Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-25
0KLAHOMA'S PROGRESS
PROSPERITY INDICATED BY THE
INCREASED BANK DEPOSITS.
Ex-Representative Clarke in Washing
ton to Urge the Admission Of the
Territory to the Union.

Former Representative Sidney H. Clarke
Is in Washington to urge the admission of
Oklahoma as state. Mr.. Clarke who now
lives In Oklahoma City, is chairman Of the
non-partisan statehood executive commit
tee, and Is therefore conspicuously identi-
fed with the statehood movement. He
served three terms in the House as a rep
resentative from Kansas, and was also
speaker of the house in the Kansas lcgis-
lature. He first came to Washington as
the private secretary of Senator James H.
Lane and returned as a member of the
Thirtyzpinth Congress, of which Mr.. Col
fax was speaker, Mr.. Clarke being the
youngest member of the House in that
Congress. He was also elected to the
Fortieth and Forty-first Congresses. In
the Forty-frst Congress he succeeded
William Window as chairman of the House
committee on Indian affairs After he left
Congress he went to Oklahoma and en-
gagged in business there. When the Kiowa,
opened for settlement last year the land
was distributed through the medium of
drawing conducted by the Interior Depart
ment. Mr.. Clarke's family was well rep
resented in the list Of prize winners, as he,
his son and his brother-in-law drew sec
tions Of land. Mr.. Clarke favors the ad-
mission of Oklahoma alone, as he says the
Indian Territory is not prepared for the
responsibilities of statehood.
Sentiment Of Oklahoma.
"The people of Oklahoma are so conf
dent that the territory will be admitted
that speculation has begun as to the loca-
tion Of the state capital" said Mr.. Clarke
to a Star reporter. Guthrie, Oklahoma
City, Enid, Ell Reno and Shawnee, the
largest towns, will all be applicants. Guth-
rie, the present capital was selected as the
cot nf nnr,f hNy hn f1r or
and it has remained the capital from the
beginning despite strong efforts to have the
capital removed to Oklahoma City. The
first territorial legislature passed act
removing the capital to Oklahoma City,
but this act was vetoed by Territorial Gov
ernor George w. Steele, now the we'll
known member of the House from Indiana.
If the omnibus statehood bill is passed the
capital will be selected by constitutional
convention, which will perfect a state or
ganiZation.
From a business standpoint" continued
Mr.. Clarke, II think Oklahoma will be the
most promising of all the western states.
The immigration into the territory received
strong impetus by the opening of the
Kiowa country, and it will be greatly in
creased when the territory becomes a state.
Lawten, the county seat of Comanche
county, which was created by the opening,
now has a population Of 10000, and Hobart,
another new town named in honor of the
late Vice President, has a population of
5000. 1t would not surprise me if many
great fortunes are made within the next
decade as the territory is marvelously rich
in mineral and other resources. 1t is also
a great agricultural section.
National Banks of Oklahoma.
"Off1cials of the treasury are commenting
favorably upon the showing made by the
national banks of Oklahoma, as presented
by the reports of the banks to the con-
troller for the year ending November 25.
The financial Institutions of the territory
are regarded among the strongest in the
west. An interesting fact in this connec-
ton is that Oklahoma has never had a ma
tional bank failure. Since the organization
of the Guthrie National Bank at Guthrie,
which obtained a charter June "a, 1880. not
a national bank receiver had been appoint
ed in the territory. The reports of the year
just ended show a large increase in the
banking business in Oklahoma towns. The
officials attribute this chiefly to the immi-
grafton movement into the new territory.
The opening Of the Kiowa country resulted
in large increase in all lines of business
activity. This brought into existence new
banks with substantial deposits, while there
were increased deposits for the older insti-
tutions.
Increased Bank Deposits.
"At the time the banks made their re-
ports for the year 1901 there were forty
six banks in Oklahoma. Since then twenty
two new banks have been started, and some
of the older banks have increased their
capital stock. Deposits, which in 1901 ag-
gregated about $s,6G0O00, increased to over
$1O,O2O,O 600. The paid-in capital stock in
creased nearly 81 100000, and the loans and
discounts were nearly doubled. That rate
of increase is also shown in the surplus and
undivided profits. which now aggregated
more than $3.50 000 Increases are indicated
by the report in every department of the
banking business.
''The financial condition of Oklahoma
compares favorably with that of many Of
the eastern and New England states. The
territory has more banks than New Hamp-
shire, Vermont. Rhode Island, Delaware
or West Virginia. while the deposits, loans
and discounts and surplus for the Okla
homa banks are satisfactory in comparison
with those Of the banks in the states
named"
To Admit Indian Territory.
When Congress convenes after the holi-
days Representative Moon Of Tennessee
will urge action upon his bill creating a
territorial form of government for the In
dian territory. This bill provides that the
Indian territory shall have a government
similar to that of Oklahoma with delegate
representation in Congress, the new terri
tory to be known as Jefferson territ ory."
Just before Congress adjourned Mr.. Moon
offered a resolution directing the House
committee on rules to bring in a rule pro-
viding that his bill shall be taken up Janu-
ary 13. The Tennessee representative says
he Is confident that il any statehood bill is
passed at this session of Congress it would
be the omnibus bill. and he thinks that
meanwhile something should be done for
the Indian territory.
Mr.. Choate. the American ambassador to
Great Britain. and Mrs Choate arrived at