The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-10-02

rule and self government.
DO they realize that these people
have no voice at all in National az
fai.1 and none in the election Of their
local rulers2 And that this means the
practical peonage Of these 100000
people? And that it also means
their shameless exploitation by the
foreign satraps, who are sent here to
rule over them? Sent here because OF
a personal pull, or dumped down here
to be gotten rid of by the administra-
ton, or to be paid for some political
service; or for any reason except &c
ness or the choice Of the people
Think of it. Here are these 100000
whilom American citizens, come from
every state in the union, where they
enjoyed every right and privilege o.
citizenship. educated IN all the duties
and responsibilities Of citizenship,
suddenly cut Off from every partici-
patton in and enjoyment Of both ma.
uonal and local government
Bat we have a delegate to congress.
Yes, we have a sort Of vermiform ap-
pendix to that body. neither useful
nor ornamental He has no vote. he
is not even a member Of congress. He
is a simple delegate, a messenger to
congress from the people who can
act only in the capacity of a mendi-
cant and who has about the came
consideration shown him that is us
ually accorded to beggars.
And we have a territorial legisla-
ture. too, body Of dependents,
which looks to congress for the vail
dation and ratification Of its acts,
with no independent power or func-
tion. And why so disfranchised and
cut OFF from all exercise and enjoy
ment Of the great rights and privileges
lat are popularly supposed to be-
long to all American citizens? Is It
for lack of numbers? There are one
fourth as many people here as there
were in the thirteen colonies at the
end of The war of independence.
/ Tn Sc territories. each, have vastly
more people than tae great majority
OF the states had when they were adj
mltted. Is it for lack of intelligence?
why. these people were your neigh
bors who LEFT the crowded conditions
OF the east, in order to find room for
their energies to expand in. Is it the
least intelligent or the lea-t enter
prising element that seeks out new
fields of effort and activity and pion-
GERS the way, through privation and
hardships, for future generations?
And are such people least entitled to
consideration?
Is it for lack of wealth or mater
ial interests? Let the mines of gold
silver, copper and lead, virgin forests
of valuable timber, quarries of onyx
granite and tufa, the flocks of sheep
and herds of cattle, covering a thous-
and hills and valleys, the waving al
falfa fields and the vast areas of
grain and tropical fruits and mowers
answer
Is it because Of the lack Of anything
in these people or the communities,
which they compose. that they are
thus robbed Of the common rights of
American citizen" and subjects to this
vile hisrule and tyranny?
viii put the cities of Phoenix, Tue
son. Prescott and Flagstaff and the
towns of Tempe and Mesa against any
six communities, OF like size, any
where in the United States, for intel
ligence, order thrift, enterprise. NOR
ality and every quality that goes to
make an up to date and desirable com
munity. These I have named, arc
not, suppose, better, in any particu
lar. than scores of other places, but
| mention these six because of my
personal knowledge OF them.
Do you realize what are the results
e of this age-past, dead and buried
!. medieval. barbarous and un Amer
/ lean misrule?
After a long, careful study of tn,
Y situation, and, after taking time 4
5 80 over it again and again, and re
wise and correct impressions and data
am prepared to say that. to call
government Of any kind that coul
n be included in any scheme, that is. II
S the remotest way, akin to the spiri
e or letter OF American institutions
d would be the broadest burlesquo lie
n us see. Less than ten per cent of IN
k taxable property in Arizona, at thi
6 time, bears the whole burden of tas
l. alton. And as might Well be SUI
a. posed it Is the poor who PRACTICAL
m 4 J.