The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1906-07-24
Grafton at Kansas By
G. N. BebOut of
This City

the address Of Gaylord ~ Bebout at
the basket picnic at Kansas, /. r.,
July 81:
After long years Of anxious waiting
we are now on the verge of taking up-
on ourselves those civic rights which
our sister states have long enjoyed
and we rejoice that in the near future
we shall have the right and privilege
Of building local government for
ourselves and our posterity.
This new state. Of ours constitutes
one Of the richest portions of the vast
Louisiana Purchase acquired from
France In the reign Of Emperor Ma
poleon !, in 1903; a little over one
hundred years ago. When Thomas
Jefferson, as president of the United
States, learned that Spain had ceded
chat vast expanse Of country west
of the Mississippi river, including our
own fair land, to France, he realized
the gravity Of the situation, and that
we were hemmed in between two
powers hostile to Zach other, Great
Britain on the north and France on
the south and west. From that mo-
ment he spared no effort in acquiring
this vast expanse of territory for the
United States and as a result these ef-
forts eliminated in tile purchase Of
Louisiana at a price Of sl5,O00,00O
This grand new state OF ours is
carved from the fruits Of that pur-
chase, Ibefng the last but not the
least Of the states which have been
formed from that vast expanse Of
rich fertile country, drained by the
Mississippi river and its tributaries
The growth Of Oklahoma is unrival-
ed id the history Of the American
nation.
April n, 1885, the sun set on
primitive solitude. At meridian next
day thousands Of men and women
we're rushing across the borders and,
like a tale from the Arabian
Nights, cities sprang up by magic,
and the frightened eagle wheeled in
his flight at the confusion Of sounds
that filed the land.
This Igrand state Of ours begins
with practically no public indebted
ness and with public funds accessible.
The only colleges in Indian Territory
are owned and controlled by religious
denominations, or are private enter
prises. Oklahoma has territorial uni
versity at Norman, normal schools at
Alya, Edmond and Weatherford,
preparatory school at Ton
kawa, an agricultural and mechanic
al college at Saltwater to which a
United States experiment station is
attached and a combined university,
agricultural and mechanical college
and formal school for negroes atLang-
ston. Each Of these institutions has
costly buildings and is splendidly
The state Of Oklahoma covers close
TO As million acres Of the richest land
west Of the Mississippi river, and her
resources are as varied and numerous
IS the colors ia the rainbow. The
oklahoma farmer can choose to his
liking in selecting his crop.
With all our fertile soil and varied
products, we have our government
yet to establish and our school houses,
bridges, roads and various public
yet to build, but before all
5his is done we have a serious propo-
iition before us. We must build the
'oundation of our new state govern
nent, a state constitution Upon
hat constitution we must build the /
rame work Of our government: there /
ore it becomes necessary that we
,lect honest, upright and capable
men 10 build, as it were, our govern
Mental foundation. our constitution,
nd when this is done then we can
proceed toelect our public officers.
When Oklahoma is declared to be a
tate with all the rights and immuni-
les Of her sister states We want her
o enter upon life under the leader
hip Of the grandest political party
-nown in the history of our govern
nent. We want her to follow the
ianner Of the progressive party, favor
ng internal Improvements. education
f the Youth and general prosperity.
The Democrats are trying hard TO
the people tnat To them is
Iue the success in the statehood fight.
lutit is perfectly natural that they
hould, because they feel chat a long
ime has elapsed since they have
anything to crow over and
hey must crow even though it be over
he achievements Of their opponents
AS state we must get started
light because we have % long life be-
ore ms. and we trust that our path
7ili be streWn with flowers