The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-04-24
INQUIRE ON
STATEHOOD
Able Delegate Presents His
Points Strongly.
QUALIFICATIONS PERFECT
Is Far Greatest State at Date
OF Admission.
QUALIFICATIONS PERFECT

eating the passage OF the statehood Dill
providing an enabling act for Oklahoma
and the Indian Territory. Delegate Nc
CURE made his first speech of any length
in the body in wnicn he sits as dele
gate His time was devoted to that por-
ton of the Hamilton bill referring TO
Oklahoma and Indian Territory and he
was frequently applauded by both sides
of the house. lie gave an interesting
statement of conditions in both terri
tories and asserted that the Hamilton
bill would not be opposed by a single
person in either territory. The speech Is
given as follows:
Mr. Speaker: During the few minutes
allotted to me. / shall address my re-
marks to that part Of this bill which pro-
yides statehood for what at this time
Oklahoma and the Indian Territory.
There will be, | take it, no contention as
TO whether the people OF these two terri
tories are entitled to statehood. There
would be no question as TO their being
ready at this time if it We're not for the
landed conditions existing in the Indian
Territory Those twin territories at this
lion and half of people, a greater pop
ulation by four times than any other ter
ritorv has ever had at the time of its
admission into the Union. 1t has been
said by the gentleman from Tennessee
(Air Moon) that the people Of Oklahoma
and the Indian Territory ought to say
whether or not they are to be admitted
into one state. / desire to make the OBJ
servation here and now that there is not
today a political organization in these
territories which has not declared for
the union of these two territories into
one state applause on the Republican
side This bill does not exactly conform
TO my idea of what we wanted at the
time Of the converting Of this body. l at
that time introduced a bill providing for
the admission of Oklahoma, with the fur
ther provision that if in the wisdom of
congress the Indian Territory should
come later, let It come, and that has al
ways been the position Of the people of
Oklahoma-not only of the Republican
party, but of the Democratic party; and
I undertake TO say here and now that If
this bill passes the house of representa-
tives and the senate of the United States.
there will not be one single vote against
n in Oklahoma or the Indian Territory.
Applause on the Republican side. 1
think L know the position of my people
upon this proposition. l know the record
Of the political organizations of that coun-
try know the desires of the people of
those two territories. ] have lived in Ok
Flahoma ten years; and in the adjacent
country about % years.
What is the history of the Democratic
party upon this proposition? Two years
ago that organization declared for the
union OF Oklahoma and the Indian Ter
aitorv-exactly opposite to the position of
The gentlemen on the other side of the
house at this time. They made the cam
paisn upon the proposition that Oklahoma
should wait for statehood until the land
ed conditions in the Indian Territory were
such as to justify the admission Of that
territory That was the position of the
Democratic party in the Indian Territory
at that time; and it is the position OF that
party at this time upon the question Of
statehood.
Not only that. While that declaration
of the Republican party was slightly diff
1ereut. declaring in favor of the bill
which passed this body during the Fifty
ed that. il in the wisdom of this body the
Indian Territory should subsequently be
attached to Oklahoma. let it come. That
Is the position of the Republican party
an Oklahoma. And within the last two
weeks the Republican party of my terri
tory has endorsed the Hamilton bill, as
has the Republican part yof the Indian
Territory. So there is no division of SEN
timen in those territories as TO whether
we should have statehood according to
the provisions Of the bill now before us.
The argument OF the gentlemen on the
other side that the people OF those two
territories shoul dhave the right TO eX-
4press themselves upon the question of this
union need not worry any member of this
mouse for a single moment, because when
those people have an opportunity to vote
they will unanimously stand shoulder TO
shoulder-both the Republicans and the
Democrats-for every provision OF the bill.
Applause).
One other observation wit preference
To the minority report on this bill. In
that report l find the following language:
Another objection 10 the bill as it is
Yramed is in the election management
provided for Indian Territory. Authority
as given 10 Federal officials TO fix the
various districts which are TO select dele
gates for the constitutional convention
and then 70 define the election precinces
and appoint the judges who are TO hold
the elections Returns are made to these
federal officials To be caucassed and their
action Is final. There is nowhere any pro-
vision for any minority representation.
excepting only that one Of the judges at
each election precinct must belong to a
different political party To the others.
in our Judgment ronpartisan commits
sions should have charge Of the elections,
and the districts should be proportional
among the various recording districts rs
nearly according to the population as may
be"
Mr. Speaker. in this case we found
they had no machinery for elections il
the Indian Territory. The machinery had
Il be builGed by the provisions Of this
hin. II seems to me tina chose provisi 5ns
are absolutely fair I'll proct, that
each political organization NAY have lep-
resentation upon the election l-eard.
cannot for the HE OF ne y whv this pc
vision should be assailei - c.lle- 'parti-
san" / cannot understand by What
method il could be made fairer.
Mr.. stephens Of Texas: I should ike K
ask the gentleman from Oklahoma wheth.
er il is not the fact that these Fedora
.fldges are Republicans and have in theil
Charge the formation II all the congress
sional districts in hoih the Indian Terri
tory and oklahoma
Mr. Mcclure; That IS not a fact.
Mr.. Stephens of Texas; Then does no