The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-11-18

Colonel Roy " Hoffman delivered al
the Muskogee statehood convention
las week we're masterpiece Of oratory
and cioquence and are reproduced in
the columns OF the Leader NJ. West
said:
ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
Mr.. west introduced. who mad,
The following address of welcome;
Mr.. Chairman Visitors from Oklahoma
and Fellow citizens.
j hope nobody in this audience knows
what ] am about 60 say never like my
audience to know about what am golne
%a-fsy than do myself, and pledge you
my word I havn't the faintest idea OF what
I am going TO say.
As I understand it. this Is a convention
with regard TO a future state, and from a
glance over the audience ! Will not at
tempt to say what is to be your future
state
In regard to the matter OF welcoming
this august and Impressive assemblage,
which J feel the honor. yet l feel also the
burden Of duty which rests upon me, TO
properly acqult myself OF such "A task. The
fact is. I am simply here as a substitute.
A very distinguished citizen of our town,
who Is also a member of this gathering
when spoken 20 about delivering the ad-
dress of welcome TO this assemhlagc de-
clined on the ground that ne had welcom-
come TO Muskogcc, and ] feel very much
like one woman I heard Of that made a
practice Of combing her hair once a week.
Size said she ala not understand how some
people could comb their hair every day,
for once a week nearly killed her
There are questions OF the graNest issue
20 come before this body. There are ques-
tiOna OF policy. questions uf Interest," Ques-
tions which have TO do with our future
hopes future greatness. but 1t is not for
me TO speak OF that. These matters VIII
be resolved and settled in the deliberations
OF your body. IL Is simply for me TO eN-
tend 10 YOU the hand Of welcome 10 our
hearths and fires.des TO our town, and TO
our homes on behalf of the good citizens
or Muskcgcc.
There has been good deal OF talk as
10 whether we would break into oklahoma
or whether Oklahoma would break into
the Indian Territory. II does not make
a particle OF difference which horn Of the
dilemma you take. What we are after Is
10 create one great glorious state here
which shall De the peer or an states; one
In purpose. one IN aim, and one with a
common destiny Not as was said before
the birth OF Jacob and Esau that the
younger shall rule the older or the older
the younger, but as common equals.
Friends ana fellow citizens there Is
simply this that / wish TO impress upon
your minds. that this assemblago in its de-
nherations Is Ia be free from the grosser.
sordid views, and IL 10 remember that
there are interests that are conflicting
ment that the whole end ana aim OF life
IS not our own individual aggrandize-
ncnt OF our own individual aims. nor Is
whole OF NE measured by the standard
OF the almighty dollar.
1 have a little story that | have told In
Muskogee many times. but as there are
a good many strangers, viii spring II
here
There was a young man down in Ala
hama who was a bachelor. and / want Il
underst ood that In taking part in this con-
vention, and In speaking Of single state
hood. ! do not want Il understood that /
am expressing any sympathy for bache-
iors. The young fellow was counting two
girls. and went 90 an old man. and this
old man was a bachelor himself, and OF
course he could follow the advice OF this
old bachelor. lie told him that he could
not make out which one Of the girls he
wanted TO marry; that each possessed
claims that were equal, young. pretty etc.
The old bachelor In questioning him,
wormed out the fact that one Of the girls
had COW and calf, ana that the other
possessed nothing, and he said, young man
marry the one that owns tho cow and
calf-there's not cav ana calf's differ
ted States.
have to say though gentlemen. that
see IN this audience few Of the gentlef
sex, and I am sorry that there Is not more
room for them. and that there are not
more present. ! believe that any conven.
tion, or assemblagc must lose something
of It's finer favor, fan somewhat short
Of lis nohlest purposes and fail OF its
highest pride unless gracod by those part
ners OF our bosoms-the sharers OF our
hearts. of our Joys and our sorrows \
have 20 say that on behalf OF the
citizens of Muskogte, that / extend 10 YOU
cordial welcome, iu every sense that
the word comes to us ! have the phophesy
10 make. When you have gone away from
here. u you do not say that the actual
welcome which the people of this city ac-
cords you o. not as far superior TO this
address OF welcome ais The blazing sun Is
"a this incandescent light. then / viii
never make another address of welcome.
either IN Muskogee, or anywhere else.
We welcome you 10 our home and city.
We nave to say 90 YOU that we offrr TO
you what has been offered an So many 9TH
er occasions here ana elsewhere the key
TO the city and We oIcr " with this
qualifying clause. IL is the latch key. n
Il were not suppose "a good many of YOU
would not have any use Tor IT,
Gentlemen a. the convention join with
you IN hoping Tor the greatest and best
result ever achieved by any gathering in
the indian Territory, and / hope you will
carry away from this city such pleasant
predictions, such clear remembrance of
the times you have enjoyed here that YOU
VIII join On the sentiment. and feel thai IA /
is sweet 20 he here.
COLONEL EOFFMAN's ADDRESS.
Mr. Chairman aud Gentlemen . thank YOU
ccegates here assembled return htnrt- I
ltit thanks 90 the hospitable city OF Mus.
koscci
100 tbc apportionmtut OF delegates 20 this .
convention Lincoln county was given the /
largest OF any oklahoma county TINS T.
may he due in part to its lead in popula- /
tion. which only one other Oklahoma coun- I
~ could successfully contest. or ID may {
De- due 10 the tact that Lincoln county E
- tte geographical ond material as Wsll /
os the spiritual heart ana center of thar I
domain which is destined under the Pro-
violence OF Goo 90 become thc future state 4
al Oklahoma
make ths assertion broadly and CON .
ndenuy. Tor in Oklahoma there are few
who DO not wish Ger single statehood with .
the Indian Territory fewer SIM who d8 +
not honestly believe that no matter how
they ietl about a. Is viii come 40 pass /
] may say. indeed, speaking the sentiments T
~ our delegation and OF the people whom
We have the honor 20 represent. that in
tac good county of Lincoln whore We have
po federal officers except postmasters ana
no patronage pie and consequently are
unbiased lu making our uuluinu Ne nrr