The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-03-04
JUDGE BRADFORD RETURNS
SINGLE STATEHOOD ADVOCATE
TALKS INTERESTINGLY.
A Brief Account Of the Work Done
and the Conditions That Now Pre-.
vail in Washington in Regard
TO Indian Territory.

Judge S. b. Bradford, who represent
ed the Indian Territory before cor
gress in the interest of single state
hood for the two Territories, has re-
turned and when approached by re-
porter, said:
Il will give you as nearly as | can
the conditions as | left them at Wash
ington. To tell what was done during
our stay would consume too much OF
your space. may say however that we
were not asleep, and the members Of
congress will say that the true condi.
tions of Indian Territory were never
so thoroughly exploited before.
THE conditions in Oklahoma have
been presented from day to day for
years. Oklahoma is an organized gov
ernment and has official machinery for
gathering information. While we have
from time to time presented to con
gressional committees volumes of in.
formation yet they came from unofll'
cial sources and their force was lost.
As one congressman said to me. we
did not feel like telling you so. but we
thought you were "romancing." Ok
lahoma has some wonders. but con
sidering the fact that everything has
been placed in the way of advance
ment in the Territory we have accom-
plished as much as they. think | may
say more.
Congress is now fully aware tina;
we have about 100000 people and that
We are without organized government
and that something is due to the peo
pie as a matter of right Oklahoma has
made clear case of readiness for
statehood. The Indian Territory has
made a clear case except one thing
II the lands of the five tribes were al
lotted the necessary legislation to
make one State would be passed in less
than ninety days. Mr.. Flynn's bill, pro.
viding for statehood for oklahoma
contains a provision that his
constitutional convention shall pas
an ordinance irrepealable Civ
ing the consent OF Oklahoma that
the Indian Territory may be added in
part OF as a whole when the lands OF
the Ave tribes are allotted In fact
Mr. Flynn cannot pass a bill through
the committee even of which he is a
member. without, in some way provid.
ing for the Indian Territory offer.
ed a fair compromise, as | thought,
and as many members thought anj
that was to throw the lines of Okla.
homa clear around the lands OF the
five tribes and make It a part of Okla
homa at once. even though it should
be treated as an Indian country at
tached to Oklahoma for governmental
purposes. Mr., Flynn was obdurate and
the result was that his bill was report
ed containing the provision that |
have mentioned, His bill is not as
strong as II would have been had /;
Included the proposed compromise
We were not satisfied and Of course
our friends in the house and senate
are not When his bill reaches the
house Mr.. stephens of Texas will
move to substitute his single state
hood bill for it on the floor. unless
some changes takes place before that
time
Eeyery member OF the committee on
territories of the house agreed that we
were entitled to and would get some
sort OF relief this session. The commit
tee on Indian affairs are of the same
opinion. There are three bills looking
toward relief for us and now pending.
The Moon bill, the Curtis bill and the
Scott bill The Moon bill was intended
to give us a full.fedged territorial gov.
ernment. The Curtis bill only went far