The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-03
Gov. A. j. SEAY
ACCOUNTS FOR
ERRATIC VOTE
Confident That Oklahoma Ter
ritory Is Republican.
CAUSE OF SMALL MAJORITY
East Line Republicans and
LeSSeeS Did 1t.

| Guthrie. 0. T. Dec. 2-Ex-Governor \.
J. seay arrived in Guthrie last night
from Kinsfshe-. He declares that he is
in better health than he has been for
many months. The former chief execu-
tive Of oklahoma was. as usual. the
center Of an admiring group of friends.
/ His fuency ana sound understanding Of
the political conditions Of the territory
make him an invaluable authority.
"Oklahoma is Republican" declared
! Governor Seay. And this VIII be shown
still more clearly when the territory be-
/ comes a state. There are manv Demo
Gratis in Oklahoma, but not many ag-
gressive ones. Why, what is there to
make them aggressive or vigorous, /
would like to know?
'"Ihe territory went Republican fo-
Bird McGuire and for statehood His
majority was 53f The Republican major
ity IN Oklahoma viii be 600 when if
becomes state. There were RaDubii-
cans as lar IS party politics are con
cerncd who voted not for Cross. but for
single statehood. which they thought he
represented, because the opposition led
oertainof these classes Of Republicans to
believe that It was to their personal adj
vantage to have the two territories in
one state. When statehood is granted us
an these Republicans viii vote the Re
/ publican ticket and make great Re
publican majority for the territory"
= I, l.
neving that there will be a large ma
jority for the Republican party in Ok
lahoma when it is a state, SIR Seay save
many sound facts and showed how wcH
he has studied the situation, notwith-
standing his active business life.
In Pottawatomie. Lincoln and Payne"
he said. many members of the old party
voted against Mcclure because these peo-
rle felt that single statehood was the
important development for them and
their country. IN the eastern part and
very near the Indian Territory line they
felt that Oklahoma, state alone would
rather put them outside the business ac-
tivity. while or the other hand IN single
statehood, these counties would be right
in the center Of the state and the proba-
bility Of a state capital in the latter
event being located in one of these coun-
ties was presented to them by the single
statehood advocates. Some of the resi-
dents of these counties had invested fin
the coal fields right across the line. and
therefore they were interested in single
statehood and it being represented TO
them that Cross would briag this about.
they voted for him. When the statehood
matter is settled 10y congress this winter.
they win return. because it is to their
best interests.
IN cntral ana eastern Oklahoma many
Of the farmers of the grand old party
were made TO believe by Cross supporte-s /
that a state fern Of government would
cost them more than the territorial form
and that a great part OF this alleged ex-
pense would come out of the peek Is Of
the farmers. Here was another way in !
which lifelong Republicans were fooled /
into leaving their party. t viii not be /
so when Oklahoma is state.
Down in Greer county, that county (
which was taken of Democratic Texas. I
the weather save the Democrats the big F.
majority. The farmers could not stay 4
home and pick cotton because it rained. I
and SO they came il ana voted for Cross /
because they didn't have anything else !
To do
Last but not least in Importance Of I
these classes of Repumicaos uho lclt +
the party congressman this year was
the school land lcssees. There are sec
tons l6 and s5 in ola oklahoma or these
lanGs-ou oue-eighteonth of the population