The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-31

the fiynn Dill ana among OthCie "N'
of the leading old-time Democrats OF
Oklahoma I refer TO Senator Sidney
Clark, a man who has r:sen TO the dignity
of congressman of one Of the adJoln-
ing states; a man who has been elected
by the Democracy of Oklahoma county 10
represent that great county in our terri
torial legislature. Mr. Clark. who had
always been consistent in his position for
immediate statehood for Oklahoma ter
tory, appeared before that committee ana
made one of the most forcibie one of the
most eloquent ard brilliant arguments
advocating a favorable recommendation
by that committee TO the house Of repre-
sentatives. that the Flynn bin pass. There
were other Democrats who favored 1t,
and there are today many Democrats
for the Flynn bill in this territory There
we're Republicans from Oklahoma who
met with the committee and made
speeches advocating the passage OF the
bill. But then there were parties now for
Mr.. Cross kind of statehood in this cam
paign; who went before that committee
made speeches before that committee,
throwing every Dossible impediment in the
way of the passage of the Flynn BILL
Not only were there men from Oklahoma
working against the FLYNN bill, but they
secured the assistance of a gentleman
from the Indian territory to also protest
e gainst the passage Of said bin. Now,
! want to lay down this proposition:
There is not a man who made speecs
before that committee in attempting to
prevent the passage of the Flynn bill III
- - 80 ,xrI,o r-ilr
give to this audience at this place. or
any other audience in Oklahoma, the
same reasons why the bill should not
pass that they offered at the seat of gov
errment in the City of Washington. two
thousand miles away. But you say. why
is this. If their reasons were good there
why the bin should not pass, they ought
to be good in Oklahoma territory. That
is a fact. If the reasons were good there
they ought TO be good in Kay county
they ought to be good in Noble county
they ought to be good In Logan county.
If they were good in Washington they
ought TO be good before any audience in
Oklahoma, but l say to you that they viii
not make the same kind OF speeches at
home that they made there.
a PERSONAL lTlcHQ OF ulillts o DIdO-
ford. OF Ardmore. Indian Territory, was
sent for because Of his knowledge Of con-
ditions in the Indian Territory, and he
made very forcible speech before that
committee, the purpose of which was to
prevent the passage Of the Flynn bill, and
Democrats will not come 10 you and tell
you what Bradford said. 1 hold copies of
those speeches in my hand, just as the
words fell from the lips OF these gentle
men in Washington Mr.. Bradford tells
the committee-understan he is talking
TO Democrats and Republicans-why the
Indian Territory should come in. according
TO his judgment. Notice what he says
they have in the Indian Territory-and it
is one of their own citizens talking, upon
q non-political issue as far as he is con-
cerned, telling that committee. composed
Of Democrats and Republicans, what they
have in the Indian Territory, and why he
wants them to come in with oklahoma al
this time. Here is what he says; We
have seventy-fve thousand school chill
dren absolutely without any school priv
Iieges And those are children outside OF
the cities and there are more than that
number according 10 the last federal cen
sus outside Of the cities. We have no
public roads in the Indian Territory, ex-
cept those voluntarily constructed by the
people themselves. We have no school
houses outside of the organized towns, ex-
cept those built by private subscriptions.
There is no law to build a bridge and not
a syllable of law for the issuance Of bonds
to build school houses, water works, or
anything for the purpose of saving public
property except in the Creek nation. We
want relief from these deplorable condi
tons
That is Mr. Bradfords statement and
that is what the Indian Territory has to
bring to the people of Oklahoma if it
comes in as a state with US according TO
Mr.. Cross idea of statehood.
Now, a little further on in his speech
he tells what we have in Oklahoma. The
gentlemen advocating Mr.. Cross election
are not very willing to tell you what we
have in this country. but they are willing
TO tell what they have in the Indian Ter
ritory.
1 want the Indian Territory admitted
with Oklahoma. either asa territory or
as a state OF the Union, for if Oklahoma
be admitted separately, it would be prac-
tically impossible for us to have any hope
Of statehood" If they are ready why
would it be impossible for them TO have
any hope of statehood? Then he contin-
ues: oklahoma, today is rich in prosper
iiy because OF the fostering care of the
government do not know how many
millions or dollars in the shape Of free
homes and land have gone to oklahoma;
I do not know how many thousands of
dollars have been left to her in the shape
of leasages Now notice: II you admit
the Indian Territory a state or terri
tory. every acre of those reserve lands
viii be enjoyed by the whole people.
What lands? The school lands. and the
lands set apart for public utility in Okla
homa Territory will be. he says, enjoyed
by the whole people Who are the whole
people2 The people of the Indian Terri
tory in addition to the people Of Okiaho-
ma. And then he continues; Every acre
of land that could be bought from the In
eians. every acre that they could be made
to sell. has ben sold. and it IS held By the
general government for the benefit of the
people who shall compose the state Of
which Oklahoma is part Now. mark
YOU. the Democrats Of the committee, and
Republicans Of the committee and Mr.
Flynn saw Mr Braefords idea, and so
the Democrats asked him some questions.
and Mr Flynn asked the same questions
that the Democrats propounded, and here
is one question asked by Mr.. Flynn. Tn
derstand now the Democrats propourded
the same interrogatories as did Mr.
FLYNN: Why. Mr. Bradford. your conten-
tioa is II Oklahoma IS admitted. part Of
that VIII go TO the Indian Territory p