The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-01-11
: STATEHOOD FOR
OKLAHOMA"
Address Of Hon. Sidney Clark
at the Banquet.

exercise the prerogatiVc OF self-EoNern-
ment. in wealth IN area. in population,
in resources and In energy, intelligence
and patriotism OF her people Oklahoma
has demonstrated in less than a decade
that she is better ntted and more just
ly entitled to join the galaxy Of Ameri-
can States, than any territory that has
been admitted into the Union since the
formation OF the government In res.
ponding to the sentiment YOU have done
me the honor to propose do not hes
itate to declare. that we have reached
the time in our history when We should
demand, rather than request. that Corr
gress shall not delay IN opening the door.
through which we can secure protection
under constitution Of our own making
and participate on equal terms In ali
the affairs Of the nation.
Four hundred thousand people. living
and governed as a mere eppendage Of
tile Federal government. presents an
anamaly In uor political system which
ought not to exist Such n condition Of
affairs was not intended by the found
ers OF the republic The men who fought
a1e battles Of the Revolution, that the
a1irteen United Colonies might become
ace and independent states valued the
liberty they achieved too high to deny
- others what they claimed for them
selces They believed IN a confederation
oi free and Independent commonwealths
they made It certain In all their acts,
plat the rights Of f-governrleDt should
be secured to the frontier. They as
cured the pioneers, who penetrated into
a1e northwestern territory. that where
1900 men settled in any section they
should be entitled to make their local
1ws, and where there was a population
Sf 60.0O0 they were entitled to statehood
Alhen the people of Tennessee formed a
constitution Of their own voliton and
Adorned President Washington that on
q certain day the state government
would be lnaugurated and the functions
81 the territorial government would
cease the President received the mes
age kindly transmitted II to congress
Eld Tennessee was promptly welcomed
! to the union OF states. so Il was for
ore than threc-quarters Of a century.
alat territories were made welcome ae
states, and 40 It was that our magnih-
cent confederation WAS expanded and
trengthened by the march Of civili2a-
ION and the inspiration OF liberty.
There can be no question but what the
lights of self-government-- the rights
hat would be secured to the whole body
the people OF Oklahoma through state
k)od, would be In every way paramount
% the subservlent conditions that are
incident TO territorial rule. Taxation
without representation, is repulslve "a
, tie fundamental principles Of justice and
. equal rights. whicn are essential 10 the
welfare of the republic. There can be
but one Imperialism in our form OF self
government. Ours is the Imperialism Of
liberty, the Imperialism OF civilization,
the Imperialism Of equal rights the i'm
perialism which makes every Individual
citizen, sovereign, and every public
officer a public servant.
No man who Ia Intelligent, no man who
: comprehends the principles which under
tic our constitutional system, will
claim that we ought to be taxed to sup
port n government In which We have nc
voice. No man, uninluenced by per-
sonal and selfish interests viii assert that
the great population of this territory
are in any way disqualified TO enjoy all
the benefits and blessings which would
follow our admission into the Union as
a state. No man who has carefully OBJ
served the loose and irresponsible condi.
tions which have prevailed in THE gov
, ernment Of this teTitory, under all ouI
,.dministratlo viii apologize for sya-
TEN which has 81 many elements OF
lrresponslbihty ard weakness. There Is
no man who ls acquainted with the po-
liucal history OF the territories OF the
United States In recent years but what
knows they have been made the dump
ing ground for the surplus offceseekers
OF the stPtes. So often as the national
conventions OF all parties have resolved
in favo: OF home rule for the territories
so osten have these promises been delib-
sretely violated. and eonspicuously evil
dences of political inslneerlty exhibited &C
E the country. territory Is regarded as
a political nonenuty, which 1t really Is
and as a beggar at the feet OF power
But above and beyond all these things
the people OF Oklahoma are no inslg
, nincent part OF the nation, aud why
should we not be promptly admitted
to fun participation in all lts affairs
We are greater IN territorial area thar
any one OF the thirteen territories mere
e tofore admitted. We have a populate
Z in excess OF any territory ever admitted
! as a state. and more than four times
the number. nine-tenths of the terri
tories had. that have been gladly well
coined to statehood. In less than ter
. years we have unravclled here pano.
ramo Of wealth and civilization never
before exhibited IN all the annals of time
Upon these fertile pralrles and beneath
these genial skies we have laid the
r foundation for an American common
e wealth as great and grand as any by
which we are surrounded, Had ouI
rights been acquired when we had the
population OF other territories that have
been admitted, there is no doubt but
We should have passed the half-millior
mark at this time. and close the century
with one hundred thousand more.
Our central position in the Trans Mis-
sissippl states Is fortunate Indeed. The
? variety OF our agricultural productions
partake both OF the north and Of the
south. Six hundred miles TO the south
? ward, are the deep water harbors of ths
Gulf OF Mexico with which We are con
: nected by a comprehensive system OF
railroad transportation through which
r many OF our productions can reach the
markets OF tho world The constructors
OF tho NicaraguaE canal IN the near fu-
ture. assures US OF a convenient eanncct-
ion with the states OF the Pacific coast
} and with our new possessions 10 ths
westward. magnificent In possibilities
and rich beyond conception IN the mag
nitude Of results. The impending disso'
luton Of the Chinese empire after mors