Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-10-23
that territory is today ready for state


that territory Is today ready for state
hood.
From the legal standpoint It is not
an open question. The supreme court
OF the United States has already de-
clded In the case OF Thomas against
Gay, 169 U. s., 264, that congress has
the right 20 attach all. or any part, Of
the Indian territory to Oklahoma
Any one interested in the legal rropo-
sition may pursue the inquiry by ex
amining that case. There being nc
legal obstacle in the way, the ques-
ton Immediately arises as to what
are the conditions which would gov
ern congress in granting statehood. In
the first place, there Should be a ter
rltory capable of supporting and sus
talning a population. This condition
exists as is known to everybody, the
indian territory being rich in agri-
cultural and mining and timber re-
sources.
In the next place, there should be
a people capable OF self-government.
The people Of the Indian territory are
OF course, capable of self-government.
There are about one-hah million peo
pie living in that territory. of whom
about 425,000 are American citizens
They come from the same states from
which our PEOPLE come, They have
been raised under American institu
tions and are familiar with all the
traditions and history and habits of
our people. and are Just as capable OF
self-government as those tf any other
section OF the United States. This is
also a proposition that Is not open to
argument.
In the third place, there should be
sufficient taxable property in order t.
sustain a government without maxine
the taxation oppressive. Where these
conditions all exist no fair-minded man
can for a minute say that the territor'
is not ready for statehood. The first
two propositions must necessarily be
admitted by every truthful man. The
third proposition is equally as certain
but the republican politicians are
steadily asserting that there is not
sufficient taxable property in the In
dian territory to sustain a state gov
ernment This is also matter about
which we do not have to speculate. If
there is sufficient property there, tha
territory is ready for stateh cd.
Mr.. Flynn, in his speech at El Reno
the other day, said: "They do no
tell you that they have no taxable
property whatever except some town
lots and some personal property. They
do not tell you that it would take
seven millions of dollars to buy pub
In dc l. nd hox
to tax. That If they come in with "
that the Oklahoma taxpayers will
have to pay that seven million dol
lars" And again, Il deny the right
of Mr.. Cross, or his committee, to say
to the taxpayer of Oklahoma, yol
must pay ten mill" ms of dollars in
order that the people of the Indian
territory may open up their section OF
their half section lines" We will.
come to that section line proposition
little later on. but now want
say that Mr.. Flynn in saying that the
people of the Indian territory have
no property to tax" is either inexcus
ably ignorant, or wilfully rndertak
ing to deceive the people. Mr.. Flynn
has been a delegate to congress for
tion is that he ought to be famil ar
with the proceedings Of that body
Last spring the committee Of the low
er house on territories. OF which com
mittee l believe Mr.. Flynn is mem
ber, made report to congress on the
advisability Of organizing territorial
form of government for the Indian
Territory and naming it Jefferson
territory. In that report they dealt
with the question OF taxation and
used the following language:
1.-The real estate in the Indian Ter
ritory is at present exempt fr m tax
alton, the title to the whole body o
the lands outside of the towns beinf
yet in the Indian, but the taxable
property is sufficient to support ter
ritorial government. The following
data obtained from reliable source!
give conservative estimate OF som'
of the property subject to taxation
| Ninety incorporated towns, including
only about $4,000 of the population
have an assessed valuation 4 taxabl.
property of twenty millions of dol
lars. A conservative estimate of the tal
able value of incorporated towns /
five millions Of dollars. There arr
one and one-half million head Of cat
tie, 400, 900 head of horses; $500
head of mules; about 100000 hog
and $4,000 head Of sheep. There i
invested in coal mining and coke over
properties about four millions Of dDi
lars. There are 1,415 miles of rail
roads now in operation and about 80
miles now under construction. A con
servative estimate Cf the entire tax
able wealth of the territory could no
be less than sixty million dollars. NJ
estimate is made on corn wheat, oat
and cotton. which are also extensivel,
produced in the territt ry."
Mr.. Flynn being a member OF tha
committee ought certainly TO hav
known of that report and II he did
his effort to make the people Of Ok
lahoma -elieve that there is no taS
able property in the Indian Territory
is nothing short of criminal
say, therefore, that the third proI
| ostion that a territory before bein