Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-06-19
THE FoRrY.slxrH STATE.

The statehood bill providing for the
admission of Oklahoma and Indian
Territories as the state of Oklahoma
has passed the senate and house, and
became a law with the afflxing of the
signature of the President last even.
ing. Before the new state Is admitted
a constitution must be adopted in state
convention and ratified by a vote OF
the people. Judging from the enthu.
siasm which which the people Of both
territories received the news of the
acceptance Of the conference report by
the senate there is little doubt but that
in few months the forty-sixth star
will be added to the flag.
The capital of the new state is to
be at Guthrie until 1913 and thereafter
at such place as shall be designated
by the legislature 1t will have rep.
resentation in congress of five repre-
sentatives and two senators. Regard.
Ing Oklahoma one correspondent says:
"The new state is large, well popu.
lated, with a diversity Of resources, in.
Guiding both agriculture and mining,
and with all the elements which 60 to
make up rapidly growing state.
OhleSAASAhn VAL NC Adl 6Cl Ill al Cd
and in population than many of the
states when first admitted to the union
and will have more direct influence. SO
far as votes go In the house of repre-.
sentatives, and in the electoral college,
then Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Idaho,
Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Hamp.
shire, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Is.
land, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont
Washington, or Wyoming It's senators
will have as much Of voice, of course
in the determination Of public policy
as those from New York or Illinois. II
may easily happen that the selection
of president to succeed Theodore
Roosevelt may depend upon the point
of view Of the people in the still I'M
born state.
Under the terms of the compromise
bill as agreed to by the senate, the
capital Of the new state of Oklahoma
will be at Guthrie until 1918. The legis.
lature to be created by the new consti
tuition will not have authority to put UP
permanent state buildings at the TEN.
porary capital. In times gone by there
have been bitter fights in new states
over the location Of capital There
would be such fight in the present
case, and probably it would interfere
with the development of the new state
The two old territories were nearly
equal In population, and town lot
boomers and real estate spectators
have infested the capitol here all win.
ter in the hope of inducing congress
to fix permanent capital in the enabl.
Ing act itself Now, the people of Ok.
lahoma will have chance to choose
for themselves, but they will not
choose until time has developed the
direction of the growth of the new
state, and in seven YEARS the situation
Will become SO settled that the people
can make selection intelligently and
for the best interests of the whole
state.
"One Of the best things in the enabl.
Ing act, 30 far as the new state of Ok.
lahoma Is concerned, Is the creation OF
a splendid school fund. An amend.
ment to the original bill was passed
through the senate by the influence of
Senator Warren which would have
thrown open to settlement all the min.
Ing lands Of the territory. some of
which on the old Indian reservations
are enormously valuable. The amend
ment was vicious one and the con
ferees wisely have thrown 1t out al
together. In It's place they have turned
over all the public lands, both agri-
cultural and mining, to the school