The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-09-12
Ne v STATES
MAY ENTER
Island Possessions
Not on the
List.
PROSPECTS IN THE
NEXT CONGRESS
Oklahoma. Arizona, New Mexico
and Indian Territory May
Enter the Union Soon.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Aug. 30
Politicians here do not lose sight of the
fact that one new and important state
possibly four. may figure prominently
in the campaign of 1904. For this very
reason, the recent opening of the
Wichita and the Kiowa Cornanche and
Apache reservations to settlement has
been watched with no little interest.
Oklahoma, the territory which will
profit by this new citizenship, has for
some time been candidate for State
hood honors. Bills providing for her
admission were introduced in the Fiji
ty-sixth Congress, but like many other.
measures of Importance, failed of con-
sideration for lack of time There is
every prospect that the Fifty-seventh
Congress will provide for her admission
with reasonable promptness. The only
really doubtful question involved is
whether Oklahoma shall be admitted
with her present. territorial area, or in
clude the Indian Territory Her irnpor-
termined by the settlement of this ques-
ton.
The bill introduced by Senator Fair
banks in the last Congress provided that
Congress might in its discretion attach
the Indian Territory to Oklahoma. The
people of the two territories are consid-
erably divided over the proposition. AS
a rule, the people of the Indian Terri
tory want to come in as a separate
State. In Oklahoma there are many
who want separate Statehood, and
likewise many who desire one State
formed of both territories. The Fair
banks bill provided for immediate
Statehood for Oklahoma, feaving it to
Congress to determine what shall be
done with the Indian Territory when
the work of the Dawes Commission is
finished and admission is applied for
Naturally. politics figures largely in
the case. At present Oklahoma is Re
publican, but by very narrow mar
gin, unless the new population has ma
teriaHy increased the Republican
cent opening which most attracts the
attention of the politicians. 1t is es-
timated that the new territory brings
In 100000 additional population. Half
of this number halls from the older
settled sections of Oklahoma and Indian
Territory. The remaining $4,000 may
be divided as follows: From Kansas,
10000; $4,000 from Texas, and the re-
naming $4,000 from the rest of the
country, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa and
Nebraska leading in supplying this lat
ter number.
On the hypothesis that $4,000 of the
settlers were from Oklahoma and the
Indian Territory, it might appear to
some that there are only $4,000 new
people in Oklahoma, as result Of the
opening of the new country; but as ii is
clesr that new population must take
the places of the homesteaders, IT is
safe to assume that Oklahoma is about
100. 900 more populous that when the
census was taken last June, making her
approximate population at this time
about SOC, O00 As TO the division of the
new population politically, that is diff
f1cult to determine, but investigation
SUGGESTS IIdt IL - SAOSCAS aAN-NACO
tween the two great parties, with
goodly bunch of Kansas Popullsts
thrown in to make matters interesting
Probably the Republicans have the
best of the deal by possibly as many
as 1000 votes. The claim of Delegate
Flynn that Oklahoma viii be Re
publican State if admitted as separate
state is reasonable, and this fact is a |
notent argument with a Republican I
Congress to admit her separately. since /
the Indian Territory is strongly Demo-
cratic and would possibly overwheim
the Republican margin of Okiahonla
sbo,,ld the one State idea be adopted
by Congress.
At any rate. if the Fairbanks blii IS
anaotea the election of 1902 will snow /
i,et how strongly Oklahoma is Repuo- |
Jican on account of the new population i
and il the figures look encouraging, tle
Indian Territory can be attached IN .
time for the election of 1904 IL the
campaign of 1904 should ma the w
Territories in as one state, 1t ~ouiu
be a state of a million people, Win
seven votes in the Electoral Coiiese -
is easv to see il might cut an Important
figure In the Presidential campaign
the contest should be close.
Arizona and New Mexico, TOO arc
still clamoring for Statehood Arizona
according to the new census, mas
nonuIa ton of less than $4,000 WINE
New Mexico is still under 21p,9oe- ~"
adexfeo is now represented by re
publican Delegate, but the Democrats
are numerous enough to carry tie