Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-09-04

Indian Territory IncI.dedf- Poll
ties Figures LareeI, In the Case.
Important Both Parties.
Politicians in the national capital do
not lose sight of the fact that one new
and important state. possibly four, may
figure prominently in the campaign of
1901. writes the correspondent of the
Galveston News For this very reason
the recent opening of the Wichita and
the Kiowa, Comanche and Apache res
ervations to settlement has been
watched with no little interest.
Oklahoma. the territory which will
profit by this new citizenship, has for
some time been "A candidate for state
hood honors- Bills providing for her
admission We're introduced in the Eff
ty-sixth congress; but, ike 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 i'm
portance a state will be largely de-
termined by the settlement OF this
question.
The bill introduced by Senator Fair
banks in the last congress provided
that congress might in its discretion
attach the Indian Territory to Oklaho-
ma The people of the two territories
are considerably divided over the prop
osition. AS rule the people Of the In
dian Territory want to come in a
separate state. In Oklahoma there are
many who want separate statehood
and likewise many who desire one
state formed Of both territories. The
Fairbanks bill provided for immediate
statehood for Oklahoma. leaving 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 a very narrow mar
gin. unless the new population has ma
terially Increased the Republican
strength. This Is the feature of the re-
cent opening which most attracts the /
attention Of the politicians. 1t Is esti- /
mated that the new territory brings in
this number halls from the older set
tied sections of Oklahoma and Indian
Territory The remaining $4,000 may
be divided as follows: From Kansas.
10000: $1,000 from Texas and the re-
naming 1900 from the rest OF the
country. Missouri. Arkansas, Iowa and
Neraska leading In supplying this lat
ter number.
On the hypothesis that $4,000 Of the
settlers We're from Oklahoma and the
Indian Territory 1t might appear TO
some that there are only $1,000 new
people in Oklahoma as result or the
opening of the new country, but as II
Is clear that new population must take
the places of the homesteaders IL Is
safe to assume that Okla homa Is about
100000 more populous than when the
census was taken last June, making
her approximate population at this
time about 500, 900. As to the division
Of the new population politically. that
is difficult to determine, but investiga-
ton suggests that it is closely divided
between the Two great parties. with
goodly bunch of Kansas Populists
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 will be Repub-
Iican state If admitted as separate
state is reasonable. and this fact Is
potent argument with Republican
congress to admit her separately. since
the Indian Territory is strongly Demo
cratic and would possibly overwhelm
the Republican margin of Oklahoma
should the one state idea be adopted by
congress.
AT any rate. if the Fairbanks bill is
enacted the election Of 1902 will show
lust how strongly Oklahoma Is Repub-
iican on account of the new population.
and IL the figures look encoura ging the
Indian Territory can be attached in
time for the election OF 1904 Ii the
campaign of 1904 should find the two
territories in as one state. it would be
a state of a million people. with sew
en- votes In the electoral college 1t is
easy TO see it might cut an important
figure in the presidential campaign II
the contest should be close
Arizona and New Mexico. too. are
still cIamoring for statehood. Arizona.
according to the new census. has a pop
uiation of less than $4,000. while New
Mexico is still under 100000. New
Mexico is now represented by Re
nublican delegate but the Democrats
are numerous enough TO carry the terri
tory most of the time Arizona is still
Democratic and would probably re-
main so even if statehood should be
granted at the hands of a Republican
administration.
III oklahoma should be admitted as
separate state and Arizona and New
Mexico should also be admitted. the
chances are, in the absence OF an ad-
verse tidal wave. that Oklahoma and
Nnrr Naxicn unl,Id add eight electoral