Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-27


with greater surprises than a visit to
Oklahoma, Indian Territory and the
Great Southwest. The lack of real in
formation about these sections on the
part Of Intelligent people living In the
older communities is so complete as to
be almost ridiculous. For over fifty
years people of the United States have
thought of the Indian Territory as the
hunting ground of wild and ferocious
Indians. and for the past fifteen years,
since land in Oklahoma was first op-
ened to settlement, they have thought
of Oklahoma as the frontier of civili-
cation where Indians, cowboys and
the hardy and intrepid pioneer were
engaged in three cornered struggle,
which might result In state of civili-
cation in the somewhat distant future.
While it is true that fifty years ago
there were wild and ferocious bands
of Indians in the Indian Territory and
while it is also true that. less than six
teen years ago, what is now known as
Oklahoma, was open prairie or broken
woodland, unsettled aud known only
to the Indian and cowboy, yet the
mighty transformation that has been
accomplished in fifteen years has de-
veloped in this region, civilization
equal to the best in the United States.
Nowhere in the United States today is
to be found more progressive peo-
pie, higher class of citizenship or
proportionately more Christian civili-
cation than in Oklahoma and Indian
Territory. Oklahoma comprises an
area of $1,000 square miles and In
dian Territory 31,400 square miles,
making an aggregate Tor the two ter
ritories Of 70,430 square miles. The
area Of the State of Iowa is 56,025
square miles; Illinois $3.50 square
miles and Indiana 36,S50 square miles.
AS compared with some of the old
eastern states, it is interesting to note
that the area of Delaware is 1850
square miles; Connecticut 1890 square
miles; Vermont 95O5 square miles;
Pennsylvania 45,215 square miles and
the Empire State of New York, 49,170
square miles. 1t will thus be seen
that Oklahoma and Indian Territory
are each amply large enough for indi-
vfdual states, but the preponderance
of sentiment throughout the two ter
ritories is in favor of the admission
of the two as one state, under the
name of Oklahoma. 1t needs but a
glance at conditions as they actually
exist, with realization Of the extent
Of the population and the material de-
veiopment of these territories to say
that they are entitled to Immediate
statehood on their own merits with
tut reference to any other territory,
Section or people. Congress should
D longer refrain from doing Justice to
ne people of Oklahoma and Indian
territory.To make statehood for these
y jeople dependent upon the admission
IF Arizona and New Mexico is an out
rage, which the peoples representa-
tfves in congress should no longer
countenance or stand for. The most
reliable estimates are that there are
today 100000 people in Oklahoma
and Indian Territory. OF this number
less than 5 per cent are Indians. This
is surprising fact and difficult for
the resident of the north and east to
realize. If we take the exact figures
of the United States census in 1900,
there were in Oklahoma, 39S,331 per.
sons of which only 11,945 were In
! dams. In the Indian territory there
were $4,000 persons of which $4,000
were Indians The United States CEN
sus figures show that in 1900 there
were in Oklahoma and Indian Territory
from 100000 to 100000 more people
than there were at that time in either
Of the states of Maine, Colorado, Flor.
ida, Washington, Rhode Island, Ore
gon, New Hampshire or South Dakota.
Since 1900 the population Of these ter.
ritories has practically doubled. How
are these people governed? The peo-
pie of Oklahoma are first governed by
congress, a body in which the territory
has no representation save one dele
gate without power to vote They have
nothing to say as to the appointment
of their own governor. BY the grace
sof congress they are permitted to elect
their own legislature but of sovereign
rights they have none
In Indian Territory there is no gov
ernor, no legislature, only the Presi-
Salent and his secretary of interior and
She federal judges The people have
Spo representation, no local law MAX
Ing body, no voice in their own gov
L1rnment Is 1t any wonder that the
People of these territories are demand
III az their constitutional right of re-
publican form of government? Is it
my wonder that they believe that they
ought to have their case presented on
ts own merits, without any entang-
ing alliance? Self-government is one
i the things most highly cherished by
very liberty loving American citizen.
he people of Oklahoma are entitled
? statehood and congress should give
to them at the earliest possible no
tent
The Opening of Oklahoma
The opening of Oklahoma is one the
mances of American history When
ne shall have thrown the past into
respective, the historic figure of
rly Oklahoma will be David Lewis
tyne, who was the first "Oklahoma
pmer,' and the chief factor in the
,yement which resulted in setting
de Oklahoma from the Indian Terri
y On April %, 1889, two million
tes of land lying little west and