Evening star., 1901-11-18
OKLAHOMA A STATE
That's What His People Want, Says
Governor Jenkins.
GROWTH HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL
Indian Territory is in Need Of Wise
Legislation.
AN INTERESTING REPORT

AN INTERESTING REPORT
The promise that a determined effort is
to be made to have Congress at the COM
ing session admit Oklahoma territory to
statehood makes the annual report of Gov.
William NJ Jenkins, given out by the In
terror Department today, of more than Or
binary interest. The report is interesting
throughout, showing, as it does, the mar
velous growth of the territory within a
little more than decade.
Here today is growing, progressive
American community of more than half
million of people," Governor Jenkins says,
successful in all lines of life work, with
schools and colleges and universities be-
yond those of half the states, with a code
of laws equal to those of any state; with
a taxable wealth sufficient to carry on all
of the functions and institutions Of self
government without burdening the people.
Who, then, can give any good reason why
all the rights and privileges of self-govern-
ment should not be accorded these people?
with population several times greater
than that of any territory ever admitted
to statehood, and greater than that of thir-
teen different states of the Uunion at this
time; with a taxable valuation greater
than that of any state of the Union at it's
admission; with a school population al
the states when granted self-government
with an area almost equal to that Of Ohio
and greater than that of thirteen other
states; with free school within easy dis
tance Of every home and higher college
or university education offered without
price to all Of the youth of the territory,
of whatever race or sex or condition; with
well-governed cities and counties and laws
enforced in every way; with Il people 96
per cent American born and all loyal and
patriotic citizens; with an annual produc-
600 bushels of corn, 10000 bales of cotton,
other agricultural products in proportion,
and herds that pass the million mark; with
financial record without stain of de-
fault or repudiation; with financial, COM
mercial and business growth equaled by no
other state or territory, is not Oklahoma
clearly entitled to admission to the sister
hood of states?
Reasons for Statehood.
''It is claimed by many that the condi-
tions are not right in the Indian territory
for statehood, and it is true that there
are conditions there which present a Sc
rious problem for the future, but they can
be worked out well, even better, I'M
der state government. True there is
land to tax at present, but the time Is rap
idly coming when there will be, and a care
full and very conservative estimate of the
property there that would be taxable before
statehood could be fully completed were an
enabling act passed this winter Is $250D0,-
OoO. which Is greater than the taxable
valuation of Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Cali
fornia, Oregon or Kansas at the time of
their admission, and % per cent greater
than the taxable valuation of Oklahoma
five years after it's organization as a terri
tory:
"The political situation in Oklahoma fas
been somewhat mixed at times although in
the twelve years of the territory's history
the republicans seem to have been in the
majority most of the time, and with the
exception Of the two years from 1896 to
1888 the territory has always been repre-
Sented by republican delegate in Con-
gress, and the first third and fifth legisla-
lures We're controlled by the republicans,
the second and sixth being controlled by
the republicans in one branch and the anti
republicans In the other, while the fourth
was almost unanimously anti-repubica1.
Neither the democrats nor populists have
ever carried the territory alone or con-
trolled either branch of the legislature.
Many misnformed people in the states
look upon Oklahoma the home of the
savage and scene of outlawry and barbar-
ism, when nothing can be further from the
truth. The people as a rule, intelli-
gent, cultivated and educated to a degree
beyond those Of the majority of the older
communities Social life has much the
same aspects as in the states, and yet there
is difference; for there are no distinctions
of caste or class to be found here.
"Oklahoma has been settled by re-
markably strong, self-reliant and energetic
people-the more active and enterprlsing
element from all the states-who brought
with them neither purse nor scrip settled
upon homesteads of 16O acres. each man
sisting Of but strong right arm and an
Intelligent mind, to build for himself a
home surrounded by the comforts and priv
ileges of a civilized life.
Progress Has Been Phenomenal.
"Our progress has been phenomenal, and
the wisdom of the homestead law, which
encourages the citizen to own his own
home and successfully employ his own
labor, has been fully demonstrated here
I'VE have here thoroughly democratic
community, where all have equal opportu-
mites for advancement and preferment
and where all are prosperous. We have
neither any very rich nor any pauper class,
sonably supplied with the comforts Of life
Every community has it's churches,
schools and social, political and fraternal
organizations, and our cities and towns
have the lecture and the theater and prac-
tically all the privileges of the older states.
The people of Oklahoma support more
churches in proportion to their population
than do three-fourthS of the states of the
Union.
"The population of Oklahoma territory in
1900 was 39S33l, as compared with 81, 1874 in
1880, representing an increase during the
decade of 1886, ,497, or 544.2 per cent. No
other state or territory In the Union ever
made so great a percentage of gain in
population In ten years. The population of
times
as large as it was in 1890. The total land
surface Of the territory is 3S,S3O miles. The
average number of persons to the square
mile at the census of 1880 was 1.6; in 1900,
1913
while the growth of Oklahoma in the
past has been most phenomenal, 1 believe
that the Increase Of population will be still
more rapid in the future. The fact that al
most million and quarter acres of land
were filed upon for homesteads In the va
rious organized counties during the
year would indicate an increase in popula-
tion, by the taking of these homestead
lands, of from $4,000 to 10000, and the
growth of the cities and towns and of rural
communities-as well as in the localities
where there was no homestead land-in ad-
dition to these, would indicate an increase
over the figures Of the 1900 census ,uffi-
cient to make the population at this time
fully 100000. and the opening of large
area Of Indian land to settlement within
the next sixty days will bring another great
influx of people, carrying the aggregate
population Of the territory to point in ex-