The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-24
He Has All His Orators Befud-
died on Statehood.
THEY CAN'T KEEP IN LINE
Suggestion That He Do jolly
ing Act Only.

| leaders of the Democratic party in the
| territory over the arguments advanced
in discussing statehood by Candidate Bill
Cross. 1t is reliably stated that the ter
ritorial committee is seriously consider
ing the question of allowing Cross to dis
cuss the issues of the campaign in a gen.
eral way. The plan discussed is for him
To make a short talk, jollying speech,
and for other speakers to discuss the
issues of the year.
In his speech here this week Cross en-
tered into the statehood question. His
ideas were entirely different from those
of Gore. Hagan and others.
Cross as a speaker and campaigner is
a disappointment to his Logan county ad-
mirers. In this city Cross had a good
crowd to hear him. Such an assem-
blage as should welcome a congressional
candidate to the capital city. The lack
of the usual enthusiasm is attributed to
/ the far-of election time.
! In his remarks referring TO statehood
Cross said, In part:
We have a platform that was adopted
| at Enid that l stand squarely on every
plank of it. I declare for immediate
| single statehood. Ny friends the ..epub-
lican party declare for an omnibus bill.
or better known as the Flynn bill Now
how does that read?
1t reads: We are in favor Of admit
ting Oklahoma territory now. and at
| such time as the Indian Territory be-
comes ripe to allow her to come in with
Us. They don't say anything about the
school money for those children in the
Indian Territory. If they come, you have
got 10 divide your school money with
them. There is no getting out of that
The way their bill reads if they take in
by piecemeals they take piecemeals of
of your ten million dollars worth of
school land that we own in our territory
here. What does the Democratic plat
form say? We say. admit the Oklahoma
and Indian Territory in together as one
great big state. We say 10 you, my fell
low citizens, that down in the Indian Ter
ritory they have fifty million dollars
worth of mineral lands that belong to
the government. We say TO congress.
give us money enough from those min
eral lands to Offset our school land in
Oklahoma. The government has never
refused 10 educate our children. and in
this instance they will not do it. either.
Now my friends, you say what interest
or what does it do 10 have the Indian
Territory with US? I want to call your
attention to two or three articles in the
Indian Territory that we have to use
here every day, that we have not got
and can't get in Oklahoma territory.
In the Indian Territory they have the
greatest coal fields known in this country
or in Pennsylvania. They have the lum-
Der that we use here. They have the oil
that we use. We have none of these
except one little we'll here at Granite
that produces about ten barrels per day.
Now. my friends, South McAlester coal
is selling in Guthrie today at $3.50 per ton.
That is correct In st. Louis and KAN
sas City. four times the distance from
South McAlester TO those cities than
it is from here to South McAlester. you
can buy the same coal that you are pay
ing $3.50 for. for $2.75. You say TO me
that our merchants are robbing US that
way. / tell you no. But. my friends. it
is the freight rate that makes the differ
ence. You say TO me, how can you rem
edy that? Well. my friends, make US
one grand state and we will give you rail-
road commissioners. and the railroad
commissioners viii make freight rates
Cor you.
The same applies. my friends, TO the
lumber here. They are handling lumber
out of the Indian Territory to Omaha
now for Sl.Oo per thousand. and your
reight rates TO this town are SIS per
thousand. Now the dinerence-are they
any better out there than We are? They
have the advantage OF US, and I don't
suppose they are going TO give you the
advantage OF those low rates until they
have 70, and you viii not get them until
you become a great state. 1t has been
told you, unless you voted for Bird Nc
CURE you would not get statehood. I do
not believe that within the hearing OF
my voice there is an honest man who has
one grain of sense who believes that
rot one Of you 1t is all right 10 coerce
those eastern fellows who are working
in the factories, but when IL comes 10 the
broad-minded fellow in the west. you are
barking up the wrong tree.
Now my friends, they have promised
you statehood three times. and you have
been fooled BY them. and don't you trust
them any more. Now my friends Mr..
Flynn could have given you statehood
in the last congress II he desired They
toll YOU il is because Of the Democratic
party. ! want TO say 10 you that eevry
Democrat voted for that bill and only
one Republican. and that vas Matt Quay.
so YOU can't blame that to the Democrat
ic party.
Is Birdie Mcclure going TO give you
statehood? I tell you no, II Dennis
Flynn wants to, I viii be honest he can
give you single statehood: but he can
never give you double statehood. Now.
ny friends, why did Governor Barnes
aud ny distinguished friend Frank Greer
change on that subject 7 had TIE honor
OF being at Nuskogse with these two gen
tleuen. Governor Barnes vas TO go 20
washington % fight double statehood
Mr.. Greer was the secretary Of that cor
vention. ard I don't know Why they
changed their front SO quick. Those
gentlemen ere both my friends They
have never been able % ten me Why they
made he change. unless they thought
they could work the government tvo
more years.
RIGHT MAN GOT CHICK