The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-04-12

vention and failed of Endorsement to
| blame his defeat or Mcguire.
! There is now more than a suspicion
that some of these dissatisfied ones the
giving the Democratic and independent
papers pointers to make the charge that
Mr.. Mcclure defeated the very resolution
brought before the convention that ex-
pressed to sentiment of the Republicans
of Oklahoma on the school land question.
| The resolution referred to was as follows:
We hereby declare that the Republican
rarty is in favor of the immediate sale
of the indemnity school and public build
| lands of the territory of Oklahoma where
held in large bodies. and to provide for
the future of a fund for the immediate
erection of public buildings for the future
state we favor the sale of sections thirty
three reserved for public buildings. We
believe that the disposition of other
school lands of the territory should be
left to the legislature of the future state,
to be determined by sumbtting the same
to the vote of the people of the state at
a special election.
1t is now being claimed that the above
resolution fairly stated the position Of a
very large jority of the Republicans
of Oklahoma on the school land question
which is true. Then the question is why
was it left out of the platform. An eff
fort is being made thus early in the cam
paign to make it appear that it was
stricken out because Mr.. Mcclure was
not willing to risk a vote of the people
on that question but preferred to leave
it to the legislature.
y l.n wall 70 of rirrhr
that the bold stand taken by the Repub-
lcans of the territory in regard to what
ought to be done with the school lands
caused the school land lessees to look
with much favor on the Republican party.
This favor was so pronounced that some
of the Democratic papers charged that
Bird S. Mcclure had obtained a pledge
from them to support the Republican
ticket. Governor Ferguson had come out
in a statement that the Republican party
was in favor of dealing fairly with the
lessees and that they ought TO be given
a long lease or that would give the lessee
a chance to sell their improvements and
transfer their lease. This was satisfac-
tory to most of the lessees. /
Republicans as we'll as the majority Of
the school land lessees of what ever party
believe that the Republican party has
the ability to provide wise legislation in
regard to the school lands that will pro-
tect the interests of the future state as !
well as do justice to the men who have
improved the lands.
Now let it be remembered that the lead |
ing Democrats of this territory claim |
that they will be able 20 elect the first I
IL ;r-. 81.
the same time they concede that the Re- |
pubicans will carry the legislature and |
elect the first senators. They claim a /
majority of Democrats in the territory but |
say that on account of their vote being |
largely in a few sections. they Will not 1
be able to carry the legislature.
If this position of the leading Demo-
Gratis be true then the Democrats would |
decide the future of the school lands If .
it is submitted to a majority vote of the 1
new state, while If left to the legisla-
ture according to Democratic admissions
the Republican party will have the settl-
ing of that question. Then what is there
for Republicans 70 kick about. Repub-
licans are willing TO trust themselves and
the school land lessees believe in the
ability of that party TO do things and to
stand for ustice as between the state and
the citizens who have certain rights in
the school lands.
1t would be just as well for the fellows
who are laying the foundation for the
Democratic party to make the charge in
the coming campaign that Mr.. Mcclure
was not willing to trust the people OF
Oklahoma on the school land question
to say that MI Mcguire preferred to
leave that matter to the Republican party
rather than to the Democratic party. The
believe that they have
majority of the votes in the territory and
heir ability TO carry the legislature is
by the oposition. Then the Re
publican platform If read and studied
he conclusion will certainly be reached
hat Bird s. Mcclure is true to his party
and that it what representative ought
20 be first and for his private notions
asst.