The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-03
OKLAHOMA.

Interest attaches to Oklahoma because,
first. IL will probably be one of the last
States admitted to the Union, and sec.
ondly, because of its mushroom growth !;
hence the new report of Governor Rem
frow to the Secretary of the Interior will
be more read than such documents usually
are. Geographically the Territory il in
teresting. 1t lies between Texas and Kan
sas, is well watered 0y tbs Cimarrou, the
Arkansas, the Canadian, the Red River
and their forks, and contains some of the
best prairie soil in the country 1t sprang
into life like palace of Aladdin. A city
of 10000 people was built in day. and
territory of 94O0 square miles was settled
in half day.
The Territory may be said to be five and
one-half years old, though it has not been
organized so long; but, according to the
official returns, it contains 212.63j souls,
say i've times the population OF Nevada
These settlers have planted their homes
along the banks of the rivers. the densest
population being around the city Of Okla
homa, which is on the north fork of tho
Canadian. The Governor says that the
percentage of foreigners among them is
small. Many people remember the rush
of land-gra bbers from Kansas, Missouri,
Arkansas, and even Iowa and Illinois.
which followed the proclamation declar-
ing that portion OF the Indian Territory
open to settlement. 1t seems that they
acted wisely. Almost every quarter sec
ton has an occupant. who is doing little
more than supporting his family. The
soil is a sandy loan, which holds moisture
so that in the valleys crops can be raised
even without summer rains. 1t is claimed
at Guthrie that Oklahoma never formed
part of the great American desert.
Oklahoma has the advantage over Kan
sas and Nebraska that it is susceptible of
diversified agriculture. Its soil will not
only grow wheat and corn. but Likewise
large variety of fruits which do not thrive
in more northerly sections where bitter
west winds and Billiards sweep over the
prairie and are fatal TO tender plants. By
and by it will be safe to look for general
cultivation of the vine and the citrus fruits,
so that the people shall not be wholly de-
pendent on cereals. Situate in the very
heart of the continent its products can
reach markets north, south, east and west.
both by waterways and landways, and
farmers ought to do well.
| 1t labors under disadvantage in the
unpleasant proximity of the Indian Terri
tory, which is a place of refuge for crimi-
nails and refugees from justice from all parts
of the country. This uncanny element
dribbIes over the border into Oklahoma
and gives trouble. 1t is unfortunate that
the organization of the Indian Territory
| has been so slow and so imperfect. II
would seem that Congress owes il 10
! Oklahoma to in roduce more effective ad-
ministration into the Territory so as to ex-
| clude the dangerous class and to make the
punishment of crime swifter and more
| thorough than it is. Oklahoma is so poor
| that it is unable to care for its own crimi-
nails; there is no penitentlary In the Terri
tory and convicts are farmed out to Kansas
at % cents day.
The live question of the day In the
Territory is that of statehood. On that
people are divided, some being in favor of
immediate admission as a State, while
others favor waiting till Oklahoma and the
Indian Territory can be admitted as a
single State. The objection to the former
plan is its expense, which is probably
more than the Territory could afford. On
the other hand, the land is full OF gentle
men who are willing 10 serve their country
as United States Senators. and they
would probably be willing to make large
sacrifices If they were assured OF figuring
at Washington as members of the Ameri-
can House of Lords. The chances are
that these ambitious patriots will carry
their point, though the new State of Okla
homa would have better prospect Of