Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-07-28
Future State Agitated
Over Choosing of
Its Nickname.

Oklahomas statehood troubles are
just beginning. says a recent special
dispatch from Guthrie to the Chicago
Post. Scarcely had it's people become
accustomed to speaking Of themselves
as residents of a state when some one
started the agitation over a pet name.
1t spread like wildfire, and from every
city and crossroads hamlet letters are
pouring in urging the claims of this
or that remarkable nickname. Some of
the arguments advanced are as strange
as the names, which is saying much.
The competition has taken the form
of a voting contest, IL ,491 ballots hav-
ing been cast up TO July II, with new
names and now votes coming in hourly.
Boomer led with 1924 votes, Ban
ner' was a close second with 2,169 and
20. K.'' was third with 2,120. Boom
err and Banner" will prove much too
prosaic in the long run, IL is believed,
and something more typical of the
breezy west will win out. Already OBJ
lection has been expressed to Banner"
as lacking in modesty."
A Guthrie resident answered this
accusation thus:
oklahoma never has been backward
about letting the world know what it
has. 1t was necessary to show con-
gress that we had the qualifications
before we could get statehood. We are
daily showing capitalists what we pos
seSs and should not fear to stand as
the Banner State If we could not
make good it would be different. but
we can. The name fits Oklahoma as
much as the Empire State does New
York"
This same man pointed out further
that the 20. X. State" is as boastful
as the Banner, but 1t has aH additional
advantage in being very catchy. The
o. IL should be read as a word and
not as an abbreviation. +. S. Barnes.
postmaster OF Ponca City, is one Of the
hardest workers for the o. X. State,
believing that the state and the people
are o. X, and he is waking up his
part of Kay county.
Many of the old soldiers are voting
For the Banner State, while Eagle ard
Rough Rider is dividing the Rough Ri
der vote. The ladies of the G.. A. II.
all over the two territories are work
ing for the Flag Day State. The I'm
dian State" IS popular among the poll
ticians. the "Indianhoma" among the
Indianlloma Farmers union. the Gold
water among The prohibitionists,
while the "AIistlctoe" and the Fair
God State" are strong among those
desiring II pretty nickname.
From Okcmah comes the suggestion
for the Cow Puncher State"-author.
Clyde Kerr. Mrs. l.. L. Catlina of
Tulso favors big Gun" because, as
she explains, 1.-TWO of our most impor-
tant events have depended on the re
port of n big gun Cannon at Wash
ington and the report of the big gun
thirteen years ago next September that
gave the thousands the signal to start
to make the race. And who can deny
we are not a big gun among the other
states?'
This is what Benjamin Dewald OF
Enid has to say: Il would call our
state The Bird State in honor of Bird
S. Mcclure. He certainly was the one
man that brought theSblessing of state
hood to us by securing the passage of
the statehood bill. Let the honor go
where it belongs, regardless of our
personal differences. Then look at our
birds of every kind and variety. Start
1t, Mr.. Editor, and / will stake my
money on the noblest Bird Of all birds.
Bird s. Mcclure" A protest has been
made that the selection of such a
name would mean that residents OF
the state would be known henceforth
as Brides" A barrow resident who
champions "Razorback' thus defends
his choice: Although it is lnelegant
and has no significance other than that
given it by that junketlng committee.
Oklahoma is much more likely TO be
known over the country as the Razor
back State than by any of the cut AMI
dried nicknames yet given it,
Some OF the more unusual names sug-
gested and the votes cast for each are:
o. K..............2.12O Composite ........