The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-01-31
SINGLE STATEHOOD.
An Article Prepared for Twin Terri.


from the pen of our townsman. Judge
s. Is. Bradford:
Statehood. single or double. is the
all absorbing subject of discussion
with the eight hundred thousand In.
habitants OF the twin Territories Each
theory has It's advocates, and siren
nous efforts are being made to present
the matter to the present congress.
Single statehood has for it's founda.
tion argument the greatest good TO
the greatest number.
Double statehood has for its founda.
tion argument, political advantage.
The salient points of latter day
ideas of government are lost sight Of
in the struggle for double statehood.
Economical government. low rate of
taxation. education for the masses.
and the best protection to life and
property are all embraced in single
statehood.
This Is the day and the age wNon
political advantage takes second place
with the masses.
This is practical age. an age Of
advancement, an age of education an
age Of philanthropy
To procure the best government
should be the chief end of the repre-.
sentatives of the people Educate the
masses, suppress crime, punish crimi
nails promote the best interests of all
and care for the helpless and uhfor
tunate. are among the chief aims Of
government. The expense of govern
ment is a burden to many even
though administered in the latest AMI
most economical form.
Large estates are managed more
economically than small ones, that is.
for lighter per cent of the cost.
Small states have as many state
officers as a large one, as rule. aad
the salaries are the same II cos 8
less to govern Texas, per capita.
than almost any state in the Union.
and her taxes are nominal compared
with some. The area and wealth of
Texas makes governmental expenses
light. Oklahoma and the Indian Ter
ritory were once one country.
The nations of the five tribes sold
of what is now the major portion oi
Oklahoma. The United States govern
ment opened the lands for settlemer C.
reserving. however, two sections out
of every thirty-six for educational pur
poses
The lands reserved and held IN trus'
by the government of the Unite
States for the people that shall inhabit
the State of which Oklahoma shall b,
a part are worth in round numbers
ten millions of dollars
The first section of the act Of in
corporation of Oklahoma provides q
way for the Indian Territory to be
come a part of the Territory of Okla
homa. From the first congress con
templated that what was then known
as the Indian country should becom,
one State or Territory, and that itea
has never been abandoned.
The Territory of Oklahoma has n,
title to the lands reserved and cannot
have so long as it remains Ter
ritory.
The rental value or use of tn,
lands is donated by the general gov
ernment for the education of The
youth.
In the recent purchases that hay,
been added to Oklahoma, four sec
tions out of every thirty-slx have beer
reserved from sale, two for education
al purposes and two for public i'm
provements. In the treaties made b,
the nations of the Five Tribes ana tn,
United states government not an 1cr,
OF land is reserved for school pur
poses or public Improvements.
Should double statehood prevail
state would be created that would b,
a pauper from the beginning. Ever,
public building, every schoolhouso an,
every day of school would be paid to-
by direct tax upon the people. Okla
homa is said to be and is the mos
prosperous Territory in the Republi
Her natural advantages are no bette
than those Of Indian Territory
What makes the difference that ~
lists today between the two?
More money Is poured out into tn
laps Of the people of the Indian Tel
ritory than in Oklahoma by the gen
eral government, and yet the peopl
VI Oklahoma are better fed, bette
housed better clothed and the yout
better educated than in the country q