The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-25
Citizens From Two Territories
Meet at Shawnee to Demand
Action for One State.
WILL PETITION CONGRESS.
Republican Committee of Okldho-
ma Decides in Favor of the
Admission of That Ter
ritory by Itself.


RErtBLIC SPECIAL.
Shawnee, Ok. June 24.-The largest gath
crins ever held In this city was that OF the
single statehood convention that met here
In n joint convention of Oklahoma and In
clan Territory. to decide whether to hold
constitutional convention and then submit
the matter to Congress.
The temporary chairman selected by a
conference was NJ. F. Williams of Pawnee,
Ok. and \. u. Constant of Ada was Sc
lected as temporary secretary.
\ Resolutions Committee was appointed
and the permanent organization was per-
fected by the selection of w. T. freeman
of South McAlester as chairman and ID. a.
Jacobs of Lawton as secretary.
The Committee on Resolutions reported In
favor Of not holding Il convention at This
time, but to have circulated In every COM
munity in two territories a petition en-
bodying the principles OF the single state
hood adhererts and to have these petitions
presented to Congress as the will of the
people of the two Territories.
There was considerable discussion OF tIis
plan. but il was finally adopted II was the
general opinion of all that Congress would
never admit the Territories as separate
States. II is estimated that there were
five thousand present.
REPUBLICANS OBJECT.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Guthrie. Ok, June 24.-Ths Republicans
of Oklahoma, through their territorial com
mittee. have declared emphaticaliy for
Statehood, separate from Indian territory.
and their fight will be made along that
line.
This was the wish of Congressman b.
S. Mcclure. who will Immediately draft a
Statehood measure. asking for the lInIneoi-
ate admission of Oklahoma into the Union.
The entire central and western portions OF
the territory as represented at the com
mittee meeting here yesterday, were unan-
irlous for separate and immediate state
hood Those counties bordering on Indian
Territory. together with Oklahoma County,
demanded some provision for the taking in
of Indian Territory. but the Mcclure advo-
Gates were in the majority.
Cash Cade, the territorial chairman and
candidate for the position of National Com
mitteeman, made a strong plea for the
separate statehood plank and won. Al
though residing in Pottawatomie County
the hotbed in Oklahoma of single statehood
Cade stood manfuly by Mcclure and won
separate statehood battle.
The committee will call a Republican
Statehood Convention. TO meet some time
not earlier than September. for the purpose
of further Endorsing the separate brand OF
statehood. This is also the wish of Con-
gresham Mcclure.
The Republicans. of whom there were
more than 800 prominent leaders here at the
committee meeting, eagerly sought the
hand wagon when 1t became known that
separate statehood would be the decision OF
the meeting.
Ex-Governor Barnes. hitherto looked upon
as a singie-Stater. was one Of the first to
get in, and he was closely followed by
Frank Greer. editor OF the State Capital.
who also posed as a single-stat ehood leader.
An attempt will be made by the committee
culate in Oklahoma. for the separate state
hood plan.