The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-12-09
56lit'fllt9It) I ltttl0llt tfftiR5
THE PRESIDENTS COUSIN, F. E.
M'KINLEY. SPEAKS.
Has Made, seyersu Visits to. the white
House HE Would Not Refuse the
Governor hip-T links the Capital
shesld Remain st Guthrie.
speeial to the Ardmoreite.I


Mr.. f. E. Mckinley, first cousin
of the president:a and receiver of
the land office at Guthrie, Okla
homa, has made several visits TO
the White House during tie last
few days. On at Eeast one of these
occasions he had an extended con.
Versatiens with the'presfdeht-in in re
gard to Oklahoma affairs, bnt when
seen by your correspondent refused
to- divulge the nature OF his visits.
insisting thatstheySwere of purely
a social character ssi @fs'
kcDespite his statemeut it is we'll
knowhsthat Mr.. AfcKin1ey's trip to-
Washington is Of political signif-
canoe affecting The sffairs of the
Territory. in fact, it is known
that Mr.. McKinlef7 would not be
aEerse to occupying the governors
chair7as successor to Cassius NJ
Rarnes:ld A1r-4kz a7'''
= Like many of the other western
politicians, however. Mr. Mckinley
prefers to: work in lie dark, at
least so far as the general public is
eonterned.f' In conte, sation with
your correspondent he Stated that
he had. no aspiration to be govern
or He said that such position
in Oklahoma was a. <<thankless one.
owing to the bitter factional fight
that is continually waged between
the supporters of Governor Barnes
and th6seiof Delegate Flynn. The
position of chief executive paid a
salary of but So, 600 per iaanuum,
aud This ar d The honor Of the posi-
tion were bit poor Remuneration
for What the governor had to con
Ffend with. sTo conduct the Office
honestly; heFsaid, there could be
ne additional compensation.
In regard to the charges against
Goverpor Barnes, Mr.. Mckinley
stated that he had heard of various
charges against that official, but he
had moi. given them any special at
tention and therefore did not care
TO go into discussion.as to their
merits.
| While the Territory was enjoy
ing an unprecedented era of pros
perity, Mr.. Mckinley. said that it
was seriously handicapped by ieal
ousies among the people The Ter
ritory has. been the-Mecca for men
of prominence from the East and
South and from the. states adjoin
ing it. all ambitious for political
aud business advancement. Har
mony was out of the, question while
such conditions existed and unit
that could be secured the Territory
could not hope for recognition by
congress- The Flynn and Barnes
factions Were ,waging grelentless wal
upon each other and statehood was
,an -impossiMlity soJong as it, con
.inpedf and from tina spresent out
j look the. end was faruf. LAS tht
matter stood now he thought thI
Flynn forces spredominated! An
other obstacle to statehood was tha
Legislation would be required con
cerning the lands Of the Territory
In. fact it would be- at least thre,
or four years before the Territor,
would be in condition to be admit
tied into the Union. Mr.. MeKinle,
said that in his opinion when thii
question was taken up seriously j
wonld be found necessary to joil
with the Indian Territory. making
ttem one state. This would max
a population of nearly, a million
people and place the state on al
equal footing with a number o
others as to size, population an,
resources.
The free homestead bill passe
last session, he said, had been Q
inestimable benefit to the people
saving the Territory about SIT,
0oo. 900. Everyone was engage
in some occupations and there wa
|. no idleness throughout the Terr
l tory. s txS lIfg