The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-05-26

AT ENID CONVENTIONS
On this anniversary OF the opening
Of the territory, the Democracy OF ok.
lahoma takes pleasure in recording
its genuine pride in the marvellous de
velopment and splendid achievement
which mas characterized the first thir-
teen years OF the history of the great
est territory this nation has ever Great
cd. In this short period the territory
has been transformed from the home
Of the COW and the coyote into the free
home of half million sturdy, intelli-
gent and progressive American citi-
zens, owning three hundred million
dollars worth Of available assets. Sure
ly such a people are entitled to Amer
lean heritage of self government. And
we here and now declare our firm con-
viction that we are entitled 10 the
rights, privileges and responsibilities
of American statehood.
Nor are we unmindful Of our breth.
ren Of the Indian territory Appre-
ciatipg their splendid capacity aud
wonderful resources and achieve
ments, we desire union with them in
order that jointly we may build up
the greatest OF the western states. We
therefore favor the admission into
the federal union of Oklahoma and
the Indian territory as a single state.
AnG in view OF the fact that Oklahoma
has a splendid land endowment for
its schools, we favor an adequate pro
vision for the people Of the Indian
territory, either in lands or other re-
sources, so that both territories may
be placed upon terms of equality in
the maintenance and support Of their
common schools.
Resolved, That we are unalterably
opposed to any encroachment upon
the magnificent endowment Of our pub
lie schools and colleges. And we rec
ommend that the final disposition of
the school and other lands of the ter
ritory be left to the people of the SOW
ereign state in constitutional conven-
tion assembled.
Resolved, That we condemn the
present school land board of the terri.
tory for its harsh, unjust and oppres-
sive administrator OF the school land
Office, and we pledge our party to pass
fair and equitable school land law,
just alike to the lessees and to the
people of the territory
We favor the early enactment of a
law by the federal congress granting
free homes to the residents of the new
country, and we denounce the action
of Delegate Flynn in excluding that
country from the recent free homes
act.
We favor immediate statehood
along the lines laid down in this plat.
form, in order that we may escape the
curse of carpet-bag government and in
order that the people may substitute
honesty, economy and efficiency for
extravaganza, dishonesty and spolia.
tion of the public, under which the
territory has been robbed and the un-
fortunate insane mistreated in order
to benefit a few favored Republican
grafters, and under which the people
of the new country have been burden
ed with extravaganza and extortion
in the administration of their local
affairs
We condemn the unpatriotic and un-
= just attempt of Delegate Flynn to de-
prive the new counties of Caddo, Co
manche and Kiowa from participation
: in the constitutional convention of
Oklahoma in the event Of its adfnis-
sion TO statehood.
We favor an organized county gov.
ernment for the people Of the Usage
nation.
We endorse the separate school law
enacted by the last legislative as
ssembly, in so far as 1t covers the
ground, and upon the creation OF a
new state we demand that the people
thereof shall be permitted to devise
: and fashion their own educational
= system without federal interference;
and although we favor equal educa-
/ tional privileges and facilities for
white and colored children, we are
; opposed to mixed schools.
+ We demand just and equitable leg
3 islative apportionment measure at the
q hands of the present congress. to the
a end that the thousands of voters In