The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-10-25
The PAINFUL FLopPlNe

OF Mr.. BARNES
Now comes Cassius NJ Barnes
eretwhile governor of Oklahoma by
the grace OF the lamented Mckinley
ard takes issue with The Leader re
in the present campaignshrdluandtat
specting his attitgde on statehood in
the present campaign We are
amazed thai a person with a record
80 vulnerable as that OF the former
governor on territorial Issues, should
combat a pop,g ion touching his alb
soiute uusounsl sss and indefensible
Inconsistency on the question Of
istatehood II is an evident fact that
the people soon forge. but the ex-
governor certainly presumes 100
much when he attempts to deceive
himself and lul the public into
dreamland so far as his former po-
siuon on statehood is concerned
Du ing the past FIVE weeks The Leader
has printed several columns Of mat
ter daily on the subject Of statehood
as intelligently advocate by Dem
ocracy and setting forth fully uncon-
ircFertible arguments touching the
true position of congress in the ma
ter. to say nothing of the recital Of
facts proving the benefits OF a un-
ion of the two territories The Dem
.ocratic position, however. Is not at Is
sue in this instance It is now mere
~ the desire of The Leader TO prove
that Governor Baanes cannot har-
monize his present Flynn views on
the proposition with the views he
entertained but recently. Six months
ago Gov Barnes attended the single
statehood convention at Muskogee as
an authorized delegate from Logan
county He served on the committee
which drafted a memorial to congress
calling for a state to be composed OF
Oklahoma and Indian territory. He
was selected as member Of com
mittee Of three to go TO Washington
and present this memorial 10 con
gress.
On Sept. 20, last, Ex-Governor
Barnes went to Alva in the interest
of Mcclure, and delivered a state
hood address absolutely at variance
with his preconceived views He
ridiculed the single idea; and dsclar-
ed that the Democratic position
meant no statehood at all He spoke
slightingly of the Indian territory
as being unfit by natural resources
or acquired wealth to ENJOY state ad-
yantages with Oklahoma In the
morning Republican paper Of Sun
day, the ex-governor still incon sist-
en-, still tus.ing in the forgetful
ness of the public, takes The Leader
10 task for reminding him Of his
sound .tand for single statehood
during the tast legislature and by
wonderful process OF reasoning ar
rives at the conclusion that his views
on statehood have NOT undergone a
change and that McGuire's stand on
the subject Of this campaign is in
A topper and reasoner so ingen-
nous as Gov. Barnes requires remind
ers, and The Leader hae a bountiful
supply in his case. For instance The
Leader takes pleasure In reminding
the ex-governor how far ne has eeg-
ed from his moorings by citing him
to page 1913 o. his report to the SEC
retary OF the interior Under the
head OF Statehood" Gov. Barn
says:
IT is the earnest wish of a large I
number Of our intelligent and infiu-
sntal citizens that ssate govern
ment be accorded to Oklahoma with
out further delay The platforms Of
all political parties at their latest
have declared in favor
of statehood upon such terms and
with such boundaries as congress 1
may in ita wisdom see ft to pre-
scribe, and tesred by the standards
hat have heretofore prevailed in The
of new states, Oklahoma il I
certainly entitled to all the rights
and privileges Of a state government.
No fair minded man can read The
foregoing report Of the opening, ret
lemelt and development Of this ter
itory without being convinced Of the
ruth of this statement
uAnd ,,at th1., 49, - .,,.