The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-12-10
ABOLISH THE TERRITORIES.


Our Washington correspondent yes
terday reported the decision Of the
seaata committee on territories to re
port a substitute for the omnibus
statehood bill which passed the house
at the last session The bill in ques-
tion provides for the admission of
Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona
into the union ga tse abortion Of
1.-The proposed substitute bill would re-
suit In admitting the first named ter
ritory alone. There IS reason how
ever. to suspect that the narrow ma
iority OF the committee which viii
favor side tracking the Two far west
ern territories means by indiroction to
zee that Oklahoma shares the same
fate The boomer territory is not
wanted i'm The union by those senators
who are jealous Of western supremacy
IN the upper branch Of congress. but
with the certainty OF the house non
concurring in the substitute measure,
even though IT passed the senate. the
Republican members Of the latter
body. with a few exceptions will be
likely to vote for Oklahoma state
hood to keep the Republican major
ity in that territory in good humor
The opposition in the house expect
ed to be too strong to be overcome.
is not based upon hostility to Okla
homa's Statehood aspirations. but upon
opposition to the partiality which
would allow her to enter the union
and shut the door in the face of New
Mexico and Arizona. All or none
seems to be the predominant senti-
ment in the house and It cannot be
gainsaid that the sentiment has logic
and justice behind It,
AS a general proposition, quite ir-
respective Of their individual claims
for statehood, Oklahoma. New Mexi
co and Arizona should have their
stars on the national flag. In the dal,s
when this country possessed a from
tier there might have been wisdom
in the territory as a kindergarten Of
local self government, but it is doubt
full if one plausible excuse can he
urged for the existence of territory
within the bounds of thes iEInited
States today. The steady tide of
western emigration has long since
tina frontier. with its pic
turesque and rather lawless primitive
ness, and there is little o feven pro
yincial or colloquial difference now
between the newest west and Oldest
east The typical american citizen is
the dominant social force in every
subdivision Of the great
republic. and numerically he is strong |
enough in every one OF them TO prop |
erly support and enjoy state insti
buttons. There may have been rot I
zen boroughs' involved in past state 1
mood legislation. No protest Of that /
nature can be tenable at present. The
hree remaining territories are popu
GUS. progressive, prosperous and es
ientially American. Nothing save
sectional jealousy and partisan mar
'ownsss stands in the way Of their
eceiyin1, tardily, their inherent and
rights at the hands of
An examina. lon of the
'arly statehood statistics OF very /
many states of the union will show
hat Oklahoma, New Mexico and Ari \
ona have for ten years past had
more American citizens within their
orders, more miles of railroad, more
eveloped material resourcas-in brief I
nore Of The prerequisites OF state or
than were possessed by
hese states at the tie OF their admis
ion. Oklahoma and Indian territory
aiken as single entity, as thex
hould be. have today a population