
enabling act ought to open the way for
acquiring for this purpose not
LEGS thai. 5000, 900 acres when the title
to all the Indian reservations In the pro-
posed state is extinguished. More than
half this amount would come to Us first as
an absolute grant At least $50, 600 acres
would be awarded the state for the benefit
of educational, charitable and penal instl-
tutions The necessities Of our great pop
ulation and the just demands OF phlAan-
thropy aud charity demand that these in
situations should be commenced and built
up AT An early day. The permanent CAPT
tai would be located by vote of the whole
people, aud not by congress or by the de-
vices OF territorial legislature. state
government would invite and attract cap
Ital 10 our borders, which would mean the
estabiis hmeut of new enterprises and the
rapid devslopmenG of the vast deposits OF
coal iron, lead aad other minerals which
are now uudevelopsd The cattle ranges
OF kiowa and Comanche, Ponca, O;Oe,
Usage, Cherokee Creek, CEoctaw. Semi
mole and Chickasaw reservations would
soon give way To towns and Cites, 10 school
houses aud churches and happy homes;
railroads would reach out III all directions,
tribal relations would dissolve aud ail0t-
ment of lands he completed as soon as the
state government Was III actual operation.
With statehood We should he represented
in congress by two senators ana three rep
resentaiiyes and be no longer like children
and begxars al the feet of power. There
are many delegates in this convention to-
day representing constituencies demand
ing relief from the unjust conditions i'm
posed upon them by congressional legIsIa-
ilnll 4 nric. WAS mt UPON the IAnd-.