East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-08-07
RICH NEW STATE
Of OKLAHOMA
POLITICIANS GUESSING
ON INDIAN VOTE
Seeking Nickname for the New State
Many Indian Delegates VIII Sit In
the Constitutional COnvcntiOn-No
Land to BE Sold for less Than S.
Per Acre.

w. Z. Schaffer writing to the Seat
tie Star from Guthrie, Okla, says of
the picturesque new state and its in
teresting conditions:
This is no longer the Promised Land
1t Is the Landed Promise, and every
one is as tickled with statehood as a
young colt in green pasture. State
hood will give Oklahoma and Indian
Territory little that they have now.
unless you count about 5000 elective
offices. Although the elections are
far off, there is ample sufficiency OF
candidates for all of them.
The question just now is on the
process of combination. "Will the
state of Oklahoma be republican or
democratic? Nobody knows.
This much is agreed upon by the
politicians-and don't think they
aren't some numerous-the noble
half-breed will swing the state one
way or the other. And as he hasn't
voted before the Indian, or what
passes as such, Is an unknown
quantity in elections Is he a DEM
ocrat? Maybe. Is he a republican
Maybe he ought to be, but it's doubt
ful.
Your correspondent asked Governor
Frank Frantz, among others, how Lo
Is going to vote. He threw up his
hands.
That's what the most astlte poll
ticians of this section are dying to
know" he said, which is a diplomat tic
answer, as well as true one.
There are about $4,000 possible In
dian voters, nearly all in indian Ter
ritory Although The full-bloods are
confined to a few thousands. there
are enough half-breeds, negroes and
white men on the tribal rolls to count
a great deal. They are figured upon
to vote. at the outset, at least, as tho
welfare of the tribe seems to dictate
although the old tribal community
ends. Undoubtedly the Indian is GO
ing to be much petted for a while.
Indian Delegates.
They have gotten up a contest foI
some appropriate nickname for the
new tate. Some of the suggestions
are: Banner state" sooner state.
Flag Day state" Indian state,
Eagle state" "Roomer state" "Fan
God state" go. *. state" If the
Chickasaws, Osages, Choctaws, Pom.
cas-, etc. are going to be the factor IN
the state elections, Indian state" viii
be appropriate enough.
This is the condition now. but in II
years the Indian will cut about a!
much figure as a Chinaman. Tn,
expensive and elaborate effort of tn,
government to preserve the red mar
has about reached its limit. The rea
Indian is dying out. What is left o
him is being absorbed by other races
His power even in the elections vii
be of negative sort.
Just now the territorial governor o
Oklahoma and the secretary of Indiar
territory are arranging districts fol
delegates to the constitutional con,
vention. There will be several Indians
in the convention. The Osages viii
send two by express provision of tn,
enabling act, while 1t is likely tina
other tribes will elect members b,
mere force of numbers. But there vii
not be more than dozen out of NOR,
than 100 delegates, and it will be
while mans constitution. The attend
ance of the Indians will be er-com
plimentary.
There is not much unoccupied Ian,
available In oklahoma or I'm Indiai
territory. What with oil gas. Goa
and other mineral wealth, added /,
the agricultural richness, the owners
are holding to it.
In Oklahoma the schools have seiZ
ed all the remaining land open to set
tlement, 100000 acres, which give
the public schools of the new state IT.
remaining public lands for the asking
1t was a race between the schools
and homesteaders, and the schools
having the inside track, took 1t in bi,
chunks. These lands will bring
princely revenue. This PRACTICAL!
puts an end to homesteading in Ok
lahoma, except in the Big Pasture
which Is going to he opened.
There are 100000 acres of the Bi,
Pasture, which is in Comanche count,
in the southwestern part of Okaho
ma. Opinion differs upon the agri
cultural possit ilities of the land, bu
probably II will all be taken. Tn,
government will auction off this land
Successful bidders must make home
stead entry. No land will be sold 70
less than IS an acre in annual pay
ments. The department of the inter
Tor soon will announce the plan in de
tail.