The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-01-08

Dc JUST Q AL INTERESTED.


ritory, is an ardent single statehood
advocate The Register is advocating
the cause along sane lines. in that IL
seeks to divorce the question from
ten cent politics. The Register re
marks that 81 would seem that qucs-
ton so great as that OF making state
would be by our lawmakers deal. with
as one of sta1esmanship. not as a
petty political deal That the future
interests Of the people of the propos-
ed state would be considered Of more
Importance than some immediate po
litical gain for any person or party
Yet this does no. seem to be the light
in which some of our legislators re.
gard the matter Of statehood for Ok
lahoma and the Indian territory.
Senators Fairbanks and Beveredge
are said TO be strongly favorable to
the Flynn-soper scheme Of admitting
Oklahoma TO statehood, with provis-
ions for bringing the Indian territory
in at later dates, as our dictators con
slider us ready for such absorption.
These gentlemen have evidently not
given this matter the serious atten-
tion they give to the Philippin, situ.
alton and other questions really not
nearly SO important but which are
given much more of the time of our
legislators. Had they given such
thought, they would realize that such
method Of making a state is not the
wise plan OF a statesman, who looks
10 the building OF a strong state. in
which all elements will be welded to-
gether in perfect harmony and work
for the good of their state. On the
contrary, the plan they are pushing
is that Of selfseeking politicians, who
see nothing save the immediate per.
sonal gain they hope to make and care
nothing for the fact that the plan, if
successful, would fouad a state in
which the competing secti0s would
be at war with each other, the one
section iustihably holding that an ad
vantage had been taken in the meth
cd OF state building adopted. by which
that section is robbed Of it's rights.
All members OF both houses Of con
gress state with unequiyocal positive
ness that there is no thought OF max
ing two states OF this country This
b ing accepted as true, does il not
follow chat in carrying out this in
tentien, full Justice should be done to
All those who are TO become citizens
OF this future state? Is that justice
aone II onehalf the population pro
pesed TO be included within that state
snail be allowed to frame and adopt
constitution under which the other
half must live and by which they must
be governed. yet in the making of
which they shall have no part or
voiceg Is Il justice to these people,
who Ia days 10 come must bear their
share Of taxation for the support OF
government Institutions. that they
shall have nothing to say as to where
these public institutions shall be lo.
cated2 Is IL fair that the 100000 resi-
dents Of the Indian territory should be
treated as inhabitants OF conquered
provinces. not competent TO aid in
framing laws under which it @ ex
pected they shall live2
II Is said that we OF this Indian ter
ritory are not ready for statehood.
That We dengs but do not propose to
argue iha point al this time. Even is
IL be true that we are not ready, is
that fault OF the people for which
they mnst be punished? Have not
the people Of the territory been eager
and anxious for years to have matters
SO settled that We would be ready?
Are not the members OF all save one
Of the i've tribes clamorous for alIot-
ment Of their lands. and has not this
work been practically completed in
two Of the nations? Without a word
of cenenre against others, We deny
that tae people are responsible for any
- this respect and Insist
that It wonld be manifestly unjust 90
psnish these people for the existence
81 a condition for which they are in
no wise blameable ana which they
have sainly endeayored to prevent.
The people OF Oklahoma. as vel as
those Of the Indian territory are a.
sldcd among themselves on the state
hood question A part Of tho oklaho