The Wichita daily eagle., 1903-11-22
CONFERENCE OF
BUSINESS men
Statehood for Oklahoma Was
Their Theme.
SPEECHES WERE MADE
Sentiment Was Unanimous
for Immediate Acton.
SPEECHES WERE MADE

.
ynatters, held at the Elks' hotel parlors'
Thursday night, was harmonious and en-
thueiastic. Prominent among those in at
tendance were Governor T. 2. Ferguson,
Secretary William Grimes, Ex-Governor
a ]. Seay. of Kingisher, Chairman Z. M
cade Of Shawnee, Secretary Vernon
Whiting of Enid, Mayor c. P. Lincoln OF
HI Reno, Senator John Z. Hickam OF
Perkins, Col H. Z. Havens, Of Enid
Cshries McElrath of En- Reno, Sidney
Clarke of Oklahoma City, Milton c. Car
ber of CARRIER, Representative j. +.
Curnnnins Of Kinghsher. A 3. Wood OF
Mulhan. Everett Purcell of Enid. H c.
Chspman of Okenee, Jere Johnson or
Newkirk. Fred L. Wenner of Kinghsher.
Tom P. Fry of Waurika and Judge Jno
III. Burford. W. H. Merton. ]. w. Mo
neal. c. H Filson, F. II. Greer, horace
SSeed and Mayor c. NJ. Barnes OF this
city
The sentiment was unaiomous for i'm
mediate statehood. After discussion II
was unanimously voted to vest fui- power
70 act in Secretary William Grimes
Chairman Cash NJ Cade, Col. H. Z. Ha-
xens and Secretary Vernon Whiting. The
general plans include the sending Of let
ters to the members of the Republican
territorial committee, askintl their ad-
vice. and suggestions as TO who would
20 to Washington to work for statehood
.Wbes, the answers are received to these
,ettsrz, the definite plans will be deter
mined upon
sad
zneeting. and discussion was open and
full. Nearly every gentleman present par
7icipated. and while the different methods
were presented, there was no doubt re-
Karding the earnest desire for statehood
The first speaker was Senator HarTi-
son e. Havens of Enid, who was called
upon by Chairman Cade to state the OBJ
3ect of the meeting. He said in part:
Separate statehood must me secured for
Oklahoma now or never. If we are united
with the Indian territory as one state,
we will be overrulled by the Democracy
from the start; We might as well be
1oined to Texas or Arkansas; they would
Eerrymander our legislative, congression-
al and judicial districts and the Repub-
licans would be left out forever in the
cold. Henceforth the statehood fight must
be a political fight. With the proper sup
port the Mcclure bill will pass. The OBJ
1ections made by the senators to the ON
nibus bill were not made against Okla
homa and we can pass the Mcclure bill
Il we can prevent distractions. / believe
MI Republicans should unite behind the
Mcclure bill and push 1t through
Governor Ferguson fully endorsed the
statement made by Mr.. Havens, contin-
uing: 1T is now a matter of politics
with US, as it always has been matter
of politics in congress. We must separ-
ate statehood this winter if at all We
must convince the Republican leaders in
both houses that Oklahoma is Republi-
can. and to be able TO thus convince the
leaders will be the burden on the dele
gate to congress and the members Of the
committee that we send to aid him.
Ex-Governor A. ]. Seay said: 1.-TWO
years ago it was necessary to have the
omnibus bill in order to get my bill re-
pirted out of the committee of the whole
an the house, as Governor Cannon and
other leaders were against US, but the
very thing that aideo US in getting II
through the house, killed it in the SEN
ate We must work this year as Re
pubiicans TO secure Republican state. "
Chief Justice Burford said: My policy
would be henceforward to make a Re
publican fight for statehood. The time
has past for partisanship in state
hood campaign. Statehood, that We want
must be secured from Republicans. oil
not at all. We must depend on our being
able to show that this will be a Re
publican state as l have every reason t
believe that 1t will. The change i'm the
territory is rapidly going on and the Re
publicans are getting the best OF it ex-
cept one county Payne) where tn,
country is being taken up principally by
the Missouri Democrats We are now
standing on our last pegs as Republican.
sn securing q Republican state this mex
congress is our last hope as Republicans
tt is a Republican fight now: il we do
not win now we might as weu surrender
10 the Democrats. crawl into our hole.
and let them have it. l believe we vii
never have two states out OF Oklahoma
and the Indian territory. and none a
all for Indian territory for five or 81,
years At least The question is mus
We wait until Indian territory condition.
are ripe The ume is now for Republi
cans to secure immediate statehood TO
Oklahoma with a provision for the latte
addition Of Indian territory If congress
Rees fit"
Senator Sidney Clarke said: Il agre,
with the statements made that the pres
ent statehood fight must be a Republi
can fight, but now is the time for al
friends OF statehood, Democratic or Re
publican, to make the fight for Oklaho
ma alone. There is no change in tn,
Democratic representation in congress
since the adjournment last spring. the,
are still for a separate state. / believl
every man with the Hearst party wa
favorable 10 separate statehood. l believ.
Oklahoma alone would be a Republicai
state. but We must have the pemocrati
help in congress to set such a bin pass
ed. I would advise a QUIET campaign T.
Washington with as Iirtle newspape
flourish as possible"
Ex-Governor Barnes endorsed tn
statements. as made. that henceforwar
st must be a republican fight for a Re
publican state
National Committeeman Grimes sad
81 believe the chances for Oklahoma
admission considerably increased !
there was ever n time 70 secure tn
admission Of Oklahoma alone it look
like it Is now. l believe limited mum
her on the committee sent TO Washing
ton could do more good than cum
eersome committee and the expense Of Il,
former would be more easily met. II
good time now 10 can the bluff OF the-s
Republican senators. who said when n,