The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-02
HOUR Is NOT YET.
This Writer Says That Single
Statehood Can't be Immediate
CAPITAL QUESTION IN IT
South McAIeSter Convention
to be 0ne-Sided but lmpotent.

Purcell. / T.. Dec Ito the Edi-
tor Of the Eagle: That a large pro-
portion Of the inhabitants Of Oklahoma
and the Indian Territory are in favor OF
early single statehood is a well reeog-
nized fact. They want to get into the
/ federal family and onto the starry ban
ner. They are eager that the land Of
their adoption shall shine as a bright
star on the blue ground Of 1.-The flag with
/ out a stain" How eloquently they des-
/ cant about the combined territories hay
/ ing area of So. 900 square miles, popu-
/ lation Of more than $4,000 souls and 800
900 taxable values, or more men and
money, too. than was possessed by any
state at the time of its adoption into the
Union
In the call for a single statehood con-
vention, it is pompously set forth as
bright particular reason for statehood
That the soil is rich, the climate good
and the water pure" We have never
known a territorial applicant for state
hood to be either admitted or rejected on
account of its soil, climate or productions
Just what figure they cut in q claim for
admission in the Union is entirely beyond
our ken. Before the delighted vision of
the single slater there looms up the spec
tacle Of school houses. good roads.
bridges, ferries. court houses and all
other choice blessings that flow from
glorious statehood. He is perfectly Will
ing that the terms of the Atoka treaty
shall be carried out to the letter, but
thinks that result can be effected as well
cfa fv. 4T,1
ton Of affairs. He yearns for local SET
government as the hound pup yearneth
for sweet milk He inveighs bitterly
against the carpet-bagger, when the fact
Of the matter is, there are few white in
habitants of the Indian country who are
not carpet-baggers of recent date and
rankest type. They are even styled Sin
truders."
He longs to be a taxpayer once more, !
and is willing to bear a portion Of Okla |
homas debt burden. In the mass meet /
ings called to select delegates to the Nc |
Alester convention only those who favor
single statehood are allowed to partici- /
pate. Their minds are made I'D and they /
don't care to hear from the other fellow. |
There may be some diversity of opinion /
among its members as to how this can /
be best effected but they are all for /
single statehood Just the same And If /
they don't succeed in breaking into the
Union at the present session Of congress
the fault viii be with Washington and |
not in the twin territories. The Nc
Alester regency IS opposed to single state
hood for purely local reasons. That am
bilious burg has always had a capital
bee in its bonnet It's geographical DO
sition is such that with an amaleamatiou
of the territories It's prospect of becom
ing a seat of government would forever
vanish. Single statehood is inevitable.
but while waiting for this contamination
"a thing of several years hence). we are
decidedly in favor of the passage OF A
bill by the present congress. giving okla
homa statehood with a proviso attached
that a later period the Indian country
could be annexed thereto We are NOT
of the fact that this susges-
ton would not meet with powerful oppo-
sition from the eastern states where the
Little Rhody'' idea is not popular The
great keystone state and imperial New
York have grown tired of Pocket Bor-
ough' commemorative with q senatorial
Representatives equal to their own Hence
we think there is little probability of
United States Attorney Soper's plan of
the Greek and Cherokee coun-
try to Oklahoma in immediate statehood
the Seminole Chickasaw and Choctaw
nations to come in at later period when
the terms Of their treaties shall have ex-
PRED ever coming to fruition. The IN
dian Territory will never. come into the
Union 2fecemeaL
The Texas Democratic element in our
midst would have us believe that this
statehood movement is strictly non-par-
usan, but the ruse won't work Full wen
we know that in the country occupied
by the Five Civilized Tribes there is a
legitimate Democratic majority OF not
less than 5000. They certainly count
without their hosts who think that Re
publican congress IS not alive to the DO
Iitcal situation
Even Oklahoma comes to the Canadian
with measley majority of 3.l59 for Den
MS Flynn. free homes" and an
In view of these facts. we believe that
the MeAiester convention of December 10
VIII be barren of practical results
Single statehood Is coming but the hour
Is not yet JOE H. L.ETHERNAN.