The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-07-20
MAKE ONE STATE.
Attorney Hoffman interviewed at Den.
yer on Statehood.

Attorney Hoffman interviewed at Den.
yer on Statehood.
Denver Republican: There is a
strong movement on foot in Oklahoma
toward securing the uniiieation Of that
territory with Indian Territory, and
having both admitted into the union
as one state, according to Roy V.
Hoffman, United States assistant dis
trict attorney for Oklahoma, who reg
istered at the Albany hotel Yesterday.
what we are most interested in just
now in oklahoma" said he, lis
to get our territory united to In1lan
Territory and have the two made one
state. The question is being widely
agitated in the press and among the
people. All The residents OF Oklahoma
favor the scheme, but there are two
serious obstacles in the way of it's sue.
cess. One is the strong silver senti-
ment that exists among big majority
OF OklAhomA's citizens. We are afraid
this will hurt our chances for state
hood with the present national admin
istration. The other obstacle is the
opposition that has developed in In
dian Territory TO any kind OF union
with ne
"rhe Indian Territory Indians are
n OF only opposed to statehood, but they
don't even want allotment of the land
they hold among themselves. And the
white people there are just as bad.
They are nearly all IN the cattle bust
ness, and il suits them very well to
have as few laws rs possible and pay
next to no taxes. We are going TO keep
up our fight for admission TO the union,
nevertheless, and believe that after the
next congressional elections we can
get favorable consideration from con-
gress.
So far as the Indians are concerned,
the opposition from that source to put
ting Indian Territory under some form
OF state government will be settled by
the Dawes com mission The national
government in appointing that com
mission practically sealed the doom oil
Indian tribal governments. The com
mission has full power to decide upon
a plan OF Rbolitbing them. Further
more, by recent action, congress hat
decided that tho Indian tribal courts
have no longer any existence In law
The time has about arrived, In fact,
when Indians must comport them
selves like all the other residents oi
the United States.
"Outside OF the opposition in lndiaT
Territory there is no valid reason why
the Oklahoma plan Of gaining admis
sio1 for the two territories TO thI
union should not be acted favorably
upon right away. There arc about
$50 600 people in Indian Territory anC
about 250 900 In Oklahoma, which
would give the combined territory I
populs alton OF 1000. This is a large
population than any one Of six ol
eight states has, including Nevada
Rhode Island, Colorado, and others
could name.
"And in our natural resouces o
wealth we greatly surpass several o
the old states. Ia Oklahoma this yea
the agent OF the Santa Fe railroad es
Inmates that the wheat crop will be a
least 5000, 900 bushels, and the cottol
crop so, coo bales. Last year Lineoll
county alone produced 30, 900 bales o
cotton. Our only trouble is facihtie
for shipping our products to market
The Santa Fe agent a few days ag
told me IL would take three trains
day for the next year TO move tn
wheat crop along the Santa Fe line
Besides wheat and cotton, we hav,
other important staple products. Th'
country is rapidly settling up, and WI
have plenty OF ane land, which need
no irrigation.