The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1902-09-13
Movement for Annexation Growing II
Favor In Indian Territory.

On July Goth the Arkansas demo
GRAFT called attention to the the desira-
bility of annexing the Indian Territory
to Arkansas, and the proposition is
meeting with great favor. 1.-The Demo
crat said:
II is Away best for a new territory to
be annexed to an old state. In this par
ticular case Arkansas has the advantage
of all others for the reason that her laws
are already in force in the territory.
The people are educated to their obser-
vance and are familiar with our instiu-
tions. 1t is easy, therefore, to realize
what an advantage it would be to these
people to be annexed to Arkansas.
The following interesting figures were
given:
Area-Arkansas SO, $50 square miles
Indian Territory, 81 400 square miles ;
combined, IS $50, about the area OF
Kansas.
Observation-Disclosures, 1 81 900; In
dian Territory, 392 900, including In
dams combined, / 7O3 0OO There are
so, 900 native Arkansans residing in
the Territory.
1t is pointed ont that the Cherokee
and ChOctHw nations are bitterly OPP
posed to the proposition of single state
hood for the Indian and Oklahoma ter
ritories, and that the annexation policy
is steadily gaining ground.
The Fort Smith News Record ,
quotes prominent Cherokee citizen rs
follows on the subject
Il am surprised that the newspapers
of Arkansas have not agitated this ques-
ton. OF course, we would enjoy hav
ing u state composed of the five Indian
tribes, and them only, but the course of
congress has led us to believe that there
is no hope for that. There has been a
great deal Of agitation of the annexation
of the Indian Territory to Oklahoma, and
there is some sentiment in favor of 1t in
the Seminole and Creek nations, but 1t
finds few advocates in this end Of the
territory If our people cannot get self
government, we want to be annexed to
our friends and neighbors. The Chero.
kee nation and Arkansas, especially
northwest Arkansas. have much in
common. They are rich in natural re-.
sources and are settled with an ener-
getic, hospitable, progressive people.
If they were to join hands it would be
to their mutual advantage and the state
would be one that would attract atten-
ton from the moment Of its creation.
''Chief Burlington Is heartily in favor
Of such Il movement and am informed
that Sargy Sanders, who has as much
influence with the fullbloods as any
man in the nation, has said he would
sooner the CherOkees were annexed to
Arkansas than for any of the other
statehood propositions to become law.
Nov, the thing for you people TO
do is to send 4 delegation to Tahlequah
in November, when council meets, and
get that body to pass resolution asking
to be annexed to this state. Then your
legislature could endorse it, and with
the influence your congressman and
senators could bring to bear, and those
who would be won over by the fairness
Of the proposition, think it would pass
easily. 1t would have no opposition
from Oklahoma, for such bill would
take away the greatest obstacle that
country has found in its effort to tack
all or part of Indian Territory onto it,.
II the Cherokees are taken into Arkan'
sas, the Choctaws will have to come in +,
too, out Of self-defense. They cannot
afford to be annexed to Oklahoma any
more than can the Cherokees.
After the two nations are annexed to
Arkansas we might divide the state and
form u new one out Of two or three
western rows Of counties and the two
nations, and with Fort Smith rs the
capital that state would jump at once
into the front rank of the states, This
Is an decentralization. What our
people want now is for you to help US