The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-14
FIGURES ON STATEHOOD
indianapolis Journal Recalls Admis
sion OF Other states.


Guthrie, O. T., Dec. 12-The Indian
apolis Journal has been digging up the
figures IN the case of the admission OF
western states and makes q showing in
favor Of statehood for Oklahoma which
viii send its article the rounds Of the
press Of Oklahoma. The Journal ignores
the present Indian Territory movement
evidently taking it for granted that
Oklahoma is the only pebble on the state
hood beach. It says:
1T is reasonably certain that the next
state to be admitted will be Oklahoma
and It seems quite likely il may be done
at the coming session Of congress. The
territory has much better claims for ad-
mission than either New Mexico or Ari-
iona, having a much larger and more
homogeneous population than either of
them and being much more advanced in
development The progress Of Oklahoma
during the last few years recalls the
wonderful strides made by some Of the
earlier territories. Ten years ago it had
a population Of 5000; by the auditors
census Of 1894 1t was 212. 500: the gov
errors report gave it as 275.5S7 in 1896
and 81 400 in 1898. It IS now 49,, 600. rep
resenhng in a large degree the cream o.
American emf grafton. Very few terri
tories have had as large q population as
this at the time Of their admission, and
soma Of the states fall considerably short
Of it. even now. North Dakota, South
Dakota Montana and Washington were
all admitted in 1889, yet by the census Of
1850 North Dakota had only 1S2S08, Mon
tana 132 159, and Washington 349. 390-none
of them nearly as large a population as
Oklahoma has now. Three Of the states
above named have increased very largely
in population since 1890, but Montana IS
still behind Oklahoma Nevada, admit
ted in 1864, had only 42,491 inhabitants in
1870, only 1871 in 1890, and has less than
that now. Although admitted to the
Union twenty-six years ago, Nevada has
less than one-eighth as many inhabitants
at present as Oklahoma. Minnesota, ad-
nitted in 1853 had only 172,023 inhabi-
tants in 1860, but It has made big strides
since. Nebraska, admitted in 1867, had
only 122, 800 inhabitants in 1870, but It also
has made a great progress in the last
three decades. It will be seen, therefore,
that few territories have had as iarge a
population at the time of their admission
or for several years afterwards as Okla
A4C%AA@ aAeN5 A4OWS anu A5ADb6bAy Ibtic Ef Ct
had a more thoroughly typical American
population. 1t has a weIl-organize1 and
well-administered territorial government,
an excellent public school system with
more than $4,000 pupils enrolled, sixty
eight territorial banks and seven ma
tional banks, over 1000 miles of railway,
seventy-nine grain elevators, nearly
forty -four mills, and many other evil
dences of progress. It is but a little
while since the territory was designated
as mo Mans Land" and its opening to
white settlement was marked by one Of
the greatest races for land on record. Its
transformation within g. few wears fr m
a state OF wilderness to one of high CIV
ilization and Droductveness is one Of (
those Illustrations of American energy
and enterprise that cause foreigners to /
marvel. Oklahoma is fairly entitled to
admission as a state and it will be IN (
Just for congress to delay action in he /
matter,