The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-06
PAEkE7'S
s HAIR BALSEks
s Cle-nsez and bcaEtiiIss he h-z-
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s.lE Never Tai1S TO Ees.c-e Cray
~ EEi- TO its Youthful Color
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Dc and llts a. D. y-iss


second-Because it is right that con-
gress ought not TO deny 10 million
free and intelligent citizens.
Third-Because both territories are
ready for state hood.
Fourth-Because congress has the legal
right TO grant statehood. not only to
Oklahoma, but also to the Indian Terri
tory
Thomas vs.. Gay. L. S. 764.
F'ifth-Because both territories have
the necessary population. each having
about 10000. 80 per cent of whom are
American citizens.
sixth-Because both territories have
the soil, resources and climate to sus.
tain this population and insure large
and steady increase.
Seventh-BeoaUse both have sufficient
taxable property TO support state gov
ernment without excessive taxation.
Eighth-Because the work of the Dawes
commission has been so nearly completed
as tc no longer interfere with irnmedi-
ate statehood That commission has
concluded treaties with all the Indian
tribes providing foN the allotment in
the sale OF all except the homestead.
These allotments will probably be COM
pleted BY the time a state government
can be organized. The lands Of the Creek
and Seminole nations have all ben allot-
ted. In the Cherokee, Choctaw, and the
Chickasaw nations the lands have all
been surveyed and classified and the
work of allotment is now simply clerical
and should be completed within twelve
months. After allotment these lands are
subject to taxation excepting the home
steads, which aggregate less than 25
per cent of the total. The mineral and
asphalt lands of the Choctaw and Chick
asaw nations are to be sold by the sec
retary of the interior and as soon as
sold will of course be taxable Ii there
fore is beyond controversy that the
work of the Dawes commission no longer
interferes with statehood. and there is
an abundance OF taxable property.
Ninth-Congress can reserve such
power over Indian affairs as if desires.
and statehood viii in no way interfere
with the free action Of the interior de-
partment in carrying out all the treat
les between the government and the
several tribes. In this opinion we are
supported by a recent holding of Judge
Hosea Townsend of the southern dis
trict of the Indian Territory.
favor the creation CT a school fund
for the Indian Territory. Congress is
bound by precedent and principle to do
this. 1t can be done by purchasing a
portion of the coal lands which are al
ready ordered sold by the existing treat
les. or. if congress prefer, it can pur-
chase the excess lands of the Choctaws
and Chickasaws, made subject to sale
by the recent treaties. and donate 10
the state these for school purposes. In
this connection we call the attention of
congress to the fact that congress has
heretofore uniformity donated school
lands to new states. In Oklahoma these
school lands were bought from the Indi-
ans and we now simply ask congress TO
follow that precedent in creating the last
state TO be organized out of the Louisi-
ana purchase.
The foregoing resolutions express cur
firm conviction relative to the situation
but if congress is doubtful about our
being prepared for immediate statehood.
hen we ask that the boundaries Of Ok
ahoma be extended around the Indian
. erritory and that another delegate be
provided for who shall be selected from
The area now embraced within that ter I
-itory. !
1t is in accordance with the spirit OF
American institutions that the people
Who are to constitute a state should be
consulted relative to its boundaries. and
T congress has any doubt about the de-
sire Of the people Of these territories
or single statehood. then we request
nat congress submit that issue to the
people of both territories at special
election called for that purpose alone.
Finally and emphatically, we assert
hat the statehood question IS not one
# politics, but that it is a business. So
'ial and economic question in which our
7eople are most profoundly interested.
ven to the remotest generations and
ve do most solemnly protest against any
tatement Of this question based on po-
itical advantage. partisan greed or To-
al selashness.