The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-04-21
Oklahoma
VIII Outvote Indian
Territory in Consti-
tutionalC Convention


tuition for the new state The sta e
hood bin provides for constitutional
/ convention Of 10 delegates, sixty OF
! wh9m are TO be elected by the people
of Oklahoma territory and fifty by
the people of Indian territory The
chief justice and the secretary Of the
territory are directed to apportion the
territory Of Oklahoma intS sixty dis
tricts The judges Of the United
States courts in the Indian territory
are to apportion that territory into
fifty districts.
The governor Of Oklahoma, toge h.
er with the chief justice of the United
States courts in the Indian territory
viii issue a proclamation ordering an
election Of the delegates TO the con.
yention within six months after the
approval Of thv act and at least xty
days prior to the time OF holding the
convention. The delegates 10 the
convention are to meet in Guthrie on
the fifth Tuesday af.er their electol
and are authorized to form consti.
futon and state government for the
state.
The bill con aims a provision pro
hibiting the removal of the capital
from Guthrie until after 1910 fhis
clause provoked much comment in
the committee on territories, the argu-
ment being advanced that congress
has no right to interfere in the loca-
tion Of safe institutions. After 1910
the capital may be permanently fixed
by majority vote Of the people at an
election to be provided for by the
state legislature
An important feature of the bill is
that relating to the taxation of Indian
lands The ques ion of taxation was
one of the most difficult problems
brought before the committee on ter
rltories The following clause is in
corporated in the bill:
The state Of Oklahoma is admitted
into the union upon the express condli
ton that the people Of that state,
through their legislature, or cher
wise, shall not interfere with the
rights Of the various Indian tribes, or
the members Of any of said tribes
under existing agreements, tieaties or
ac of congress, and shall lay no
tax or assessment Of any description
upon the lands belonging to Indian
tribes or to individual members there
Of as long as The title remain in said
tribe, or any member thereof during
he period for which the same are ex-
empted from taxation by existing
j agreements with either of said tribes
or under acts of congress"
The state Of Oklahoma is not 70
be admitted into the union until
March. 1906. The constitutional con
vention is required to provide ordi-
nance for the submission of the con
stitut.on to the people OF the two ter
ritories at an election, the time TO be
fixed by he consti utional convention.
II a majority Of the votes are cast for
the constitution the governor OF Okla
hcma and the chief justice 3f the In
dan territory shall certify their re
suit 20 the president Of the United
I States II the requirements are com
piled with the president is direc ed
to issue a proclamation announcing
the result Of the election and declar
ing the state admit ed into the union
An appropriation Of SIS. 900 is made
TO defray expenses Of the constitu
tional convention and election.
Until The next general census ihe
state of Oklahoma will have FIVE rep.
resentatives in congress. The com
mittee first proposed four represents
tiyes. Friends Of the two territories
made a strong showing. which indicat
ed that the population Of the proposed
state was suficien. 10 endIe il to
increased representation.
That the proposed state viii be
Democratic is not questioned by Re
publicans. Ii Is believed that there
win be a Democratic majority of at
least 10000 votes This is taken TO
mean that Democrats, in having ma.
joriy VIII redistrlci ,he state. wifl
the idea Of Increasing the Democratic
representation In congress With g
new arrangement of districts, Repub
lioans wll have difficulty in electing
two members Of congress, according
80 the idea n house Democrats,
The following grants for school
lands are made for educational insti.
tutions: For the Oklahoma uniyors
I ity al Norman. 10000 acres; uniyers-
sty preparatory school a. Tonkawa.
10000 acres Agricultural ana Me
chanical college a, saltwater 25o.o0o