The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-29
Is E, v, SmaIIey's Conclusion
as to Oklahoma.
NOTHING TO HINDER 1T
Save the Bugbear of the In
dian Territory, He Says,

After an investigation he declares that
the people Of the territory will not sub
nit much longer to being deprived Of the
privileges Of citizens.
Treating of the matter at length in the
New York Evening Post, under Guthrie
date he writes:
The voters Of Oklahoma are fast divid-
ing into two parties on the question Of
whether the territory shall apply for ad-
mission to the Union at the coming ses-
sion of congress. All agree that it has
every qualification requisite or desirable
for statehood. There are already in the
Union seven states. each with a smaller
population than Oklahoma. The charac-
ter of the people here is identical with
that Of the people Of the older prairie
states. They have prosperous and well
established towns, a remarkably well de-
veloped system of railroad transporta-
ton a good public school system, church
as of all denominations. and many thou
sands of comfortable farm homes, and
they are as orderly, competent, intelli-
gent and prosperous a class as can be
found in any new western state. The ter
ritorial census Of 1898 reported a popula-
lion of GIL 400. and this will no doubt be
increased by the census of 1900 TO at least
400 900. The return of taxable property
for 1898 was $40, 900. There are 1873
school districts, each with its school
house. and the number of children OF
school age is 90.5S5. The territory has its
university. its agricultural and mechani-
cal college, three normal schools, several
Indian schools, and a number of denom-
ina tional colleges. Institutions have al
ready been provided for the deaf mutes,
the blind and the insane, and the whole
apparatus Of civil government is in full
operation, but it is not in the last resort
government. because the higher Off
GERS of the territory and the judges are
named by the president of the United
States.
Unquestionably people can live and
prosper in comfort and security under a
territorial form of government, but to be
deprived of the right or voting for gov
ernor and other state officers, and of par
7cipaung in the great quadrennial battle
over the presidency. is a hardship TO the
independent American citizen. The man
who has come west to make a home for
his family in a new region argues that
rights Of citizenship because of his en-
terprise, and he only submits contentedly
ID such a deprivation as long as it is
necessary. As soon as he sees around
linn the ordinary concomitants of civili-
cation. an orderly community. and
enough people to support the burdens Of
government. he demands that his terri
tory shall be made into a state. Con-
Eress has always sympathized with such
demand. and has seldom waited until a
territory had a population as large as a
congressional district before giving it the
rights Of statehood. In Oklahoma there
are already people enough for two con-
Eressional districts. and there are more
than twice as many as lived in either of
The new states which have been admitted
during the past quarter of a century at
the date Of admission. Therefore the ar
Gument on the score Of population is too
strong 10 he disputed.
So far as general progress is concerned.
oklahoma. young as il is. now ranks
very well with the central and western
portions Of Nebraska and Kansas. and
with the two Dakotas It is all settled.
and nowhere. except in the extreme west
homestead entry There is no finer agri-
cultural region IN the world. 1t produces
both northern and southern staDles-cot-
ton. as Wei as corn and wheat-and the
uniformity of good crops. year after year.
has brought to the people a degree or
prosperity never before. believe. enjoyed
10y the inhabitants Of newly settled To-
Eion
Being thus prepared for immediate ad-
mission il is strange that the inhabit-
ants are not unanimous in the onin.on
that oklahoma should be Immediately
put into the column Of states. That they
are not is mainly owing to the relation
of the territory to the old Indian terri
Tory. out of which it was carved and TO
the attitude Of the federal officials. who
are active politicians and leaders Of opin-
lon who naturally want TO keep their
offices as long as possible. These Off
Gals make a good argument against ad-
mission oUt of the situation fin the In
dian Territory. Publ, opinion strongly
1avors the Inclusion of the entire Indian
Territory in the new state Of Oklahoma.
This would give q state rs large as Kan
Sas, and one which I'm a short time would
country cannot he taken into ANY state
unuI new treaties are made with the
tribes and until the allotment Of lands
IN Severai'y which is now going bn pro-
crosses much further than Il has done
up 70 the present time Oklahoma. as at
present constituted Includes a number
" small Indian reservations. and il seems
10 be the f0le o. the territory. from IFS
geographical position. TO take in. as =,
state the whole mass Of semi-savara berry
now existing in the old Indian TERRITORY
under treaties and tribal laws and 7,7s-
toms Congress VIII nor consent and
ought not ta. consent 10 the creation, ~
separate state out of what lis left ~
the indian Territory since the dstacb-
ment Of Oklahoma. II Is true thar Okla
homa Itself has as great an area as Ohio
and that the present Indian Territory Is
about equally large. The TWO woul.i
make TWO states thar would closely cor
respond in size 20 Ohio and Indiana I'm,
other western statNS are much larger and
IL would be as reasonable 20 cut I'D Kan
saS into Two states as il would be N
make TWO states out Of the region former.
~ belonging 60 the Indian Territory.
The opponents Of Immediate admission
for Oklahoma admit that IL viii probably
take ten years 20 break mp the tribal 70.
lstions ana set the mixed population az
InGian Territory into a condition frtfra
II for Incorporation into new state. Bu-
they-say there IS no need 20 hurry. Il
viii not matter the argue II there should
be COO o0 or 10000 people in Oklahom-
without any rights OF federal citizenship
provided they are prosperous. and ar;
tolerabiy c3nsented with the limited
powers OF self-government they enjoy II
the territory. The advocates Of adrnis