The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-09-29
NEXT STAR In THE FLAG
PREPARATIONS FOR CONVENTION
IN NEW STATE.

Statistics of the Present Population
and Resources Of Oklahoma and In
dian Territory-Peculiar Conditions
in the Latter Territory Which Will
Soon Cease to Exist.
1t will be necessary. to have another
star on the flag withip few months.
writes the Washington correspondent
of the New York Post. Now that the
president has signed the act enabling
Oklahoma and Indian Territory to
become a state. the boomers" from
those two territories have gone home
to make ready for the constitutional
convention. 1t is planned to adopt
the constitution in time to elect the
first set of state officers in November.
The formal admission to the Union
will be by proclamation OF the presi-
dent, after a constitution has been
adopted One hundred and twelve
delegates will sit in the constitutions
al convention. When congress recon
venes next December five new mem
bers of the house will appear from
this new state, and the legislature, at
its meeting in January, will choose
two United States senators, who will
probably be in their seats by the first
of February
This new state will not come in as
weakling. Everybody realized that
it should have been admitted TO the
Union several years ago. For four
years it was held on the outside OF
the door by the demands OF politicians
that Arizona and New Mexico should
enter at the same time. Either Okla
homa or Indian Territory alone would
make a creditable state; joined to-
gether they will outrank some of the
older commonwealth in population,
wealth and resources. 1t is remark
able step upward for Indian territory.
which in reality has never been ter
ritory at all, in the sense of having
territorial form of government. 1t
has been run by the secretary OF the
interior
Nothing speaks more eloquently for
the makeup of the American people
than the fact that 100000 of them
100000 white people-have been
dwelling together in this territory
without any regular form of govern
nent These people have got along
without any state or county organiza-
ton; without roads, except such as
they built by voluntary contributions;
without schools for their 200,000 chill
dren: without sidewalks in their cit
les, except where it was possible to
do public work by unanimous consent
of all the persons affected Under
the circumstances it is no wonder
that the dispatches declare that there
is great rejoicing over the signing of
the statehood bill by the president.
Guthrie is to be the capital of the
new state until 1912. The enabling
act provides that the voters of the
state shall then choose capital. The
presumption is that Guthrie will con-
tinue to be the seat Of state govern
ment. The statehood act contains a
strong anti-polygamy act Oklahoma
is given two sections of non-mineral
land in each township for the support
mon non-sectarian schools, besides
certain specific donations of land for
it's educational and other institutions.
The state is also to receive the sum OF
$5,00O,O00, in lieu Of lands which can
not be set aside for school purposes
within the limits of what is now In
dian Territory, because the lands in
that state are owned by the Indians.
Oklahoma has an area of $3.50
square miles, or 24,979, 200 acres, and
a population of 3OS,331 Indian Ter
ritory has an area Of $1,000 square
miles, or 19,S4O,OOO acres, and pop
ulation of $4,000 It is conceded by
every one who has had opportunity for
observation that since the census of
1900 the population of both Oklahoma
and Indian Territory has increased
with amazing rapidity, until it is now
probably million and half. There
are said to be no better farming lands
in the United States than in these ter.
ritOries.
Under the so-called Curtis act"
provision was made for the organiza-
ton of towns in the Indian Territory,
and towns have been organized all
over the territory, having populations
which are increasing with astonishing
rapidity. Indian Territory, as origin
ally set apart in 1884, practically CON-
pretended what are now known as
Oklahoma and Indian Territory, ex-
cept that Beaver county, formerly
known as mo Mans Land" was add
ed to Oklahoma by congress in 1890.
Original Oklahoma, containing g..
O00, 900 acres in the heart of what now
constitutes Oklahoma was opened u |
settlement Anril 9 1899 hut No form |