Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-09-25
GOVERNOR RENFRow MAKES HIS
ANNUAL REPORT.
A MOST GRATIFYING SHOWING.
THE POPULATION HAS INCREASED
$4,000 IN TWO YEARS.
Assessed Valuation Is $24,s1S.711-
Territorial Indebtedness Light
Wonderful Development of
Agricultural Resourc-
cs-Free Homes.

Washington, Sept. A-(Specialo Gov
ernor Renfrow of Oklahoma, has filed with
the secretary of the interior his annual re-
Dor, for the year ending June 30. 1896. The
. report begins with the declaration that
..the development of the territory in the
year past has been equal to. If not greater.
than that of other portions of the United
States. Nowhere has the year past been
one marked for material progress. Okla
homa has. however, held its own and made
some progress. The acreage OF land IN
cultivation has steadily increased. and has
very nearly reached the proper ratio OF
farm land to pasture. The prospect for
crops is good and the ante bellum declara-
1ion. cotton is king seems applicable to
Oklahoma Oklahoma will shortly rank
among the cotton states Of the Union
Unless the present indications fall the
present cotton crop OF Oklahoma Will De
by far the greatest ever gathered, and 1
predict for the coming year one Oh genuine
prosperity
increased from sa5 in 1894 to A5.aSl in
1886. The most populous county Is Mooas,
with so,so5 Then follow Oklahoma, with
with 1890; Kay. with 1853; Grant. with
1856; Lincoln, with 1852: Garfield, with
1902: Kingfsher, with 1856; Payne. with
I4ls2; Noble. with l3.4o2; Cleveland. with
n0S; Canadian, with 12ss7; Greer, with
$50; Pawnee. with s,2s3; Woodward. with
7.is7; Blaine. with Sab; Massi.a, HaI H,.n
er Mills, with l,2s7, and Day. with Gil. The
various Indian reservations contain pop
ulation of 1850.
The taxable property Of the territory for
1896 was assessed at s24, Eli. Logan coun.
" leading with an assessed valuation OF
s2,730,512, and d county bringing up the
rear with only S15s,z56.
In regard to railroads. the report says:
mo new lines of railroad have been built
during the year 1886. though several new
lines have been surveyed and promised to
build In the near future. The four lines
now in operation are doing very profita-
BILE business: in fact, few lines in IN the
crease of south bound freight has been
very marked
Governor Renfrow shows that the receipts
and expenditures from the territorial gen
eral fund for the year under review were
very nearly equal. There were general
fund warrants outstanding nd June 80. tssS.
charge upon the territory Is S4s.eo, In thir-
ty year. per cent bonds. outstanding, the
proceeds Of which were ! used in erecting
The report shows the state university at
Norman. the state normal school at Ed
water to be in fiourishing condition.
The insane of the territory are provided
for under contract with the Oklahoma San
ed at Norman, the territory paying SIS
per month and cost Of transportation. The
total amount paid TO the company during
the year was $50. Seventy-seven pa
tients were received from the Jacksonville
asylum and 10S from the various counties,
totals of 1s5 received during the year
JIG men and So women. or this number
81 were discharged, escaped and 19 died.
There is still no penitentiary in Okla
homa. ard the 12s convicts are confined In
cost of 25 cents per day for each convict.
There are no public buildings belonging
TO the territory save the three college
The report contains lengthy statement
as TO the agricultural interests of the ter
tains. puts the Oklahoma corn crop at
5o.Co0.0oo bushels. and the Kaffir corn crop
a; more than half that. Special attention
Is directed to the magnitude of the peach
and melon growing interests which 1t is
claimed are rapidly becoming of the great
est importance. the product finding its way
TO all the leading markets in the United
States.
As to the Oklahoma Indian problem,
Governor Renfrow says:
THE progress of the Indian in the way
OF the white man is never very rapid. On
the reservation almost no progress can be
any actual contact with white men as ' in
tine past. The history Of the develop
ment of the race proves that they do not
cessity. So the Indian only changes the
mode of his life with complete change Of
environments i can but repeat what I
mediate allotment in severalty is the best
solution of the problem of Indian civin-
Under the heading Social and Religious
Conditions" the report has to say: "The
advance along social and religious lines the
past year has been commensurate with the
development of the territory, and in many
cases the improvement is very marked.
The social and moral condition of the peo-
pie is on par with those of the older
states: the people of the territory are, on
the whole. peaceable and law-abiding, and
are seeking to build homes for themselves
and their children. The Oklahoman may
not be able at all times present an i'm
maculate shirt front. but dare say in his
behalf that within his bosom will be found
Se1sya.n, sagt whose purposes Sc are as true and
In regard to the free homes" question.
Governor Renfrow says:
As a representative Of the government
OF the United States. as well as the great
territory OF Oklahoma, and having no in
terest IN the matter aside from the good
take an Impartial view of the whole sub
1ect, and after a careful examination, no
reason is apparent which Justifies the great
government OF the United States in depart
ing from this maynanimous policy, of a
century which in no small degree has con-
tr1euted TO make 1t the great government
that II is. and now. in this late day. levy a
land tax OF s15OOoOO0 upon a new and
struggling territory, and wiring from these
pioneer sons of toll a tribute so heavy that
wealth OF 100 years would groan to nav
If this tribute is levied upon Oklahoma II
VIII retard the growth OF the territory
twenty years as the actual loss to she ter
rfory In payment OF principal and interest
will exceed 000 Free homes for OK.
lahoma means immediate and continued
prosperity and development"
The situation in the matter of Indian
reservations" says Governor Renfrow IRE.
mains unchanged since the report last
year The Wichita. Kiowa. Comanche and
Apache Indian reservations have not as
yet been opened to settlement I canno;
refrain from urging. ! have done here
tofore: that those reservations be at once
opened to settlement. They embrace some
Of the finest lands in Oklahoma and would
be capable of supporting a large popuIa.
ton. The Indians on their allofments car
make but A very limited use of the unal.
lotted land. II is in my opinion. subversive
OF the very best purpose of alIotments tc
withhold the unaliotted lands from settle.
ment. The Indian learns more of the WAYS
OF civilization and modern agriculture from
contact with white neivhbors than in any
other way To put an Indian on an aIIot.
ment in the midst OF an Indian reservation
and eNnect him to farm is induleing in 4
hope not justified by the actual results
The attention OF the government to This
question is most earnestly solicited an5
the earliest possible action advised"
PPyhM MEETING pP0HcN llo