The sun., 1900-11-30
THE NEWEST PROPOSED STATE.
A Convention to Plan the Union OF Oklahom .
and Indian Territory.

SorrH McALEsTER. /. 7. Nov 27-The first
step toward organizing Oklahoma and Indian
Territory into one government will be taken
here on Dec ~ at a convention composed Of
800 deleg les from each territory. Its believed
that all the delegate, will favor single State
hood II is admitted, generally. even by per-
sons opposed 10 single Statehood. that the
ultimate union Of the Two Territories is prob
able for the reason that Eastern political In
fiuences are not believed 10 regard with ap-
provl the proposal TO create two States that
might elect Democratic Senators and members
of Congress The Democratic party now has
slightly the better Of the situs tion in each Ter
rtury. with a fighting chance OF the Repub-
licans The convention to be held here Is looked
upon. therefore. as the b-slnnHg of the end
Of separate governments Tor the Territories,
The promoters OF the convention have no we'll
defined plans, but hope that means Will Ice found
by which representative citizens can convince
Congress at its next session that tho Terri
tories should have statehood
Oklahoma. IL is asserted, IL fitted in every
way for statehood She has an area Of - OCO
square miles, a population Of nearly 10000,
as shown by the last census a climate and soil
favorable TO the production OF cotton. corn and
" heat prosperity due 10 successful crops such
as has seldom been seen in the West -Four seq
tons Of land in each Congressional township are
reserved for the maintenanoeo the ublic school
system and the leasing of these lands Tor Hgri-
cultural purposes brings IN snnuHuN q large
sum Of money. The public debt OF Oklahoma
Is less than 81 per oSilta Oklahoma h,s NO
mineral resources and her local supply OF fuel
comes mostly from her forests
Indian Territory has an area Of about $1,000
| square miles. a population only few thou
sand less than that of Oklahoma. a great rain
| fall fertile sol, many streams. an abundance
Of timber snd me grcap,sst p and i most Naiua9le
| dared In the southeastern part or the Terri
| tory are extensive uinerles There are rich
beds of asphaltum, oil fields that are now being
developed. and enough natural gas 70 heat
and lieht the town of Bartlesville
Taken alone, each Territory lacks res9urces
should sS be prosperous. Men in Indian, Terri-
| tory with political ambitions are not enthusias
| Vic advocates Of single Statehood. Oklahoma
| already has an organized government, elect
| Ing Delegate 10 Congress and legislature
LV the President, and the subordinate Terri
| toria officials are appointed by tie Governor
| This orsanllatlon y sucn az 10 n'ake y probd-
politicians would control evervthiug at first
| and leave nothing for the oficeseekers Of In
But Indian Territory is not unwilling to lay
| aside questions ot politics, for she IA az thIS
time in great distress n,eaSure known
| ernInents. as a preliminary TO establishing
| regular Territorial or a State form Of govern
| Territory can be said to have neither her old
nor better govcTnment. The DIVES Com
mission which is clothed with almost absolute
BOWER il now engaged in enrolling the Indians
aud surveying the lands, that the latter may
be divided among u" Indians The country
is in n condition similar ~ that OF men dis-Olv-
ng partnership In big commercial enter
Irise-the inventory IL being taken and the
a,sets. appor'ioned, but in the meantime ~"
II j. impossible for whit" men 10 acquire title
30 properly, except in towns that have been
Incorporated White people pay No taxes
except an occupation tax levied hv the tribal
governments. which tho federal courts In In
dian Territory have declared void against
the rulings of the Secretary OF the Interior.
Merchants, for instance. are required 20 lav
1 Ter cent annually upon the appraised value
~ their stock They have no voice in the levy
ing Of tins tax nor do they participate III It's
hrnciitS Mdnv refuse Ia paw the tax, snNing
that II j. taxation without representation. and
states Mar~hal- and thrown over the boundary
line into some adjoining State Ila Territory
Is governed wholly hy apIolntive officers WHO
GET their commissions from Washington The
only ScmblanC' oi home rule IA in Incorporated
towns where citizens elect town officers Out
sid. tho InCor'or1ie I'd towns there ara no public
SCHOOLS except such IN are maintained by vol
urfary contributions. The Territory has no
school fund The pcotla cannot vote for Prssi-
dent of the United States and have no repre-
sentative IN ton,reS-
This CONDITION Of affairs has made tho people
Of Indian Territory anxious 10 make almost
auy sacrifice To ESCAPE present Ills. Many ~
them believe that even II single statehood
should be impracticahle AZ this tine, there
would be an advantage in having Oklshona's
Territorial government and Laws extended
over Indian Territory. Tho convention hero
will rnd -rtake To outline n plan hy which 'ha
two Territories can b" amalTanated to -"
satisfaction OF Congress.