The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-04
WHAT FLYNN
KNOWS ABOUT
THE CON EST
Tells a Washington Reporter
About Result of Election.
BIRD S. INQUIRIES DEFEAT
He Thinks Would Also be a
Defeat for Statehood.
BIRD S. INQUIRIES DEFEAT

| Washington today for the territory.
where ne will take the stump for the
| Republican ticket. Mr.. Flynn has Just
completed stumping tour of Connecti-
cut and came TO Washington 10 attend
to business at the departments He is
now serving his fourth term in the house.
He declined a reelection to the Fifty
eighth congress. and while he has not
hade any public announcement on the
subject, the understanding in Oklahoma
is that he will be one or the senators
reelected when the territory is admitted
to the Union. Mr.. Flynn is at the head
| of the Republican organization in Okla
horna and viii be in charge OF the cam
psign from now until election. Interest
| in the Oklahoma elections will be center
ed chiefly upon the election OF a deiegat te
TO represent the territory IN the house.
! Mr.. Flynn was elected to the present
congress by a majority Of about 5.OOo.
but new issues have developed in this
campaign and politicians who are inter
ested in Oklahoma affairs agree that the
outcome is problematic. There will be
elected a delegate to congress- a legisla-
ture and county officers. The Republi-
cans expect TO win. although the Demo-
Gratis are making the most vigorous fight
they have made since 1896. when they
carried the territory. In that campaign
Delegate Flynn was defeated for re-elec-
/ ton TO the house by a small majority.
He was overcome by free silver and a
Methodist preacher. This year the Re-
publicans have nominated for congress
Bird Mcclure. and the Democrats VIII
liam Cross. Mcclure is a young lawyer.
very shrewd politician, with wide ac-
! quaintance and a splendid organization
at his back. Cross is strong on the
stump but he has been resident OF
! travelling man, representing a Kansas
City firm. His opponents contend that
he is not a resident Of Oklahoma. and
in support Of this statement they are ex-
hibiting a Kansas City directory, which
represents him as a resident of that city.
There are three issues in the Oklahoma
campaign. and nothing else enters into
the political discussions there" said Mr.
Flynn today. They arc: Support OF
President Roosevelt ana his administra-
ton, statehood and free text books for
the school children. Our critics in the
states are saying thar oklahoma could
not conduct a campaign without de-
manding something froe. When l was
working for free honesteads some years
ago 1 asked Judge Tarsney. who repre-
sented the Kansas City district In the
house. to vote for the free homes bill.
He replied that he should DO nothing OF
the kind not that ne had any particular
or1 90 "a lot hut
because. as he said. II the people Of Okla
homa were given free homes they would
follow with a demand for free lunches.
We got free homes. and while we are not
asking for free lunches. we do ask for
free school books. We want the terri
tory 10 pay for the books our children
study The most important issue. how
ever. Is the statehood issue. The state
hood bill passed by the house at the last
session Of congress- known as the Flynn
till. provided for the admission OF Okla
homa TO the Union without any special
reference to the Indian Territory beyond
a provision authorizing congress TO ad-
nit. from time 70 time as a part Of the
new state. sections OF the Indian Terri
tory II II should see ht 10 do So This
bin passed ihe house without dissent
ing voice. Every Democrat voted for It.
when IL reached the senate it was held
up ty the committee on territories until
tho friends Of statehood headed b. scna-
tor Quay. member o1 the committee.
rn.de A iEht before the senate, the result
of which was that il went over until the
next session b. an agreement that IL be
made the unfinished business and taken
up .on December 10 next IN this cam
paign the Republicans are making The
feht for statehood along the lines laid
down in the Flynn bill The Democrats
are urging that oklahoma and the In
dian Territory should be admitted TO-
gether as one state. In other words they
have declared for what Is known as the
single statehood bilL
.,rha defeat OF the Republican ticket
viii be practically a defeat for the entire
statehood project. for the reason that the
trl now before the senate IN all proba-
bni;v would be rejected upon the ground
,ha. the people OF oklahoma at the polls
had declared against the admission q
the territory without the Indian Terri
,o-v Although there vas 10 opposition
N the statehood Bill IN the house ~ ths
Ia 1rEElufl. NfIfEa hll- ftH" -t"
hs-s srht Rad been made o. sicetrack u
II +. be endorsed az The polls ~ ~oFer2-
ber. I thirk the senate wsI BE- ceffain -
pass Il without much delay i i is dss-
credited az K wiIl appear Il TIE Demo
crsts win. the opponents - Statehood ~
,be senate prsn seize the opportunity %
~asect II and demand 2 new bi1 n lie
With the sentiment Of TIE people bis
All mean that action xii be postponed
f-ssNul.eiy. The caupaiEn s. ere - re
most interesting Oklahoma has knovs-
There is no apathy there iook fcr re
heaviest vote the tsrrstnrT has poiist ard
expect Rsuusiican saccess. Th-re +
70 doubt however that We have fzh;
on our hs-ss fhaf wlll Keep - eaEy ~
IL tn cloE.rg - tte poilz E--s-y Boy
+. srrsorx that cklahornz become q state
bot we have net vi,h sarne fsf-iesifr f.
-rese-tf-s ne zeal -sgnf-rancs = he
stst.ross fss-1- TAe - s-oc-.ts ar. -rf
II lire wiss their party 10 corFress ard
~ Rerrhlls.ans have u~e-i ihfs -ac. -
snf1~ sasantsge Re7'lhsicza s-eaEers
have o-n1hasszsd e thru. .Eto-t fhr c1-7-
f-y Ard fhs-rsy have e-r---st snns CT
fu.ssa - sh@lr s7rs'f Its ils11fcfn- e
.ssscr r-te sesSres Bziisy- reakinr -
cusrv ~ "a fhs s-1tn- la r-rrs-s r'i
ststsfoe1 ard assia~ 8, ~ . raf-r 2
IS f-HeYe 5 sni fac'- 4ns th- l-Iaa
rrrrs.ss cosla Sc rsst-f i,r f.asy
;sisa fhat ~ IA - .fi1k cszerezs
~ocs1 pass esil q ss1s ksrs.
-As ei=ewh<re. ths Repunsicarr ars
taki-e prosperity 4-1 Rcosssesf E4ery-
ecty n oksahorz& sdzirss iAs PTes5sez4