The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-01-18
First Steps
In Actual Statehood
Legislation Being
Taken

Washington, D. c., Jan 16.-The
preliminary steps looking to the pas
sage Of bill by congress authorizing
the people Of Oklahoma and Indian
territories to form government,
adopt a constitution e..a become a
state in the union are now being taken
by the house committee on territories.
AS so often predicted in this CORE
spondence would occur, not all Of III
dian territory wiz be added to okla
homa now, but merely the Creek and
Seminole nations. Then will follow
the addition of the Choctaw, Chicka-
saw and Cherokee nations as the
treaty agreements with those glEe~n-
ments expire by limitation.
Delegate Mcclure is making stub
born and deteioir-i fight to prevent
any compulsory provision being insert
ed in the bin for the addition OF tbs
Choctaw Chickasaw and Cherokee ma.
tions being added to Oklahoma at any
specific and definite zine. He realizes,
as do all of he Republicans, that
whenever all of Indian territory g.
added to Oklahoma mat the chance
are It will be a Democratic state. he
realizes also today that Oklahoma Is
a Democratic slate, and for this reA.
son he will not vigorously oppose the
addition of the Seminole and Creek
nations. But whatever his wishes in
the matter may be they viii have but
little weight as Mr.. Mcclure is merely
a delegate in congress and has no
vote either In committee-or on the
floor of the house But in settling this
question of statehood the Republican
members Of the present congress are
going to settle it TO suit themselves.
The wishes Of the people Of the terri
tories will be considered, with the OBJ
ject in view OF tickling their personal
vanity. But when the time comes for
action the Republicans will proceed
along the lines they think proper, and
that will be along the line of least po-
litical resis .ance. In other words, by
the addition Of the Seminole and
Creek nations the Oklahoma Repubh-
cans believe they viii create a. Repub.
lican state. There Is not a single one
of them who believes Oklahoma is Re
publican today. But by adding the
Creek and Seminole nations they hope
to get at least 5000 Republican ma
jority which will Offset the Democrat
ic plurality in Oklahoma.
"Bnrf Cross, the commercial tray-
eler and congressional aspirant, is
here pressing his claim for recogni-
tion as a delegate from Oklahoma to
the national congress. And Bill IS
friends The day after he ar
rived here l met him and asked him
how it was that a commercial travel
er ever broke into politics.
Well said he, Il have asked my
self that question many times. The
after election when / woke
up and tie boys told me had been
elected l raped myself on the head
several times with my fist and said,
Bill old boy, how does It happen that
YOU broke into congress Since ! have
been here | have asked myself many
times how a lot Of the other fellows
here ever u.cFe into congress"
Yes, | am going to make q fight for
he seat now being held down by Bird
Mcclure. was honestly elected ana !
he Republicans counted me ou Bird
Knows was honestly elected. III
here is any possible way OF inducing
! Republican congress TO do the right
hing / am going 10 obtain the seat
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