The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-10-29
sINeLe STATEHOOD AReuMgNr.
An Indian Territory Mans Argument
For One Commonwealth.

For one CommonWe attn.
vlnita. I. r., oct, 29.-w. S. Ma
ioney OF Blue Jacket, claims to be the
FIRST man in this part Of Indian terri
tory to advocate single statehood. In
public, letter few days ago he
said.
Two gears ago wrote an article
advocating single statehood, and it was
copied by some Of the territory papers.
yet everybody in this part Of the coun-
try was opposed TO the view took on
the subject w E. Halsell Gays the
Oklahoma Indebtedness is what he Oh
iects to. Now, in my view this is the
only logical argument to be advanced
Yet while we admit that Oklahoma
has a territorial Indebtedness, which,
of cou Sc, would become The Indebted
ness OF the new state, yet while we
take into consideration that Oklaho-
ma is a fne new country. AMI has at
this time most Of the Institutions OF
state, such as the university, normal
school, colored high school, The asylum
and state buildings of other kinds,
anu that most Of all the land now IN
Oklahoma is taxable, it is easy to see
that she would pay the most Of the
taxes
Indian territory is too small to
make healthy state. as taxation
would be too high We will suppose
that congress should make a state out
Of Indian territory, with most all, If
not all, of it's lands non-taxable, what
would be the rate Of taxation? Would
III not be almost prohibitive?
/ 1--WE, the people of the Indian ter
ritory, and especially the property
holders, should look ahead at these
things and not allow ourselves to be
come bankrupt when we can easily
prevent it. Any one knows that it
would cost as much to build all the in
stitutions necessary for each state as
it would for both combined. TIE peo-
pie Of the Indian territory would not
have to pay the local debts Ct Okla
homa. but only the state debts, and
only our proportional part of them as
per Variation by assessment We
would have our school districts, town
ships and counties al to ourselves,
and this is good enough for anyone,
unless it be some aspiring politician
who thinks he could be elected to some
state office.
''Now, of course the more states the
more offices, but to the majority of Us
our expectations do not run .nat high.
The facts are these. politics should not
be considered in this statehood talk
This is a business question end the
business men and tax payers general.
ly should so consider it, for they are
the ones who will pay the bills; they
are the ones who are bone ana blood
Of the body poHtic, and scheming poll
ticians should be relegated TO the rear.
"Now some more facts Botn of the
twin territories combined are not rs
large as the state OF Missouri in area,
and why should we be made two mere
pigmy puny states and be surrounded
by such great states as Texas, Kan
sas, Missouri, and Arkansas? We do
not want any Rhode Island m Della
ware out West, but give us large,
healthy state where a majority of the
people will not be office holders, but
good, steady business men and farm
ers. Bear in mind that no ttate las
ever been enlarged after once admit
ted into the Union by congress.
'Now, let us lay aside all rfeiu6ice
and partisanism and take a business
view of this matter. and all ovoeate
siugle statehood and ask congress TO
admit the twin territories into the
Union next winter as one state, and
then the new state would soon become
one OF the richest and most progress
i've of any of the states, and | can not
see any logical reason why this shoul1
not be done"