The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-12-25
SOME VIEWS AT WASHINGTON

Washington December s1.-GStaf Coyresbonderee)-
The nresen congress will be asked TO give eonsderaoe
amount Of attention to the Indian and Oklahoma
r the purpose of deciding their status in the future
, ~ present IL is little difficult say accurately what
the people of the Territories rather the majority Oh
the people would like to have done On one hand there
seems TO be element which wants each Territory MADE
into State while the other side the advocates OF
single Stahoodhat is the making of State out of the
two Territories Then, perhaps there are some who
are willing allow the situation to remain as it is at pres
emit The principal contention, however seems to be be-
tween the two first named representatives of both
which will be here during the winter Tor the purpose OF
pushing their respective claims.
Representative McRae of Arkansas has introduced
single Statehood bill which asks that both Territories be
made into the State of Oklahoma 1t is provided that moth
ing in the proposed law shall be construed to impair any OF
the present rights of the Indian tribes to affect the au
thority OF the government make regulations laws
rardng the Indians and their lands.
The bill further provides that convention of delegates
chosen by the qualified the Territories shall be
held at South McAester The delegates to be Iao in
number and are to appooned according to population
among several counties of the proposed State by the
commission. The election of the delegates is to
occur the second Tuesday in November, 1902 At the
proposed convention constitution and State government
are to be formed along certain conventional lines laid down
the bill and later be submitted TO the people for
ratification or rejection If the action is favorable the pro-
posed State be deemed admitted by congress into the
Union and the issuance of proclamation by the presi-
dent to footing equal in every way that of
the other States.
Until the next general taken, until other
wise provided by law the proposed State to have FIVE
representatives for each sSo4 of the 7oozos total
population of the Territories Certain lands within the
borders the proposed State be granted the State
for the support of the schools the Uni
versiy OF Oklahoma the Territorial normal school and
agricultural and mechanical college. Certain lands to
also be reserved for the erection of State penenary
form school capitol building and insane asylum. The entire
State admitted constitute judicial district The
convention provide for the election of State officers
There is believe that those who favor single
Statehood the majority but the present time it is
impossible to do anything than the probable
result OF the efforts which will be made decide the future
status OF the Territories.
The question of irrigation will doubt be given an I'M
usual amount OF attention during the present The
in which the subject handled by the president
in his has of had the effect of causing
than ordinary interest be manifested by republicans
especially by those who represent districts Mis-
sissippi At present all of the bills bearing on the subject
which have been heretofore introduced the hands Of
committee of senator's, representatives and delegates
which appointed by convention of congressman held
IN Cheyenne, Wyoming last summer This committee will
draft general bill providing for the reclamation of arid
lands and has taken the bill introduced by Senator
bTough OF North Dakota basis which to work The
general bill will probably be ready for introduction imme
dlatey after the holiday 1t viii take place of
all OF the other bills when the irrigation committees OF the
TWO houses begin the consideration OF the matter
While there considerable amount of disagreement as
several features of the proposed movement most of those
interested be OF the opinion that it is the prooer
thing to support the proposition aside the proceeds of
sales of public lands in the arid for the purpose of
irrigation said proceeds used to create an arid land
reclamation fund which shall be made more or less per
petua by having returned the proceeds of the sale of
irrigated lands after the irrigation works shall have been
constructed
X 3
he point which appears IN he y1des,
terence of opinion is the question of whether the National
or State shall have of the expenditures
on the proposed works 1t possible that the members of
the special committee will be able to agree on this subject
but the time not easy to say which side
will get the best OF the contest
The proposed work will enormous sums Of money
and there is liable to be general opposition on that
However the president the secretary of the interior and
the secretary OF agriculture all as avorng the
reclamation of the arid lands it not impossible tba,
uncent amount OF strength to pass any and all irrigation
measures may be developed There is no doubt though
that even the members of the presidents own party do ~
all 20 so far to think with him that the reclamation 90
arid lands should be placed on the same plane ne ,h -
OF the navgabe rivers and harbors of the
try In fact there believe that no pIan oo
10 he joining OF the two issues will receive anything like
general support Chairman Burton of the house rivers and
haroors committee thought be sverse to any such na
ana many other republicans known 10 view the matt,
IN the same light However if the initial anpronri,,
asked for not too large is possible that some sort of
s.aaton measure may be gotten through great MANY
details must be settled though even before the rough d
OF general bill is agreed on.
me members OF the Texas delegation have had a I,r.
uOer oil requests for bulletin No 1874 of the geological
survey lately issued and entitled "Oi and Gas Field -
the Western Interior and Northern Texas Coal Measr.
ana OF the Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary Of III. Wt.
'"' coast The bulletin is by George Adams and con.
aus d considerable amount OF useful information regard
ing the matters named, The fact that the buII,,; :;
uOe document has made it impossible for the
ives 10 aeeede to requests for it, but it is thought tina, a.
''ooem may be solved by concurrent resolution bit
'sen 0Hered by Mr. Slayden of the Twelfth Texas dis
ret and which provides that 1000 extra copi.s f u's
nsn' be printed for distribution by members
= II
senator Flatt of New York proposes to spnal,, ~.