The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-03-03

tNluenl iIOm ltlltIS UtlHb ItNtlNSu
by members of the house of represen-
tatives that vigorous and determined
fight will be made when the bill pro
viding statehood for Oklahoma is tax
en- up for consideration. to change the
latter portion of section 2 which pro-
vides for the addition of portions OF
the Indian Territory to Oklahoma, at
such time and in such manner as con.
gress by future enactments may pre-
scribe. 1t is admitted by every mem-
Der who has examined the provisions
of the Oklahoma statehood bill that
the provision in regard to the addi-
ton of Indian Territory to Oklahoma
can have no binding force or effect
upon any future congress. The Ian
guage OF the bill is as follows
THAT the Constitutional conven
tion provided for herein shall by or
dinance irrevocabIe. express the con
sent OF the State of Oklahoma that
congress may at any time. or from
time to time. attach all or any part of
the Indian Territory to the state of
Oklahoma after the title to said lands
in said Indian Territory is extinguish.
ed in the tribes now claiming the same
and the same assigned in severalty
and subject to taxation"
Unfortunately for the advocates vi
single statehood many of the commu-
nications received by the members ~
the house and senate assign such alb.
surd reason for teh adoption of a
specific provision declaring for single
statehood that their letters have only
tended to increase the difficulties en-
countered by the representatives oi
the single statehood plan now In the
city. Many of these correspondents
have based their advocacy of single
statehood upon political grounds,
which has only tended to inject poll
tics into the controversy and obscure
many of the most important features
OF the question, which are of vital in
terest to the people of both Territor-
les.
1t is an open secret that the present
bill has for its object the creation Of
two States out of Oklahoma and the
Indian Territory. This is evident from
the fact that the house committee
on territories is now formulating bill
lgiving Indian Territory a separate In.
dependent form of government which
can only result in its admission as Il
| State in later years. A mere declara-
tion by one congress that portions OF
Indian Territory may be added to the
State of Oklahoma at any time, and In
such manner as congress may in the
future decide is a useless declaration.
as it is beyond dispute that congress
Possesses this authority and power
and can exercise it at pleasure. There
is nothing specific. direct or manda-
tory in the declaration; nothing to pre-
vent the creation of State out of tn /,
Indian Territory in the future, but is
inserted solely for the purpose of ap
peasing the opposition of many of the
advocates Of single statehood who may
be misled. and thus withdraw their
opposition by such declaration.
The people of Oklahoma and Indian
Territory possess the power to change
this provision of the bill II they so dc.
sire. If 1t is adopted in it's present
shape they they and they alone arc
responsible. If they desire the boun.
dary lines of the State of Oklahoma
thrown around Indian Territory when
the State is created, they can secu e
liz.
1t is doubtful. however, from pres
ent indications whether they will be
successful. Congressional legislation
is dependent upon systematic and it,
teligent work. Spasmodc efforts, com
bined with conflicting opinions will
not subserye the purpose 1t is organ
lied, aggressive work that counts
And this is why the advocates of dou-
BILE statehood have been able to car
ry their point through the committee.
They have acted as a unit following
the leadership Of one man and obeying
instructions. Thomas II. Doyle of Per
ry and Judge Bradford Of Ardmore
no no o.,
test in favor OF single statehood, but
those other delegates from the two
Territories who were supposed, TO rep
resent the same cause merely compii-
Gated the situation by presenting diff
ferent views, while still others came |
to Washington at the expense of the
people OF the Territory and squandcr.
ed their time and funds in riotous liv.