West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-12-11
LOUDLY ClAMOR FOR
STATEHOOD.
Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico
Want 20 Have Stars ON the Flag.

With Oklahoma, Arizona and
New Mexico clamoring for admis-
sion to Statehood, Congress may be
forced into taking some action at
the coming session. There is little
or no objection to the admission of
Oklahoma, but Senators and Repre-
sentatives are not so favorably in
clined toward Arizona and New
Mexico.
During the last session the Dele
gates from each of.the three Terri.
tories agreed to work TO have all
three, or none, admitted. They
secured favorable report from the
House Committee on Territories
for an "omnibus" bill granting ad-
mission to all and forced the bill.
1t is now before the Senate Com
mittee on Territories, of which SEN
ator Beverage is Chairman.
Politics frequently plays a strong
part in the admission of Territory
to Statehood, particularly il dom
inant party has only small majority
in the Senate and the Territory ask
ing to be admitted is in sympathy
with that party. 1t is largely in the
Senate that a new State secures its
best representation. Under the
Constitution il is entitled to two
Senators, the same as the great
State of New York, but 1t may only
have population large enough to
elect one Representative.
The Constitution dose not pres
cribe any special qualification re-
garding the admission of Territory
to Statehood. All that is required
is that Congress shall be convinced
of the ability and character of the
people properly to maintain and
support a State government. Terri
tories have been admitted to State
hood when they had population of
less than 10000.
Congress is being importuned by
the Delegates from Oklahoma, Ari-
iona and New Mexico to pass an
"enabling act" This will be au.
thority for the Governor of the
Territory to call a constitutional
convention for the preparation of a
State Constitution. When the Con-
stitution is drawn up il must be SUBJ
mitted to and have the approval of
Congress. II acceptable the Presi-
dent then issues proclamation ad-
hitting the Territory to Statehood.
Oklahoma, possibly the only Terri
tory that will be admitted at this
time, was organized as a Territory
May 2, 1890, with population of
only 6I,S34. while its population as
shown by the last census is 3o8, 72r.
The total land surface of Oklahoma
is approximately $500 square miles
There are 20 counties In the Ter
rItory, SO incorporated cities aud
towns. II of which have popula-
ton of more than :, 900 inhabitants,
9 of which have a population of less
than $500.
The census returns show there
are o5.4o5 farms in the Territory,
valued at SI53,9It23S OF this
amount SI3,73I585 represents the
value of buildings, $ITo, 200, $50 the
value of land. The total value OF
farm property, including machinery.
&c, is sIS5,343,8IS. The average
farm in Oklahoma consists of asIH
acres. OF the white farmers 78,4
per cent. own all the land they ope-
rate. The total value of live stock
on farms is s54S7o,s SOB. The
value of the principal farm crops is
ss6,S6s,3o3.
Arizona, with II2,o2o square
miles, has a population of Ia2, a1a,
with 70 incorporated towns and
cities, the largest OF which is Tucson,
with 1881 population.
New Mexico has total land sur
face of approximately I72, 400
square miles, with a population of
Io5,3Io, with 10 incorporated cities
and towns, the largest of which is
Albuquerque, with Gags inhabitants.