The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-05-27


OUTGOING ADMINISTRATIONS.
5day marks the close Of the Demo
: ratio administration 10 Oklahoma.
This afternoon, amid pomp and eere.
mony Governor w. @. Renfrow places
the reins OF his high oflce into the
hanae OF his successor, Hon Csssius
NJ Barnes. The event will prove a
fitting close TO au administration |
which has rendered more material eid |
| TO the commercial, social and political |
welfare Of the territory than any |
other agency, an administration that |
was at once wise, economical and full |
Of business. The past four years we're |
Oklahoma's best. Previous to 1898 the |
territory not only suffered from official
negligence, but it's condition was but
terHy-like. IL pulsated and futtered
Every six months or more marked an
opening, and with the opening of some
new Indian lands the population OF
towns fluctuated People and property
we're unstable. A spirit Of restless.
Eea2 povnsatsd she cisics and hRmlets
of Old Oklahoma and at times 1nes
neighbor one day WAS moving toward
another El Dorado the next day 10
play noigh Dor to some one else. The.
forward" and party cannot oe
found" stamps n the postofis ses we're
worn 10 feather-edge in = Jiny, and
mo credit' piNo~zA- we're the most
,. onspicusaeso objects OF the merchants
place Of business
d Fopr years have worked phenc M
n elSl chsnRe in the territory's condi-
Ii n.
Governor Renfrow's predecessors
haa comparatively small area of
<1s,9.,Sehtry TO govern. A few months
Af.er the retiring administr alton came
into power the mighty Cherokee strip
was thrown open to settlement Those
early strip days were, indeed, trying
; ones to Governor Renfrow and his
4 ltiicial family. Factions and feuds
. sprung up in many counties, The
spirit of ohee.seeking was rife.
Every body, II seemed, WAS IN the po-
Utica jJbbing business. Convicts just
Olt OF the pen rushei over the line,
stucS u stake, aud Immediately made
Application Tor the Offices of probate
judge, attorney or register of some
county. Being turned down, they
II TO eursing the Renfrow admins,
tration and sought to stir up discord
at Democratic county and territorial
conventions. At this day scores o.
soreheads who were justly turned
down when the Cherokee strip ep
pointments were made are the onei
! that impugn the honest motives OF tbs
retiring governor. Moreover, at tha
period the Republicsn officials wer,
o0streperous They hRrrAssed thi
Democratic administration. refused I,
!. have their accounts audited, endeav
ored to cover up college crookednes
and otherwise attempted to rul
i. oleaginous bluffs on the new governor
;, but the bluffs failed 70 work
The first half-yeAr of the territoria
Democratic administration showed uJ
more Republican corruption AID NAL
content yawping than any decade II
the history OF any state or territory o
the union
II required a cool, calculating busi
ness person to sit in the oklahoml
: gubernstorial chair az that time Bu
Gov. aenfrow esconced himself in the
: chair without apparent nervousness
aud brought order out OF chaos IL,
directed with master-hand and wa,
applauded by .he loyal Democracy o
the territory for his hrmuess apt
: energy we'll applied Gov Renfrow 4
= not a politician and he never mad,
:, pretentions OF being such But he is
business man Of simplicity, sympathy
and strength and today he roands ou
a business administration, under whiel
the territory has grown and -four
iEhed His every action has ins pireC
confidence in the new country
Through his wise counsel the pro
verbal timiditY OF eastern capital, &
a. we'll as that OF the prospective settler
y has been brushed away and the las
=. three years have Witnessed vast com
- mereiAl activity in all sections.
a Shortly after qualifying. Governo
% Renfrow devoted much time and At
% lention to school land affairs, dc
:, partment which had been woefull,
N neglected by the Republican admins
= trations even while In a chrysali
state. Through the EFFORTS Of the gov
ernor, school Land Commissions
nitaaae anA SAerAfr= . Iowa ss,isl., 10,
y, affecting seho d laad leasing has beef
le wise and salutAry; the school fund ha
Is grown immeasurAbly and is well pro
r. tected. This department passes on
,ss Demoeratc hands in good condition
bu. ResheIs eaD be no kick-t back on IN
lies OF the differeosing the board Of schoo
Wy invited lll 1he other depaci