The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-31
Liquor Question in Oklahoma Is
Causing Trouble.
Kansas State Temperance Union
Takes a Hand.
MIR. DEXTER'S DEMAND
That Statehood Be Defeated Be-
cause Of Liquor Regulations.
Several Judges May Lose Places
Ii Bill Passes.

| II Bill RaSSe9.
Washington, Dec. s11The question
of prohibition in the prdposed state OF
oklahoma, and the protection of In
dians from intoxicating liquors has
aroused the women of the country, the
ministers, and the classes usually quick
10 detect moral point in propositions
arising for settlement by congress.
The mail of every member of con-
gress and particularly that OF him who
halls from the west, and is interested
! IN making a new state out of Okla
hona, is flooded these days with re-
quests and even demands" that the
noble red man" and the people OF the
new state generally be protected from
the fnfquitous rum traffic.
This sort Of thing has reached the
climax, however, in the demand Of the
Kansas State Temperance Union,
through its secretary, w. l. Dexter,
that statehood be defeated because of
certain provisions of the bill in respect
of liquor.
Much misunderstanding among good
! people exists in regard to the provfs-
ions Of the Hamilton statehood bill,
which will be considered In the senate
after the holiday recess. The fear is ex-
pressed that, some way, the Indians in
Indian Territory, when they go into the
new state of Oklahoma, will be exposo5
to the liquor traffic. untrammeled and
unhampered.
The fact is that Indians in Indian
Territory are now protected in this re-
spect by the treaties made between
them and the United States. These
treaties do not expire until 1906 The
new state of Oklahoma, II there Is to
be one, will not go into effect until 1906.
The date of expiration Of the treaties
and the date Of formation of the new
state are the same. In other words.
there will be no hiatus or interregnum.
The state of Oklahoma will Immediate
n he Dlr4 an
commission, with respect to Indian Ter
ritory.
The Hamilton statehood bill contains
this language:
That perfect federation of religious
sentiment shall be secured. and that no
ilahabitant of said state shall ever be
molested in person or property on ac-
count of his or her mode OF religious
worship, and that polygamOus or plural
marriages and the sale, barter, or Civ
ing of intoxica ting liquors to Indians,
are forever prohibited: Provided, That
the sale, barter, or giving away, except
for mechanical, medicinal, or scientific
purposes of intoxicating liquors within
that part of said state heretofore
Indian reservations within said state,
be prohibited for a period of ten years
from the date of admission of said
state, and thereafter until after the
legislature of said state shall otherwise
provide"
It will thus be seen that instead of
becoming nySI6T1Cdl over Ine lIlfneul-
ate danger of Indians in that part of
the state of Oklahoma now known as
Indian Territory being exposed to the
ills of the liquor traffic, it will be more
than eleven years, if ever, before liquor
can legally be sold them. After the ex-
piration of ten years from the date Ok
lahoma will go into effect as a state. it
will then rest with the state itself
whether there shall be further prohibi-
tiOn.
The fact is that these welI-meaning
people grossly misunderstood the state
hood bill
If statehood is granted Oklahoma and
Indian Territory, a number of federal
judges will go out Of office. Oklahoma.
now has a supreme court consisting of
seven members. These judges are also
judges of the United States district
court. Nearly the entire court consists
cans.
There are four judges in Indian Ter
ritory, composing Jointly a court of ap-
pea1s, and each Judge also has a dis
duties of judge of the United States
district court. Two of these four In
dian Territory judges are Kansans-
Joseph A. Gill of Colby, Thomas coun-
ty; and Joseph T. Dickerson of Mar
ion.
Under the provisions of the Hamilton
statehood bill, there will be two United
States district courts-eastern and
western. The bill provides that the
eastern court will have a seat at Mus
cogee; and the western at Guthrie and
Oklahoma City, alternately. OF course
this latter detail may be changed, and
probably will. in the senate, during the
Consideration of the bill.
But the question that interests Kan
sas is, will it get one or both of the
two federal judges when statehood
comes? 1t is possible that it may get
one of them. 1t is understood here that
Judge Dickerson, the latest appointed
of the Indian Territory judges, and a
brother-in-law of Governor-elect Hoch,
is already a prospective candidate.
There will likely be others.
AS for the present members of the
Oklahoma supreme court, those who
are now United States district judges;
and the balance of the district judges
in Indian Territory, it is likely that
many of them will be candidates for
the state supreme court, or for state
district judges. Some of them may as
pire higher, and probably WILL
But in respect of judges, and every
thing else, for that matter, Kansans
will be to the front in the organization
of the new state, if there is to be one.
Strike Stops Business.
Trihis. Transcaucasia. Dec. 31.-The
strike at Baku continues. The street
railways have suspended service, the
electric light wires have been cut and
uewSDanerS not being DIlb-