The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-08
N THE FRONT RANK
Where Oklahoma Belongs
Gov. Barnes Places Her.
IN HIS ANNUAL REPORT
Tells All About Her Magnif-
cent Resources.

Washington, D. c., Sept THE report
Of Governor &. ~. Barnes. of Oklahoma,
for the year ending June 30. 1888, just re-
oelved 10y the secretary of the interior. is
one Of the most complete and interesting
reports ever received from ten governor Of
any territory and certainly places Okla
homa in the front ranks OF prosperity and
progress, and presents most forcibly 10 the
department and the nation al large the
Claims OF this rising young commonwealth
as one II Jle coming great indus trial states
Of the Union.
The report covers over 200 pages of type
writing. embracing hfty-five distinct sub
Jectz. and is accompanied by a correct
map of Oklahoma and the Indian Terri
tory and thirty-two photographs showing
school and college buildings, fruit and veg
etabie displays, corn and wheat fields, or
chards and vineyards, natural scenery,
etc. which bu. add TO the strength Of his
Statements in praise of the young terri
tory and its pep0.e.
The report when published will form a
valuable handbook on Oklahoma, giving
every Dit Of authentic information it is pos
sIbie 10 gather at this time and conveying
10 the prospective settler or investor the
facts he most desires to obtain about a
new and untried country.
The governor starts ont by saying that
he submits his report believing that it tells
a story Of progress, prosperity and devel-
opment never before equaled in the history
Of the states and territories Of the United
States.
With a population aggregating q Ilird Of
a million, with an area of 10000 square
miles. with a prosperous and contenJed peo-
PIE. large engaged in agriculture and kin
dred pursuits and producing crops that as
tonIsh the world. with a taxable valuation
exceeding $4,000 900, with commerce that
has doubled and trebled in the past twelve
months. with a smaller bonded debt than
any other state or territory, with public
school system equal to any in the land,
with the best Of transportation facilities
and almost unlimited undeveoped re-
sources, with a fertile soil, delightful eli
mate, bright sunshine and health-giving
breezes, Oklahoma extends a cordial invi-
tation to the farmer, the stock raiser, the
fruit grower. the manufacturer, the invest
or, the Invalid, the homeseeker Of every
class, and challenges comparison with any
other equal area nthe continent.
Oklahoma successfully raises the crops of
both the north and the south, and her
farmers. who are the mainstay of the com
munity, are prosperous and contented.
The assessors returns show population
of 81, 100, a gain of 3 per cent in two years
for the whole territory. Several Of the
western counties more than doubled In pop
ulation- As the assessors returns are very
incomplete the governor puts the actual
population at a third Of million. The
people are very largely American born and
are typical progressive American citizens.
The taxable property is returned this
year at $40 e23.816. an increase of $3.50, O64
over last year and of over $50 0J0, 900 since
1894 Property is. however, put in at less
than half its real value.
The territorial tax rate is but 80 mills
for all purposes. The average county rate
for the current year is but q mills
The total bonded debt of the territory is
but $4,000 which was incurred in the first
year Of the territory's history to erect col
lege buildings In addition to this the ter
lie over $500. o00. The aggregate indebted
ness Of all the counties IN the territory is
bur 1927 800.
Oklahoma has A public school system sec
ond TO no state in the Union. The entire
system is under tho supervision of a terri
torial board of education. who have Sc
cured the grading Of both city and country
schools. system of county graduations
are awakening great interest in the dis
tr'et schools. The generaI-scheme Of edu-
cation embraces a continuous course from
the district school to and through the
university. There are in the territory 90
55 school children. There are 1879 school
districts and the school houses outside Of
tho cities are valued NJ S87f5-i During The
past wear $l2le72 % was distributed 20 the
different school districts making Sl.Gt per
capita. ana Sa5oo'o in addition was spent ny
the different districts 10 carrying on their
schools
The higher institutions Of learning Of the
territory. the university. ,he Agricultural