The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-01-21
STATEHOOD
CONSIDERED
House Committee on Territor-
les Listen to Sidney Clarke
OPPOSES A SINGLE STATE
Claims Indian Treaties Would
Cripple Taxation.

Washington, Jan. 20.-Statehcod for Ok
1ahoma was considered today by the
house committee on territories. Sidney
Clarke, of Oklahoma City, spoke for the
proposition He opposed joining Oklaho-
ma and Indian Territory into one state
because of the lack of taxing power in
the latter territory, caused by treaties
with the Indians.
a conference of the committee on terri
tories has resulted in what might be call
ed a compromise between Democrats and
Republicans The plan has been decided
upon 10 admit one Republican and one
, Democratic state after the election of
1904. So far as can be determined the
plan is one which has been agreed upon
by house leaders alone, but the PROPOSE
tion will appeal to the senate. The weak
ness of the proposition lies in the offer to
admit New Mexico. which had 10 bear the
burden of the attack on statehood dur
ing the last session of congress.
Politically considered it will be impossi-
bic to secure the admission of the terri
tories TO statehood without the aid of
Democratic votes. There are not enough
Republicans in favor of statehood to pass
any kind of a bill. But even if there were
the senate, which defeated statehood in
the last congress by filibustering tactics,
has established a precedent which the
Democratic minoriey would not hesitate
TO follow if the statehood bills did not
suit it.
The Democrats have become persuaded
that Oklahoma, if admitted as an inde-
pendent state, would be Democratic. But
TIE minority must confront the possibility
of the absorption of the Indian Territory
by piecemeal unless both territories are
included in the statehood proposition.
They will agree to the creation of one
state at this time in order to avert such
possibility. 1t will be impossible for the
Democrats 10 have passed though a Re
publican congress a bill admitting Okla
homa> and the Indian Territory as one
state. New Mexico as a separate state and
Arizona as Z state. This would create
two Democratic states and one Republi
can state, a proposition which the DOM
inant party would never consent to. To-
morrow the fight for the admission of
Oklahoma as an independent state will
be begun before the committee on terri
tories.
If there were no Indian Territory Okla
homa could not we'll be denied admission
as il stands with its present boundaries
1t has the population and the wealth and
is better prepared for statehood than any
territory ever has been at the time Of its
successful application. But the idea has
sunk deep into the minds of Republican
leaders that oklahoma, even if admitted
as it is now defined geographically, would
be a Democratic state.
B. s. Mcclure PROBABLY will retain his
seat as the Republican delegate, but the
Republican leaders cannot be persuaded
that in an election after admission, there
would be a probability of the Republicans
carrying the new state and sending Re
publican senator's 10 Washington. The
diagnosis may be all wrong, but such is
the impression. The advocates of single
statehood here have come TO understand
the situation and are busily engaged
proving that Oklahoma is Democratic.
Nobody denies that Oklahoma and In
dian Territory, if admitted as one state,
would be Democratic. If Oklahoma is
admitted alone, it viii be a question of
only three or four years, at most, when
Indian Territory must be admitted. The
proposition 10 combine the state is there
fore becoming a Republican necessity and
IS satisfactory to Democrats on the house
side conversant with the situation. Even
this sort of an understanding leaves the
statehood situation q matter of specula-
tion. The SENATE has not indicated its
policy. but if the senate Democrats accept
the house compromise the possibility OF
statehood legislation is bright.