The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-05

sentiment is unending, deep and uncon-
troIled
| Commercially, statehood would be OF
| great value to Oklahoma. Politically ii
would give it greater representation in
| Washington. But internally, 1t would
give every voter in Oklahoma the com
plete satisfaction of being able to ''get
back at the man holding office, and to
get at him.
If the long-Dredicted removal Of Gov
ernor Barnes should take place it is an
easy prediction that his successor, wheth-
er he be Mr.. Jenkins or somebody else.
will be subject to attack, and rancorous
attack, and will suffer in full for the
privilege of being territorial governor.
And it is as easily predicted that the
very men who have made such long
strenuous attack upon Governor Barnes,
would feel. If not confess TO a singularly
warm and sympathetic feeling for the re-
moved official and that if Governor
Barnes is removed, he will be given po-
sitions later with the help of the men
who have attacked him as federal Of
fee holder.
lies in that circumstance. The men who
are citizens of Oklahoma are "state-edu-
Gated" They have lived in other states,
been turned down for Office in other
states, lots of them. have sworn dire po-
litical vengeance for a month or two and
either been forced into line by political
circumstance, or voluntarily relented and
come back, before the next election.
One of the secrets of Dennis Flynns
wonderful popularity in Oklahoma is the
feeling of the people that they can get
at him, that they can boost him If they
desire, or bounce him to kingdom come
if they wish So strong IS this sentiment
that when at FL Reno he really did not
want the nomination for congress, the
delegates made him take it. They were
exercising their privilege Of control. This
feeling is not peculiar to the men of any
single party in Oklahoma. A large part
of the Democrats of Oklahoma made
Renfrow's life a bowling desert waste of
unhappiness for him during his admins
tration. Governor Steele before him was
glad to let go a hot potato and go back
to Indiana.
There is another matter worthy Of men
ton Every voter in Oklahoma who
takes a lively interest in politics is a
possible candidate. Every man who dab
bles in politics at all feels that he has
within him elements of popularity. Hun
dreds of men in Oklahoma are unsuspect-
ed aspirants for the highest places a state
can give. The alluring thought of the
United States senate is set uo on more
affairs of hope TO be worshipped in Okla
homa than anyone dreams Of These men,
these thousands of possible candidates
with unrestricted ambitions want clear
field, with no prizes reserved. In attain
ing them, they want reward to wait upon
work and influence. If a man can carry
his ward, his town or county. he relieves
that entities him to recognition. But he
Knows that while Oklahoma has been
territorial there have been instances Of
men who could hardly control their own
vote, men without commercial or p0liti-
cal credit. who. having secured trans
pcrtation to Washington, have gone down
there and returned with an office. the sal
airy of which was a small fortune. A de-
serving and influential man in office may
at another time find himself attacked bv
a subordinate, who has slipped down to
Washington, and with influential Of
fetal friend from Illinois or Indiana or
Connecticut, peddled tales around Wash
ington to his suDerior's hurt. tales prob
ably that the community would know to
be lies but which Washington is not al
ways to be depended upon to detect
There is very little doubt that state
hood for Oklahoma will provide for the
addition of portions of the Indian Terri
tory from time to time. Short shift will
be made with the wishes of the people
of the Indian Territory in the matter.
Time was when the people of the Indian
Territory elevated their noses at a
thought of coalescing with Oklahoma.
Since then they have changed their
minds. but their wishes will not be re-
garded and instead of coalition between
the two, the Indian Territory will be
added in slices TO Oklahoma and the state
will be known as oklahoma" and a
great part of the public institutions viii
be located in Oklahoma.
The likelihood of congress passing an
enabling act at its coming session is
guess-work pure and simple No one
knows how congress stands in the mat
ter. No one has definite knowledge of
the attitude of the present administra
ton on the question. In point of popula-
ton. in respect to advancement in civil
ization, Oklahoma is more entitled to
statehood than any of the recently ad-
mitted states.
But what congress may think about if
or what shade or color opposition to the
IDEA may take. no one here really knows.
All the statehood conventions held pre-
Viously have operated on the presump-
ton that Oklahoma had merely to ask
and congress would accuiesce. Long pc
utions have been drafted and fashioned
after prodigious convention wrangles. but
so far as any one knows these resolu-
lions have never reached congress. or If
they reached it have not been read or
consi 7ere5.
Now with Delegate Flynn making an
active campaign in congress for state
hood, resolution such as will be drafted
In this city this month will probably re-
ceiye attention. and congress. unless un-
expected and unsupported opposition
arises will pass the enabling act
VIGOROUS JUDICIAL REGIME
In Force at PauI's Valley. During the
Roberts Murder Trial.
Guthrie, O. T., Nov 4-During the
Roberts murder trial at PauIs Valley