Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-16
Minority Report on the State
hood Measure is Presented
to the Senate
OPPOSES UNITING TERRITORIES
Indian Territory and Oklahoma May Be
Unwilling Parties to the Proposed
acknowledgements in Favor of Ad-
hitting Them as Separate States Made
Majority Report Attached.

Washington, Dec. Ex-senator Bate
ty report of the committee on territories
favoring the immediate passage of the
house omnibus statehood bill without
amendment. The report opposes the
uniting of Oklahoma and Indian terri
tory into one state. 1t relates the con-
dttion of each of the three territories
as to population, wealth and general
features of the territories, and says that
these are such as to call for immediate
statehood.
1t shows that both the republican and
democratic parties in their last national
conventions adopted with perfect una
nimity platform planks recommending
each of the three territories by name
for statehood. Such expression, the re-
port continues, should be respected by
both parties. The report says among
other things:
1T never was intended that congress
should bar by party objection admission
when population, wealth and institu-
tions were the same as in the case of
other states"
With reference to the qualifications
of the population of the territories, the
report contends that sit ought to suffice
that IS per cent of the population are
white IN Oklahoma, and the 10000 pop
Ialtion in Arizona and the 10000 white
population in New Mexico are quite
sufficient to level all the foreign born
In each Of those territories"
Referring to the proposition to unite
Oklahoma and the Indian Territory as
one state, the report asserts that the
amendment submitted by the senate
committee on territories incorporates
the Indian Territory with the state of
Oklahoma without the expression of the
people of the Indian Territory of a wish
to be either state or part of Oklaho-
ma. So far as your committee has in
formation, this alliance may be the
union of an unwilling people and an
undesirable connection"
Summing up, the minority report
says.
Each of these territories has COM
piled with every requirement hereto
fore made by congress for admission
Into the union. Each has population
sufficient for representation in congress.
Each has wealth abundant to support
all the expenses of statehood. Each has
institutions in harmony with republican
government as understood in the
union"
Liberal quotation is made from the
report of the majority on the statehood
BILL One of the publications quoted is
that referring to statement made by
witness that some of the white people
in the territories are like the riff-raff
who follow the construction of rail-
roads"
Commenting on this statement the
minority says.
..The riff-raff who follow the rail-
roads have been the sturdy Irishmen
whose pick and shovel and spade and
labor have built the 100000 miles of
American railroad. Why that 'riff-raff'
Mexico as they are in every other state
and territory the report does not advise
the senate. Protesting that the witness
upon whose testimony this slur as to
riff raft has been made was greatly
misinfornled, we are forced to conclude
that there has been mistake made
somewhere between the witness and
the committee, since the testimony has
all the earmarks of a purpose to con-
Wet OF unpreparednass on the part of
Arizona and New Mexico rather than
to enlighten the senate as to their re-
publican form Of government"
The report is signed by Senators
Bate, Heitfeld, Bailey and Patterson,
constituting the democratic member
shin of the committee on territories.