The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-30
B.RF]RD BURNS /.
Strong Utterances Against
Single Statehood,
R0AST FOR CONVENTION
Was Legitimate Offspring Of
Attempted MisaIIianCe.
ROAST FOR CONVENTION

By some unaccountable reason the
head lines over an article in yester ay s
Eagle indicated something in state
ment Of Judge Burford that did not
exist The judge very promptly nails
1t ana in doing so puts himself unmis-
takably. forcibly and eIoquentIy on record
as against single statehood at this time
In the light Of his utterances at this
time 1t was. perhaps, a good thing that
tasNhead lines were wrong. for had they
y right Judge Burford would not
be- given to contemporary statehood
1tera tare such 2 splendid document as
the following:
Guthrie O. T., Dec. 28.-Dear Sirs: IN
your ISSUE Of today I ind an article head
ed Judge Burford Pleased. He Has
Hopes That Recent Convention Win Bear
Good FRUITS. Ut is possible that read
ing of The article would dispei any Idea
that the writer was intended to be quot
ed. 1T may be that The editor got the
head" onto the wrong animal How
ever, I desire to correct any impression
the head line may have conveyed. am
not pleased with the late statehood con
VentiOn and had no sympathy with its
originators or its purposes. 1t was the
nLgiumate offspring Of an attempted
misalliance. 1t was without responsible
parentage or authorized creation. Those
who attempted TO contract an engage
ment had no authority to speak for either
bride or groom, and both have repudiated
the self-appOinte1 mediators. I am In
favor of immediate statehood for Okla
homa without the Indian Territory
under a constitution prepared and adopt
ed by the people Of Oklahoma without
the aid Of any other nation or its peo-
PIE We have the people the inteUi-
gence. the wealth. the revenue the
schools. the qualifications and cspabili-
ties to etiue us to statehood, and 7 speak
advisedIy when I say that a very large
majority of the people Of Oklahoma pre-
fer and desire statehood for Oklahoma
alone
Every well advised person knows that
the conditions in the Indian Territory are
such that congress VIII not grant state
hood to the citizens Of that territory for
several years, and for our people to ad-
vOcate single statehood only means to
nitely We are prepared now. They are
not We have a large school fund and
fine system Of public schools. They have
ne&her. Most an Of our lands are now
taxable. None Of theirs are taxable and
they cannot be subjected TO taxation We
have considerable allotted lands which
are burden to the public. They viii
have vastly more Of this character We
have lands and funds for public buildings
and public Institutions. They have none
and no source from which to derive it.
We can support a state government: they
can only increase the public burdens.
Sentiment charity and philanthropy
should be extended to our own people ne
fore it is extended TO our neighbors. our
people have struggled with adversely
paid high taxes. supported local govern
ments on credit. made personal sacri-
fees and been governed without the con-
sent of the governed for over ten years.
and are now entitled to the fruits OF
their labors. and it is unfair and unjust
that they should be compelled TO shoulder
other burdens in order to enjoy their all
ready wei earned rights. Ours are a
prosperous loyal liberty loving people
entitled TO an the rights enjoyed by the
ciuzens~of any other part of the nation.
They owe nothing they are not able and
willing 10 pay. and they demand The right
To make their own laws. elect their own
officers and control their own affairs. and
the people of Oklahoma have never i'm
AMY organized or representative capacity
declared in favor Of single statehood or
none. Nor have they ever authorized any
person or persons to SO state.