The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-01-27
WAY THIS LETHAReYa

w ANh Al1 AhhohN11t nihhtt atdNt
hood convention adjourned and The
delegates returned to their homes. a
Shout went up an over Oklahoma and
the Indian territory over the fact that
the work Of uniting the two splendid
territories into one grand common
wealth had beer given so auspicious
a beginning. says the Oklahoman.
This convention was the most rep
resentative one eve= held in either ter
ritory; was better attended and It's
work fraught with groNter import
ance The people rejoiced that after
many long years Of waiting, a move
ment participated in equally by citi-
zens of both territories, had been
finally started which was designed to
.eventuate in the union Of Oklahoma
and The Indian territory in statehood
II dskogee convention selected
a delegation Of three, in each terri.
tory to go to Washington this winter
and work for the union; appointed an
excellent committee which later adop
ted plans for raising fumes to defray
the expenses Of the delegations. That
was three months ago.
What has been done?
The spectacle Of the cause of sin
gle statehood being buffeted around
from pillar to post at Washington
with scarcely any one, to befriend or
defend it, suggests an answer more
eloquent than words can tell.
Tom DoJe is the only Oklahoman
on the scene advocating single state
mood and Judge Bradford, the only
one from the Indian territory.
Arrayed against it are all the
henchmen aud political srafters
whom Flynn ca rake and scrape to-
gother after the application Of fine
tooth comb in Oklahoma.
/ It is sheer nonsense to assert that
+ the Mu-kogee convention was not
representative, or failed 70 voice the
sentiment of the people of both terri
tories. The Muskogee convention
represented every quarter OF the In.
dian territory. with the exception of
The quarter section on which South
McAlester is located. and all Oklaho-
ma with the possible exception OF
two or three counties through which
the Rock Island passes. The demand
for single statehood is therefore as
unanimous as any question ever pre-
sented to The people
But with all this overtowering
unanimity OF sentiment, it begins to
look like the win Of the people will
be shamefully defeated.
And why?
Because the friends Of single state
hood are doing practically nothing.
They are standing idly by and seeing
their days of grace s ip away-some
because they fancy congress will not
listen to so astounding a proposition
as double statehood in the light OF
the sentiment expressed upon mum
Derless occasions, and some (Repub-
lican Office seekers) because they
dare not voice their homes, sentiment
lest they incur the di diepleasure Of the
Great Joss Of the Pantry. Fiynn, and
thereby. sacrifice their chances to
gather crumbs from his table.
The situation is a serious one. 1t
demands immediate attention.
The ceyeral statehood bills before
are yet to have a hearing
before the senate committee. There
are enough friends Of the cause of
single statehood in Oklahoma TO pro .
vide an abundance Of funds for prop
erly presenting the case TO this com
mittee If each man would subscribe
the sum of ten cents. II all other
means fail 20 meet the exigences OF .
the situation. the Oklahoman is in
favor Of calling a mass convention.
selecting a body Of representative men
and sending them TO Washington with
sufficient funds to defray the expen-
ses until Il is safe to leave the matter
to congress. II this plan is not feast
Bile let the commercial organizations
Of the several cities each select a man
to go to Washington and the several .
selected go IN a body
before senate committee, and even
over TO the White house. il necessary. .
In any event something must be
done, and It is time to be about It.
pri-,- Tro,,,.,. A. ...,,,t.,- 4t.t 49,