Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-10-28

these lands as soon as sold will be
subject to taxation. -
Mr.. II. B. Johnson, president Of the !
| First National Bank OF Chickasha, In
an interview published just after the |
acceptance Of this supplemental treaty |
| estimated that by reason Of these |
sales and the investments which would |
| be made in thost two Nations, that |
! within the next three or four years |
| there would be seventy millions of |
dollars invested in these two Nations |
in taxable property.
II IS very probable that II we can |
secure the passage of single state |
hood bill at the short session, that by |
the time the first assessment would |
be made under the state government, |
that there would be as much property
in the Indian territory subject to tax
alton as there is in Oklahoma.
Objections Urged
While there can be no doubt but
tLat the Indian territory is ready for
statehood and that there is no valid
objection to the immediate passage of
single statehood enabling act, be-
fore leaving the subject let us exam
inc the leading arguments made by
|
ton. In the first place. they tell us
that Oklahoma would have all the
taxes to pay. | have already shown
that the Indian territory has sixty mil
lion dollars worth of taxable proper
ty. The present taxable property in
Oklahoma amounts to seventy-two.
million dollars so that in proportion
to area and population, the Indian ter
ritory now has almost as much tax
able property as Oklahoma and con
) scQuently this OF itself shows the fall
lacy Of the republican position, but let
us get into it a little further.
} OF course, all men Of any sense at
all know that the expense OF the coun-
ty governments organized in the In
dian territory would be borne by To-
cal taxation and that no property in
! Oklahoma would be subject to taxa
tion for any county, municipal or
t township purposes in the Indian terri
tory. The only tax which would be
70 levied upon the property of the whole
| state would be the taxation for State
| purposes. In the event OF single
/ statehood. we would have one admins
tration to maintain and In the
D event Ct double statehood we would
{ have two. The cost of main
aiming state administration
D for state composed Of both
territories would be very little more
than the cost of maintaining state
j. composed of Oklahoma alone. This
y can be estimated with reasonable GER
S tainty. We would need four addition
. al judges, which would cost twelve
+ thousand dollars per annum. We
l would require a little larger legislature
y which would cost not exceeding TWEEN
L ty thousand dollars more than legis-
Il lature for Oklahoma only. The cost
II of maintaining the penitentiary and
u other state institutions would not eX
II ceed forty-three thousand dollars in
Il addition to the cost OF maintaining
o these institutions for Oklahoma alone
e AS a matter of fact, the University
e of Oklahoma is now open to the chill
5 dren CT the Indian territory without
& any cost whatever to them. This
II makes a total of seveEty-five Thousand
II dollars additional cost of maintaining
a state government including bott
II territories. Oklahoma now has levy
y of seven and one-half mills on seven
ty-two million dollars, which realizes
4 for our territorial government fivt
l. hundred and forty thousand dollars
Z This includes some large appropra
u tons for educational institutions IL
Il the way of permanent extensions
II which will not be a fixed annua
II charge. 1t is probably safe to esti
u mate that the ordinary cost CT main
tanning the state government for Okla
+ homa would no exceed five hundred
X and forty thousand dollars And the
d Indian territory at an additional cos
u for maintaining a state govern
le ment, including both territories
r CT SIS, 900 and we have a total cos
S Of S615,000 There being $72,000,O ,OOO
IS Of property in Oklahoma and 100000,
lie 900 in the Indian territory, in order t.
l. maintain the state government we
lg would have to raise $615 5000 by lev!
H. on $132O00, 900. This levy would b.
le AZ mills as against the present ter
d. ritorlal levy of 1-2 mills, whicl
TX would make a saving to the people o
Is Oklahoma of 100000 annually on tn
re territorial taxation. Instead, there
u fore. of assuming any additional bur
W den in the way Of taxation, we woul'
IS have the Indian territory to help u
Is maintain the burden and by division
II OF lHe DuIuSH IL NOuAu pS hbNNNi W
d. both territories.
IL In the second rlace, the republican
w politicians contend that If we TAX
n in the Indian territory we would hay
* % paw from seven to ten million do
OF lars to open the section line road
10 down there, this contention bein
is shown by the quotation have alread
ly made from Mr. Flynn's El Ren
speech. This proposition is about i
at line with Mr.. Flynns statement tina
We there is no taxable property in tn
a. Indian territory. 1t is simply untru
h and any man with a grain Of sens
lA- knows it, The cost of opening road
y in the Indian territory would be
local burden borne by the variou
'p- road districts AMI would not be raise
ns by levy on the territorial propert
'p- ar all. II had as well be contende