Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-03
FOR ONE NEW STATE
REPORT OF SENATE COMMITTEE
ON TERRITORIES!
Voted by 6 to to Admit Oklahoma
and Indian Territory Combined
New Mexico and Arizona Ignored.

The Senate committee on territories to-
day agreed to report a substitute for the
House omnibus statehood bill, providing for
the admission of one new state to comprise
the territory now included in Oklahoma
and Indian territory, the new state to take
the name of Oklahoma. The bill as report
ed makes no reference whatever to New
Mexico or Arizona.
The session of the committee did not eX-
ceed fifteen minutes in duration. There was
discussion and soon as the substitute
bill was presented it was submitted to
vote. The votes of all the republican men,
bers except Senator Quay, were cast for
the substitute and of all the democratic
members against it. Senator Quay voted
with the democrats The vote stood q to D.
There also a vote on reporting the bill
as 1t came from the House, the division
being on the same lines as that of the vote
on the substitute except that the majority
was In the negative.
The decision of the full committee is In
accord with the conclusion reached by the
republican members and the substitute bill
awaiting them when they entered the
committee room at II o'clock today.
Provisions of the Bill.
The status of the Indians residing in the
two territories is defined in a proviso in
serted in the first section of the bill This
section authorizes the inhabitants of the
two territories to adopt state constitution
and the proviso Immediately follows. 1t
reads Nothing contained in the said con-
stitution shall be construed to limit or i'm
pair the rights of person or property per-
tanning to the Indians of said territories so
long such rights shall remain unextin-
guished, to limit affect the authority
of the government of the United States to
make any law or regulation respecting such
Indians, their lands, property or other
rights which it would have been competent
to make if this act had never passed
AS usual in the admission of states, all
male citizens are authorized to vote for
delegates to the constitutional convention,
and there is provision added extending
this privilege to Indians who are members
of any of the tribes located in Indian terri
tory. These Indians also are made eligible
to become delegates to the convention. The
total number of such delegates is limited to
100, sixty each from Oklahoma and Indian
territory. In Oklahoma the delegates are
to be apportioned to the various counties
by the territorial officers, and in Indian
territory to the districts by the judges of
the United States courts.
The federal Judges in Indian territory
also are made to constitute the final cam
vassing board for the vote in that terri
tory. The statehood convention is to be
held at the seat of government of Okla
homa territory.
Among the declarations prescribed for
the proposed state is one forever prohib
iting polygamOus plural marriages."
There also is a provision requiring the
state to assume the debts of the territory
of Oklahoma.
Constitution of New State.
The constitution adopted is to be SUBJ
mitted to the qualified voters of the pro-
posed state for ratification or rejection, as
usual in such cases In case of acceptance
a proclamation of the President will be the
final act necessary to admit to complete
statehood.
The new state is to be allowed four rep
resentatives in Congress until the next
census. and also is to have two United
States senators and a full quota of state
officers Liberal provision is made for the
public school system of the state. The
state is to be divided into two judicial dis
tricts. to be known the eastern district,
covering the area of the present Indian
territory. and the western district cover
ing the territory at present comprised in
Oklahoma.
The constitutional convention is empow-
cred to divide Indian territory and the land
comprised in the Usage and Kaw reserva-
tions into counties. the number being lin
tied to twenty-fOur.