The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-05-27
REsoLU11oNe ADOPTED
AT ENID CONVENTION

AT ENID CONVENTION.
On this anniversary OF the opening
Of the territory, the Democracy of Ok
lahoma takes pleasure in recording
its genuine pride in the marvellous de
velopment and splendid achievement
which has characterized the first thir-
teen years Of the history of the great
est territory this nation has ever Great
ed. In this short period the territory
has been transformed from the home
of the COW and the coyote into the free
home of half million sturdy, intelli-
gent and progressive American citi-
zens, owning three hundred million
dollars worth of available assets. Sure
ly such a people are entitled to Amer
lean heritage of self government And
we here and now declare our firm con-
viction that we are entitled to the
rights, privileges and responsibilities
of American statehood.
Nor are we unmindful Of our breth.
rem of the Indian territory. Appre-
ciating their splendid capacity and
wonderful resources and achieve
ments, we desire union with them in
order that Jointly we may build up
the greatest OF the western states. We
therefore favor the admission into
the federal union Of Oklahoma and
the Indian territory as a single state.
And in view OF the fact that Oklahoma
has a splendid land endowment for
its schools, we favor an adequate pro-
vision for the people of the Indian
territory, either in lands or other re
sources, so that both territories may
be placed upon terms of equality in
the maintenance and support of their
common schools.
Resolved, 1hat we are unaterably
opposed to any encroachment upon
the magnificent endowment of our pub
lie schools aid colleges. And we rec
ommend that the final disposition OF
the school and other lands of the ter
ritory be left to the people of the SOW
ereign state In constitutional conven-
tion assembled.
Resolved, That we condemn the
present school land board of the terri.
tory for its harsh, unjust and oppres-
sive administrator or the school land
office, and we pledge our party to pass
a fair and equitable school land law,
just alike to the lessees and to the
people of the territory.
We favor the early enactment of a
law by the federal congress granting
free homes to the residents of the new
country, and we denounce the action
of Delegate Flynn in excluding that
country from the recent free homes
act.
We favor immediate statehood
along the lines laid down in this plat
form, in order that we may escape the
curse of carpet-bag government and in
order that the people may substitute
honesty, economy and efficiency for
extravaganza. dishonesty and spolia-
tion of the public, under which the
territory has been robbed and the un-
fortunate insane mistreated in order
to benefit a few favored Republican
grafters, and under which the people
of the new country have been burden
ed with extrayagance and extortion
in the administration of their local
affairs.
We condemn the unpatriotic and un
just attempt of Delegate Flynn to de
prive the new counties of Caddo, Co
manche and Kiowa from participation
in the constitutional convention OF
Oklahoma in the event of its admis
, sion to statehood.
We favor an organized county gov
ernment for the people Of the Usage
nation.
We endorse the separate school Law
enacted by the last legislative as
ssembly, in so far as 1t covers the
} ground, and upon the creation of &
| new state we demand that the people
J thereof shall be permitted to devise
and fashion their own educatlona
/. system without federal interference
} and although we favor equal educa
r tional privileges and facilities fol
: white and colored children, we ar'
/ opposed to mixed schools.
. We demand Just and equitable leg
i. islative apportionment measure at thu
4 hands Of the present congress. 10 thu
8 end that the thousands of voters ii
the western and southwestern couu