New-York tribune., 1902-03-24
DEMAND FOR STATEHOOD
ARGUMENTS FOR THE ADMISSION OR
OKLAHOMA BY ITS DELEGATE.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: The Territory OF Oklahoma now knocs
ing at the door Of Congress for admission int,
the Union of States. presents very interestips
and at the same time remarkable petition
This Territory was organized in Nav 1sao
and it's rapid growth and development from tbat
time until the present seems more like hctior
than reality. In the Territory OF OkIahonoa
embraces about thirty-nine thousand souars
miles. and is about the size Of Ohio or Ken.
lucky. and larger than Connecticut. Delaware
| Indiana. Maine. Maryland Massachusetts New
-anpshire. New-York. Rhode Island, Soutt
Carolina. Vermont Virginia. The census q,
1890 gave the Territory 81. .s34 people. while ths
census Of 1900 gave it, in round numbers 4OO
900 people. Since the last census some verv
large Indian reservations have been opened
within the Territory to settlement, and it is un
doubtedly no exaggeration to now claim for thi,
young Territory a population OF over har
million people.
The Territory was first opened to the whts
man on April y. 1850. and from that time r,
this. whether rushing for land or for COM
merce and business. the Territory has hardly
taken a quiet breath The most remarkable
condition presented in the rapid developmen,
and settlement Of Oklahoma is the fact that il,
population is unlike that Of any other Territory
A foreigner in Oklahoma is almost unknown
The Territory embracing this last large area O.
tillabIe land where irrigation is not necessary
has been settled and occupied by native born
Americans from all parts Of our country. There
is a blending in this Territory Of the North and
the South. Northern push and energy COM
| mingle with Southern hospitality and courte-
BUSINESS and on the same farm the Northern
wheat kisses the white down OF the cotton Of
the South. The past does not record. nor can
the future hope for another example Of such
a. nd ovrfh bs-
| witnessed in Oklahoma within a little more thar
a decade.
| CLAIMS OF POPULATION AND INDUSTRY
In claiming Statehood, the people Of Oklahoma
do so because. they believe that they can pre-.
sent to Congress not only ALL the necessary
qualifications. but also better qualifications and
more reasons than were ever advanced by any
| Territory that has applied for admission into
the ssterhood of States. They believe that
| there are more people within the boundaries Of
| the Territory than were ever claimed by any
| Territory which has heretofore been admitted
| into the Union as a State. They now have more
| population than Vermont, New-Hampshire.
Rhode Island. Delaware. Florida. Montana,
Wyoming Washington. North Dakota, Oregon
| South Dakota. or several other States which
might be mentioned. Were the representation
on the floor Of the lower house OF Congress
| based upon the actual population and not upon
| the population two years ago Oklahoma. If ad.
mitted would be the first State TO enter the
Union with three Representatives and two Sen.
ators.
The Territory is very largely agricultural
The crops of the North and the South are grown
with equal advantage and lusciousness. and
| Oklahoma's fruit is now rivalling that Of Cali
fornia in the markets Of the country. Last year
| our surplus wheat amounted to 100000 bush
| els. We raised 6OOOOOOO bushels Of corn and
| over 100000 bales Of cotton.
The Territory has four Of the great trunk
lines Of railroad. and branches are built to the
| various county seat towns Out Of twenty-six
county seat towns in the Territory there Is but
one without railroad. many OF them having
three or four.
There are in the Territory two hundred na-
| tional and Territorial banks. with resources ot
| $20,OOO.0OO. The Indebtedness Of the Territory
| on June so. 1901. was less than 81 per capita,
and of this amount only SIS 600 was in the form
of bonds issued for educational purposes during
the first year OF the existence of the Territory.
There never has been bond issued by the Ter
ritory. or by any county or municipality in il.
which has been repudiated in which there
| has ever been any default in the payment OF in
terest Our Territorial and municipal secur-
tiles sell readily on the market at per cent.
and in some cases bring a premium a that price.
| there pauper in Oklahoma. There are several
| cities in the Territory with from 10000 10 1900
population. and they own their systems OF
waterworks and other public improvements The
| taxable wealth Of the Territory is nominally
| about $T0OO00OO. but in reality it is fully
! $500 0O00O0 The Territorial tax levy Will aver
| age about five mills. Oklahoma laws and opin-
| ions are liberal We do not believe that. be-
| cause a man has been successful IN life. and is
prosperous. II is a crime and he should be
| punished; neither do We believe that because
| man has failed and is poor that it is disgrace
and he should be Stunned. The Populistic idea
had control of the Territory but once. and as
soon as the people had an opportunity TO be
heard from again they repudiated it by ma
jority OF about 10000
EDUCATION IN THE TERRITORY.
In Oklahoma greater attention has been given
TO a public school system than is given ordinaF-
lily in a Territory. There are to-day In the Ter
ritory $500 public schoolhouses. located within
easy access OF the home Of every man who de-
sires 10 educate his children. and most Of these
schoolhouses are paid for and have been erected
without the issuance OF bonds or the incurrence
of any obligation or debt. The Territory IS also
we'll supplied with higher educational institu-
tions. such a university. agricultural college
and normal schools.
That virtually all of Oklahoma is susceptible
70 agriculture without irrigation is evidenced
by the fact that there are to-day but four mill
ion acres of public land still remaining within
its bounds.
The Committee on Territories has favoraoy
reported bill for the admission Of Oklahoma
as State in the Union. There is little doubt
OF it's passage
Politically Oklahoma has been Republican