The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-11-19
GOVERNOR JENKINS REPORT.
Pleads for Eearly Statehood Either
Single or Double-indian Territory.

Pleads for Ecarly Statehood Either
Single or Doube-indian Territory.
From the annual report OF Govan-
or Jenkins OF Oklahoma to the Sccre-
tary OF the Interior. we clip the iol-
lowing as pertains TO the Indian Ter
ritory:,
And il it be that the lawmakcr. OF
the nation decide that Oklahoma and
Indian Territory shall De admitted
only as one state. how much strolg-
er Is our claim Tor immediate rccog-
milton?
For the Indian Territory has a
population almost equal TO that of Ok
lahoma. and combined the state
would have a population exceeding
a million. or about eighteen times
the average population of the states
of Vermont. Kentucky Tennessee
ohio. Louisiana. Indiana. Mississippi.
Illinois, Alabama. Missouri. Az.
kansas. Michigan Florida Iowa.
Wisconsin. California. Minnesota ore
gon, Kansas. Nevada. Nebraska or
Colorado when admitted as states.
1T is claimed by many that the
conditions are not right in the Indian
Territory for statehood. and it Is true
that there are conditions there which
present serious problem for the fu
ture, but they can be worked out as
well, or even better. under state gov
ernment.
Affairs in the Indian Territory are
somewhat chaotic. 1t is a question "a
legislation and not OF administration
which presents itself. The adminis,ra-
tion, under the present laws and con
ditions, must necessarily move slow
ly. There are too many questions TO
consider and difficult problems 10
solve for the executive department Of
the government TO be charged with
the responsibility of solving them al
long range, and it is practically impos.
aible for these questions ever tn he
satisfactorily solved until representa-
tives Of these people who are respon-
sible to the people and community di-
rectly, are elected to congress with
the responsibility of working out
these difficult problems. The Indian
Territory situation is without pr6ce-
dent in this country. Whether the leg.
islation so far has been the best pos
sible for the Territory or not time
alone will tell
AS before stated, what the Indian
Territory most needs is wise legisla.
tion, which will lay the foundation
OF an American community with prop.
er provisions for schools. churches.
convenient highways. and the eXer.
else OF political rights and Individual
responsibility. They now have courts.
but they operate under different
code of laws from Oklahoma. and
rights and precedents are growing mn
which, in the future. will lead 10 con.
fusion. Up TO the present time. silce
the organization of Oklahoma. there
has been practically no intercommu.
nication or systematic cooperation
between the two Territories. II they
are TO become one state. as the geog.
raphy and natural conditions all
seem to Indicate then the present
condition should not continue longer
but provisions to bring them under
like laws. should be made by congress
at once giving TO the people them.
selves the opportunity to work out
these social and political problems,
and when that is done / have no fears
but what they will be solved in har-
mony with the most practical Amer
lean ideas"