The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-08-17
Mr.. CURTIS
OF KANSAS
HAS A PLAN
For the Establishment of
Statehood in Oklahoma.
WOULD ATTACH INDIANS
To Oklahoma Under Local
County Government.

! Washington. D. C, Aug. 1s.-There
seems to be a unanimity of sentiment
among members of congress and senator's
arriving in the city in regard TO the
admission Of Oklahoma into the union
at the next session Of congress But one
question provokes division of opinion, and
/ that is the manner in which the adrnis-
! sion shall occur.
! Many men who have already given the
1 question careful thought and study are
/ IN favor Of admitting Oklahoma Terri
4 tory and adding thereto the Indian Ter
ritory as a county, which shall be alb
sorbed by the state as rapidly as the
tribal forms of government in the latter
/ territory become extinct. Others argue in
now and the absorption of the Indian
territory later, in the event it is found
desirable and expedient when the tribal
forms Of government caese to exist.
The latter plan, however has but few
( advocates. and is based largely upon
political grounds. Oklahoma at present
is Republican. though its political com
plexiOn in the event Of statehood, would
be doubtful. The Indian Territory it is
admitted, is Overwhelmingly Democratic,
and if the latter territory should be add
ed TO Oklahoma, and the rgiht Of suffrage
extended to its people, it would give the
Democratic party a large majority. It
is, therefore, argued that Oklahoma
should be admitted separately. This
view is entertained, however, by the
most extreme politicians
Representative Curtis Of Kansas. who
was recently in Washington, and who, by
reason of his knowledge Of affairs in
the two territories, and his position in
the house, viii have much to say about
the manner in which admission shall oc-
cur was asked what plan he thought
would be adopted by congress, and
whether admission could be secured at
the coming session.
i think it very probable that Oklahoma
VIII be admitted as q state before the
adjournment of the next congress-, he
replied. 'As to the manner of admission
that is a qeustion yet tobe decided. Ny
own opinion is that Oklahoma should be
admitted with the Indian Territory an
nexed thereto as q county, to be absorb
ed by the state as fast as the conditions
In the various Indian nations viii per-
nit It is useless to say that the Indian
Territory is 100 large Tor a single county !
when the tribal forms of government are |
abolished and the people of the territory
are prepared to share the responsibilities !
pertaining TO state government. This /
could be easily arranged. AS fast as the I
tribal forms of government become ex-
tinct a new county could be created, or /
several counties, as the necessities of I
the case might require, which would be- !
come a part Oh the state and the people !
therein given the full right of citizen /
ship. In the meantime the national gov /
ernment would continue to exercise the /
same supervision over the five civilized /
tribes that it does NOW and has for |
years over the reservations in the states. |
The plan is entirely feasible, and be-
lieVe, viii be adopted
II this plan should be agreed upon, as
it now seems probable it will, Indian |
Territory must remain in its present con-
diton for at least four years yet. At
the expiration of that time, the lirnita-
tion for the existence of the Choctaw and /
Chickasaw nations viii have arrived and |
their tribal forms OF government will /
have become extinct. II the work Of the
Dawes commission in these two nations
has been completed, they would then be
in shape for absorption by Oklahoma as
part Of the state. Then would follow
the Seminole nation and then the Creeks
and Cherokees.
oklahoma and Indian Territory com
hined would have a population Of over
S}8.e0 Inhabitants. and would occupy the
twentieth position among the states of
the union, from the standpoint of pop
ulation; in wealth and natural resources
ii would be exceeded by only ten states
in the union. Oklahoma already produces
more agricultural products I'm proportion
tn the number Of sQuare miles than any
of the forty-five states. The lands &C
the Indian Territory are equally fertile
and rich. while I naddition the latter
trritcry possesses some of the richest
coal fields to he found anywhere in the
country, and oil, asphalt and other min
erals. according 70 the geographical re-
ports. are 10 be found in the Choctaw
and Cherokee nations IN large quantities
Considered from the standpoint OF pop
ulation natural wealth and diversified
Industries. the two territories combined
would make state far superior to any
admitted into the union in the last twen-
~ years. and exceeded by but few Of
thn older states