The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-11-29
A NEW IDEA.
judge d. d. corley on the Anne8atioa %
the IndIsa and oklahoms Territories
20 TeKss-Too Many States.

great zeal OF talk afrOng the people
of both the Indian Territory and
the Territory Of Oklahoma as to
the disposition Of these territories
in the future, please allow me to
make a suggestion as to the best
policy they might adopt; and what
I have to say here is out OF the
purest friendship and with the
best wishes for all the people now
comprising the two territories.
There is a great deal Of talk Of
making a state of them, and going |
into the union as other states have
done heretofore. Allow me 10 say,
and / say it in all eandor. that such
a move strikes me as being the
worst thing possible. The inhab-
itants of these territories have be-
come accustomed to living without
having to pay tax to maintain
aud support a state government so
long that il would now seem to
them an unbearable burden. There
is a way for them to enjoy all the
blessings and profits Of statehood,
and at the same time evade very
nearly all the expenses of main
tanning a separate state govern
i ment. This can be done easily by
the people of one or both of these
territories adopting the eonstitu-
ton of the state of Texas and
then attaching themselves to that
: state and becoming a part and par
eel Of it. By doing this they
would forever avoid the taxation
needed to maintain a state govern
ment here, and at the same time
4 enjoy as much and perhaps greater
: benefits from being a portion OF
Texas than they would were they
formed into a separate state.
I. The evil of today with the people
: Of the entire United States is that
they pay too much money in the
maintenance of state governments
for the proportional good derived
. from them. The benefits Of a state
= as derived by its citizens can nevei
be increased after its induction
I into the common union. The only
! remedy then left them is a redue'
= ton of the cost Of these benefits
% This can be done only by n reduc
I, ton Of taxes. The safest and sur
= est rule of reducing taxes is q
increase the basis of taxation. Ad,
! this territory to Texas and tn
g result would be to lessen the rat
;e of taxation throughout the whole
n and at the same time increase ant
"a strengthen the safeguards throw
a around and vouehsafed to its ever
citizen.
;s The people Of the United State
70 are now supporting orty-fv
"a states for n benefit which the
- could derive from thirteen state
4 if the country was e-districted $
lv as to only have thirteen. We no
ar live in an age in which rapid tran
OF sit annihilates distance. Until th
90 was done there was a need fC
in small states, but now that It
A done and that need no longer exist
these little states should likewii
.st exist no longer. II right wel
ne right and the people were to loo
bt at this as they would any 9TH
a business matter Of public natul
am they would re-distriet the entil
country and by doing so make q
annual saving Of untold millions
the common people.
=. 1t now remains for the people
"A these territories to say wheth
n they viii plunge into n new al
y separate state that will have to
supported forever by their poster
!: at cost Of about 1000 per ee
:. greater than the same proteeti'
- and comforts would cost them
= case they were attached to Tex
Il is worthy Of your conside'
TE ton alone on your ehildren's =
Ia5 count. II you. the present &C