Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-27

the $50. 900 in tangible property now
possessed by the people of this territory Is
rot include the value of many thousands
of acres Of lands. the title TO which has
not yet passed from the government
These homesteads have built towns and
railroads, opened banks and coal mines.
created great mercantile businesses of all
description. In short, they have built up
a prosperous commonwealth now demand
ing of Congress the rights pertaining there
TO- or the 100000 people in the territory
100000 are children enrolled In the public
schools. These children are living testi-
mony to the permanence of population and
the sure foundation of the family unit.
VIII Add Another 100000.
The opening of the Kiowa reserve will
add 100000 in population to Oklahoma be-
fore statehood can be accomplished even
at the best. 1t will add 10000 farms to
the taxpaying property. The 5000 farms
which have been allotted to the Indians
are exempt from taxation for twenty-five
years to come, but the people of Oklahoma
have cheerfully undertaken the burden this
will impose because of the greater area
and wealth thus added to the territory
thus adding to the force of their claim for
statehood.
The opening of the reservation and the
rush thereto has diverted public attention
from the great demand which still pre-
walls for land in Oklahoma proper. In 1900
over 5000 applications for homesteads were
hled upon land in the western part of the
territory. This is probably as many as
will finally materialize In the reservation
just opened, and yet this western Okla
homa country has been obtainable all the
time. In earlier days it was classed as
uninhabitable, but the line of settlement
has pushed rapidly westward year by year
and the waving wheat has rolled across
the plain nearly to the Texas line. He is
bold prophet who dares say now that
this or that section of the United States is
to be forever uninhabitable.
Five Million Acres Left.
There are now thirty-three counties In
Oklahoma. and in sixteen of these coun-
ties every foot of land is occupied by set
tiers. There are still 100000 acres of
government domain left in the territory.
At the rate this is now being taken by
settlers there will not be a homestead left
in five years. The rush to the Kiowa reser-
walton will stimulate settlement through
out this entire section of country. Fifty
thousand people have signiied their de-
sire for the Indian land. Allowing that
half of these applications are speculative,
less than half of the genuine homeseekers
can be accommodated. There is still I'M
appropriated land in Oklahoma which is
as good some of that which will be
taken on the Indian reserve. The latter
has had the advantage of advertising and
of having been unattainable in the past.
On the reservation the INDIANS nave
naturally secured the best land-that is,
the bottom land along the flowing streams.
Many thousand acres have been reserved
by the government for Indian stock graz
ing forest reserves and such purposes.
The result of this system is that the set
tier now seeking farm finds himself
about in the same position as a man enter
ing a long-occupied country. With the ex-
ception of a few speculative possibilities
in the shape of town sites and choice To-
calities between Indian selections he must
take what is left. The man who is wise
will prefer good land where it can be irri-
gated than poor land where the rainfall is
alleged to be adequate. This is especially
true of the western half, where the annual
rainfall is only about % inches-an amount
which means heavy percentage of short
crops.
No Premium ON Honesty.
When the homesteader first took up land
in Oklahoma he agreed with the govern
ment that $1.25 per acre should be the
price of the land. The Industrious and
thrifty worked hard, saved their money
and paid the price. Others put off the
evil day, and the politicians came to the
rescue with the so-called free homes BILL"
which enabled the reputation of this in
debtedneSS. This was worth about $50
100000 to the farmers of Oklahoma who