The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-05-02
GOVERNOR FER
GUSON'S ADDRESS


poleon was confronted by two grave
problems. he needed money again.
be must do something to oppose the
power OF England on the American
continent He evidently conceived the
plan OF weakening England IN the
west by building up a formidable rival
hence the sale Of Louisiana to the
United States
Jefferson's Prophetic Eye.
The sage Of Monticello, the great
SSnerson, with eager eye, looked vest
ward TO that undeveloped eno;e be-
yond the Mississippi He saw and
fully comprehended the advantage to
the United States to be gained by the
acquisition Of o land so rich in natural
resources and 50 full of promise Pos
slbly not many citizens in the United
shtes realized the vast possibilities in
Mi. Jenerson's purchase. Some Of
them even opposed t. declaring such
action to be unconstitutional NWhen
the great jefferson became president
the star spangled banner of our re-
public noated upon the breeze east OF
the Mississippi When the sun set
upon our shores In those days OF the
infant republic nc starry flag bath
ed i,s folds in his departing rays west
OF the Father OF Waters When Mr..
jefferson, after eight years Of official
life, turned the country over to bis
successor, that nag Of fame and i'm
mortal glory waved proudly from the
shores OF tie Pacific. and when the
departing sunlight fell upon the glor-
fous emblem Of liberty and ciyiliza
ton the evening winds breathed geht-
" in its folds the irresistible spirit of
expansion IN eight years jefferson
had crossed over half the continent.
He had reached the sea It was on the
18th day Of May 1904 that Lewis and
Clarke left 81 Louis and pushed their
way up the Missouri and out into that
portion Of the continent which was
in time to become one OF the richest
portions OF the globe
Story Of Sunny Oklahoma.
The last commonwealth to be cary
ed out OF this great domain secured
for US by jefferson. was sunny Okla
homa the wonderful land of the south
west Fourteen years ago this month
the country now embraced In Okla
homa was the home OF the Indian, ant
was unknown to civilization. For sew
eral years tae Oklahoma boomer
was a conspicuous character along tn,
boraerland Of the disputed territory
His persioteni efforts to force oper
that land which he maintained was
government domain, have become
matters Of history with which an ar,
conversant Never was a more heroi,
struggle made than the one made fol
the rights Of the people who desired
home in the coveted land The name
of Payne. Of Couch, intrepid lead
ers they were, will live long in th,
memory OF every true Oklahoman, AT
ter a. heroic struggle the cause wai
won Congress listened to the voic,
OF The people, and on April 22 1889
the opening of original Oklahoma tool
place The Oklahoma boomer" ha,
passed into history. He gave way Z
the Oklahoma sooner" who has beer
in evidence tor several years
The story of Oklahoma reads like
story Of enchantment AT noon on thl
22nd day OF April, 1889 the countr!
was practically uninhabited, Tha
night sixty thousand people slept with
IN the borders of the new common
wealth. The orisdaal opening onll
comprised very small portion o
what is now Oklahoma. From time 4
time new lands have been added b.
congress. Today the territory EN-
braces over twenty-four million acres
has a population of over six hundre,
thousand. a cash valuation OF owe
three hundred million dollars; seter
educational institutions under contro
Of the territory; eight educational In
hutnuons not controlled by the tel
ritory and system Of commo
schools as good as can be found 4
the United States.
Phenomlnai Development
The development made by the pc,
PIE OF Oklahoma during the shor
period Of her history has been ph'
nomenh The world had never b.
fore Witnessed such a rapid chang
from natures domain Of wilderness
a land of civilization. Yesterday
land without civic organizations
land Of uncertainty; today a land (
civilization dotted. an, over with pop
ious thriving towns and cities, ever
part Of it trayersed by railroads, e