The Washington herald., 1906-10-13


TWO Territories.
Indian Territory presents decidedly the
most interesting study TO the Common
wealth builder The situation is common
place as to Oklahoma, for there are found
not only all OF the conventional materials
that go 10 the making Of a State, but also
the usual and necessary instrumentalities
and conveniences of the typical American
community long accustomed TO the ways
OF government. But i'm Indian Terri
tory are lacking many Of the elements of
settled neighborhoods that have under
gone development adapted to modern liv-
ing.
Thus, when the final formalities of join
ing the two Territories in single State
hood shall be completed, the problem Of
bringing Indian Territory into perfect
harmony with its new political status
viii be both difficult and novel In area
it is just about equal to Oklahoma. in
population the two are approximately on
an even footing, the combined population
amounting TO something like LS00000 BY
the census OF 1900 the new State VIII be
entitled 10 FIVE Representatives in the
House. Under the apportionment that
viii be made by Congress when the next
census is completed. in 1910, the State of
Oklahoma viii doubtless take high rank
among the leading States I'm the matter
of the number of its Representatives in
the House. If its present population were
accepted as the basis OF representation in
stead of that shown by the last census il
would enter the Union with a delegation
greater than that of a half dozen of the
original thirteen States.
status Of the Indian Citizen.
AR Zeyely points out that taxation will
bc the hardest problem to solve for the
new state. The reason is that under
the enabling act. the great bulk OF the
twenty million acres of land comprising
the area Of Indian Territory viii bc ex-
empt from taxation until il shall be
aienated from its Indian owners. Tho
period Of alienation varies all the way
from one TO twenty-five years The lat
Ter period covers very much greater
part of this imperial domain than is COW
cred by the other
For long time, therefore the anom-
ally viii be presented OF a body Of Ameri-
can Citizens-for that is what the enabling
act makes of the $1,000 Indians of all
classes and degrees of consanguiuity-ex-
ercising every right of the American SOW
ereigE save that OF the right TO sell their
land. and who. at the same time. viii
not have 70 pay taxes on their real estate
holdings for any purpose whatever. Nee
essarily this viii put an unusually heavy
burden OF government upon personal
property, and by the same token Il is in
1errable that corporations vail come IN Tor
an unaccustomcd share of taxation.
Not the least srotesque feature of this
anomalous situation. from the white
mans viewpoint, viii be that these $500
half citizens and half wards of the nation
viii individually, be the most extensive
landlords in the world, and in point of
per capita wealth. they viii outstrip any
other people on the planet. They can
lease but not sell their lands. and of
course white men viii be their tenants.
The lordly Indian from the fullbl0od 90
him. whose title to these rich lands is
based upon his having proved the pos
session of The baresJ modicJIm of the
blood Of the abOrigines, will need not 10
labor at all, unless he should labor be-
cause he likes to do SO-and Indian lora
does not sparkle with many conspicuous
examples OF the love Of the noble red
man for toll.
Must Build from the Bottom.
The latter-day intrumeutalities OF
commerce. education. Justice. and local
government viii have to be built from
the ground uD in all that part of tho
new state which is now Indian Terri
tory; for in an this vast area there is
neither "a county road system nor Il pub
lie school system, courts. county seats.
sc Under the old dispensation there
il has been Impossible 10 lay out roads
or levy school taxes, except under re-
strictions that did not permit of the es-
adjustment OF a permanent system
When our constitutional convention
assemblies "a Guthrie November %. said
Nh Zevely. I'll viii be confronted bv
some of the hardest and certainly the
most novel problems that American
th-builders ever had to deal
with What / have told YOU about the
anomalous situation in Indian Territory
indicates the nature of these problems
The convention viii be composed Of fiftv-
i've delegates from each of the Terri
tories ana two from the Usage nation.
which IS one Of the few remaining tribes
of bianketed Indians in. this country. The
enabling act placed no limit ON the length
OF the session, but it did limit the pay
OF tne delegates 10 sixty days 1t is
probable. therefore. that the convention
VIII not sit much longer than siXty dave.
The constitution VIII then be SUBJ
mltted 10 the people for adoption within
sixty days, and at the same time they
viii vote for the election Of All officers
from precinct constable through the en-
tire list Of county officers. members Of
the legislature, governor ana other STATE
officers. The constitution when adopted /
viii be sent 10 President Roosevelt for I
an "a IN D
claring the constitution TO be ali right
viii he included blanket approval by-
the President OF all of the officers elected T.
The President will have twenty davs ia 4
which 10 issue his proclamation Thus il I
viii probably take us until next Nav 10 /
complete the formalites Of making the
new State
Big Task for Legislature.
Tho i've members of the House IN
Washington viii be elected with an the
other officials. The legislature. OF course
VIII assemble at Guthrie soon after The
Presidents final proclamation is issued. I
Then viii begin the work on the infinite .
detail OF organizing fun State govern /
menL Counties Will have to be created in
Indian Territory, for there are uo coun- I
lies there now, judicial districts will ha
created. county seats established: State
institutions, of which there are none. pro
vided Tor; two United States Senators
elected; IN briel. there viii have 10 be
done BY the Legislature thr thousand ana
one things that are necessary 10 the or.
sanitation ami equipment Of state gov
Revenues, too. VIII have 10 De- pro-
Vlded for and ON this subject the leair-
iature VIII probably be hung up for n
long time because OF the total exemption 4.