Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-10-31

NAAs IL IL Johhoplf IANNlhthN VI AAN 4
First National Bank OF Chickasha, in
an interview published just after the
acceptance Of this supplemental treaty |
estimated that by reason Of these |
sales and the investmeE.s which would |
be made in thost two Nations, that |
within the next three or four years |
there would be seventy millions of
dollars invested in these two Nations
in taxable property.
1t is very probable that II we can
secure the passage of n single state |
hood bill at the short session. that by
the time the first assessment would
he made under the state government,
that there would be as much property
in the Indian territory subject to tax
alton as there is in Oklahoma.
Objections Urged.
While there can be no doubt but
that the indian territory is ready for
statehood and that there is no valid
objection to the immediate passage of
single statehood enabling act, be
fore leaving the subject let us exam
inc the leading arguments made by
the republican politicians in oppos!-
ton In the first place, they tell us
that Oklahoma would have all the
taxes to pay. have already shown
that the Indian territory has sixty mil
lion dollars worth of taxable proper
ty. The present taxable property in
Oklahoma amounts to seventy-two
million dollars, so that in proportion
to area and population, the Indian ter
| ritOry now has almost as much tax
| able property as Oklahoma and con
| sequently this of itself shows the fall
lacy of the republican position, but let
us get into it a little further.
OF course, all men OF any sense at
| all know that the expense Of the coun-
| ty governments organized in the In
dian territory would be borne by lo-
cal taxation and. that no property in
! Oklahoma would be subject to taxa
tion for any county, municipal or
! township purposes in the Indian terri
tory. The only tax which would be
levied upon the property OF the whole
state would be the taxation for State
| pur! 0scs In the event Of a single
statehood, we would have one admins
trat.on TO maintain and in the
event cf double statehood we would
| have two. The cost of main
aiming state administration
for state composed of both
territories would be very little more
than the cost Of maintaining a state
composed of Oklahoma alone, This
can be estimated with reasonable Ger
tainty. We would need four addition
al Judges. which would cost twelve
thousand dollars per annum. We
would require little larger legislature
which would cost not exceeding twen
ty thousand dollars mere than legis
lature for Oklahoma only. The cos
Of maintaining the pententiary and
other state institutions would not eX
ceed fortysthree thousand dollars il
addition to the cost OF maintaining
these institutions for Oklahoma alone
AS a matter of fact, the University
of Oklahoma is now open to the chill
dren Of the Indian territory withou
any cost whatever to them. This
makes a total of seventy-five Thousand
dollars additional cost Of maintaining
state government including boti
territories. Oklahoma now has a lev,
of seven and one-half mills on seven
ty-two million dollars which realize!
for our territorial government five
hundred and forty thousand dollars
This includes some large approprla
tions for educational institutions il
the way of permanent extensions
which will not be a fixed annua
| charge. 1t is probably safe to esti
mate that the ordinary cost CT main
tanning the state government for Okla
V homa would no exceed five hundred
: and forty thousand dollars. And th
Indian territory at an additional cos
for maintaining state govern
e ment. including both territories
= of $4,000 and we have a total cos
: of $615,000. There being S72,OOO,OO
Of property in Oklahoma and 100000
e 900 in the Indian territory, in order I
; maintain the state government W.
3 would have to raise $615,000 by a lev
b on $132,000,000. This levy would b
e Al mills as against the present tel
! ritorlal levy Of IL mills, whic
would make a saving to the people c
Oklahoma of 100000 annually on tn
e territorial taxation. Instead, there
{, fore. Of assuming any additional bul
v den in the way of taxation. we woul
S have the Indian territory to help u
S maintain the burden and by divisio
u of the burden It would be lighter o
! both territories.
J. In the second rlace. the republica
u politicians contend that If we tax
in the Indian territory we would hav
& o pay from seven to ten million do
u lars to open the section line road
o down there this contention bein
s shown by the quotation | have alread
y made from Mr.. Flynn's Ell Ren
speech. This proposition is about
II line with Mr.. F'lynns statement thi
e there is no taxable property in tf
H. Indian territory. II is simply untrr
and any man with grain OF sens
x knows it. The cost of opening roat
y in the Indian territory would be
local burden borne by the variol
p road districts and would not be raise
s by a levy on the territorial proper'
p at all. 1t had as well be contendt
Is that there should be territorial lev
le to build bridges in Canadian count
or bridges in the three new counti'
l of the territory. or course, no sue