The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-26

their own legislatures and make thei
own laws. But The laws so made ca.
be unnade by congress. The right {,
make laws that some one else can w
make is not high privilege.
1T is TO greater than the right pos
sesscd BY the leading English and French
colonies. Cnc Of The high attributes OF
American citizenship IS that of equal op
! portunity under tire law with ali Others
the chance to start fairly in the race
! for the rewards which enterprise. indus
try and thrift may bring. The material
+ advancement Of the Inhabitants CT the
! territory depend largely upon the rapid
development Of the resources OF the terri
| tory. The one essential for such develop
/ ment is capital. but it hesitates To ente-
the territories and invest in enterprises
otherwise promising. Legal oertainties
and fixed conditions are necessary to at
tract it.
! with the absolute control of congress
/ over territorial legislation, there can
never be certainty that rights and priv
/ Ieges conferred may not be taken away.
The power OF congress is a constant
menace 20 progress, and there is no way
territory may escape it. This is not
/ a mere general statement. Abundant and
positive testimony was before the CON-
mittee that ample commitments of cap
ital could be had were the territories
states. Unto.d riches, abundance of all
that makes for human happiness, and
prosperous and popuious commonwealths
await emancipation from the thraldoIn
of territorial existence.
Apart from general considerations, if
we look At the actual conditions of the
territories today TO determine their fitness
to become states. we shall probably say
that it depends upon three propositions
"G( 30 the people desire statehood
"G) is the population of such num-
Der and character rs to justify admis-
sion?
30 Do the territories possess sufficient
taxable wealth to maintain state gov
ernments according TO the standard OF
American commonWealths?
NO time need be spent in answer
ing the first interrosatory. That answer
must be oyerwheIrniESly i'll the aftirma-
tive. SO general is this desire that it
may be said 20 he unanimous. The rep
resentatlves of the people in congress are
active and earnest The public press Of
inc territories. consisting OF hundreds Of
ublications-6aily, weekly and monthly
l., without a discordant note.
Territorial conventions, county conven-
tions ard wherever men assemble have
recorded their opinions have declared for
statehood And the representatives Of
the territories in national conventions Of
the great political parties has success
fully urged that the platforms adopted
should make emphatic the right of the
territories to immediate admission to the
union. It is not too much to say that
no man can doubt that the people Of Ok
lahoma. -ATizona and New Mexico are
practically a unit for admission as states.
Is the population Of the territories
sufficiently large foT admission as states
BY the last census the population Of Ok
lahoma IN 1900 was 39S,351; of Arizona.
122 a11; Of New Mexico. 1880. The gov
ernors of eacn Of the territories claims
il. his annual report that the census
enumeration does injustice 10 the terri
tory, and gives very reasonable grounds
for such claim.
The governor Of oklahoma claims that
the population today is in excess Of 500
Geo: of Arizona, that the population
is 1S5ooo: Of New Mexico. that ii is 5l3.-
l9l. Probably the true number is between
that Of the last census returns and the
estimates of the governors. Whatever
the fact may be, Oklahoma has a larger
population than any other territory pre-
vious to admission; Arizona and New
Mexico larger than many According %
the precedents Of the past. their pop
ulation is ample. But what shall be said
Of this population in the future? In the
last decade the population in oklahoma
Vas 5i42 per cent; in Arizona. 1919; in
New Mexico %. Who can estimate the
Increase in the next decade if they nOy
become states? With q single esXeeption
every territory ,fter admission has n
creased with wonderful rapdity in wealth
and population.
What sha.- he said &C the character
OF this population? In oklahoma e5 per
cent are native Americans. coming from
the states; in Arizona. af the .0.oGa white
population. 22.03o are foreign born. The
governor asserts that not more than one
half tho foreign population il Mexican,
the balance being immigrants largely
employed in the mines and coming from
We stern and northern Europe In New
Mexico immigration from the Central
Western aud Northern states Is rapidly
increasing. ana more than 1ea home
steaders have been added 10 the popUia-
tion during the past year
In al the territories. the population
: dlstinctivcly American. and the hest
type or American made 1lp of those who
seeN lucs prizes by TOLL and patience
or what manner of men this popula-
ton Is madc an let their words spoak
cites and towns, with al That modern
civilization demands. homes II culture
and yennemeat schools and higher in
s1iturioas ot .eern;ug, pshlic ard private
chaTit&b,c ;nststutions. everyw whe7e the
fr,e Church ard free press. These arc
not the monuments ~ the Iadiau. ror
the Mexican. the i,ile nor tAe v;cieus
Ihe pest legislation oi Ii territories has
recorded forever she wisdom. the Justice
Of the people. IL can safely De said that
they cannot be uqfatorabiy cagppsr "a
with the people Of any state ir the union.
What ct the taxable wealth 81 thc
territories oklahoma is the aouuS giant
ot the territories. rich IN scif ielding
Win natures most lavish hand AZ the
rcducss n the tfnaf erate zone. THIS soil
Is NOW almost entir,ly under cultivation
and little ~ tho public iands remain.
Afore fortunate shsn her sister territories
Oklahoma has aa sdeQuste rainfall. ThIs
tair land siooES equals y size The state
Of Ohio. II the figures were not AZ harI
20 show the valuation ~ property for
taxation. could anyone doubt the ahAiJy
of the new state 20 support tie best state
government New Mexico and Arizora
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