The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-11
GOVERNOR IS
OUTSP0kEN
Oklahoma Executive Defines
Personal Position.
TWO DOMINANT ISSUES
Views on School Land Are
Clearly Announced

Guthrie, o. T., March 1o.--Governor T
3. Ferguson has for some time beer
trying to put backbone into the Republi-
can campaign by urging the Republican
leaders to take strong and aggressive
position on the statehood and school land
questions. and now some of the promi-
own position a little more minutely, and
this he undertook TO do today. He said:
Most assuredly 1 am for statehood, ="
said the governor IL have always been
for statehood for Oklahoma within her
present boundaries, with the provision
that the Indian Territory be added from
time to time, as conditions would permit.
That was a sentiment for immediate
statehood without having to wait for In
dian Territory. but il contemplated the
addition of the Indian Territory in the
future If we cannot get that kind Of
statehood. / am for any kind Of statehood
that we can get. If congress will not
give us statehood on the former plan
advocated by the Republican party. l am
for any kind that congress will give.
What we want is self government. Let
congress places the lines and impose the
restrictions but give us an enabling act
which will authorize the people to enjoy
the rights of self government.
LAS TO the school land proposition. that
subject demands careful consideration,
for we are dealing with the interests of
a commonwealth as well as with the in
hn
valuable investments upon this land.
These lands were set apart by congress
for the benefit of the people of the future
state To let the people determine the
manner in which they should be disposed
of would he fair. as the lands were set
apart for the benefit of the people. Many
plans have been suggested to meet the
emergency. One plan has been proposed
which seems TO meet the approval OF
the people generally. Many lessees ap-
prove Of this. The plan is to retain the
title of the land in the state, but invest
the preference right in the lessee, who
shall pay a certain per cent of tax on
the land annually per cent to con-
form to existing conditions in the state,
the lease To meet the requirements of
ownership. and to all intents and pur-
poses TO be title. At least. it would
serve as one-cOuld he transferred. inner
tied as realty. and in every respect would
protect the interest of the lessee. The
state would simply hold the land as
security for the school fund to be derived
from an annual tax to be regulated from
time TO time to correspond with existing
conditions Such an arrangement would
be a safeguard against the dangers aris-
ing in the handling of a large fund which
would be derived by the selling of these
lands and at the same time would insure
to the state a perpetual school fund
from the annual taxes on the land. 1t
is believed that a plan of this character
might be devised which would meet the
approval of all the people. But what
ever plan is devised, it should first receive
the approval of the people by popular
vote That is the only way TO settle
any policy which concerns the general
welfare and it is in harmony with the
spirit of all American institutions