The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-11-21
Great PROGRESS Made.

When we consider the fact that Ok.
1ahoma was first opened to settlement
only eighteen years ago and then but
a small section of the present area, the
others following years afterward, one
is tempted to EXPLANATIONS Of wonder
at the progress made. Oklahoma City,
the metropolis Of the new state, has
about 10000 people. It has forty miles
Of asphalt street paving. 1t has build
ings almost of skyscraper height, with
elevators and all other modern acces-
sories. Guthrie, the territorial capital
and designated by the federal enabling
act as the state capital until 1914, is
not far behind Oklahoma City in popu-
lation. In the Indian Territory side
are several cities of like class, includ
ing South A1cAlester, Muskogee and
Tulsa. Muskogee, which had $500 peo-
pie in 1900, now has population of
$4,000.
For many young men Oklahoma
spells opportunity. The case of Thorn
as P. Gore, who is to be one Of the
first pair of United States senators
from the new state, is typical of Ok
lahoma. Mr.. Gore has been totally
blind since he was boy of eleven
years in his native state of Mississippi
This physical handicap did not pre-
vent him from going through the reg
ular public schools and the law de-
partment Of Cumberland university at
Nashville, Tenn. He went to the new
town Of Lawton when the Comanche
country was opened to settlement in
1901, settling there for the practice. of
law.
Set His Heart on the Senate.
Young Gore knew that Oklahoma
would soon become a state. The SEN
ate loomed before him, though he was
unable physically to see his way there.
He set his heart on the senate and
watched his chances. Going first to
the territorial senate, he made a rep
utation throughout Oklahoma as an
eloquent orator and keen debater.
Having acquired nearly all his knowl-
edge Of books from hearing them read
to him, his memory was trained to
prodigious accuracy. His young wife
read to him every day, and Mr.. Gore
became intimately acquainted with
the records Of all prominent Oklaho-
mans, with the resources and the pos
sibilities Of the, state and with national
affairs in general. He ran for the
senatorial nomination at the Democrat
ic primaries against two wealthy men,
mortgaging his home for funds to pay
his travelling expenses so that he could
stump the whole state. He won. As
Oklahoma is overwhelmingly Demo-
cratic, Mr.. Gore will be elected to the
United States senate by the first ses-
sion of the state legislature at the ear
~ age Of thirty-seven, the first blind
man to occupy a seat in that august
body.
Despite her somewhat top heavy con-
stitution, Oklahoma will be all right,
thank you. She has schoolhouse on
every hilltop and church in every
valley, with never a saloon at the forks
Of the road or elsewhere. She has
school lands donated by the national
government aggregating in value $780,
OOO, 1000, with present annual income
from these lands of 100000. She is a
land Of corn and cotton and meadow
grass, Of alberta peaches and Indian
maidens, both of which lure the white
mans kiss of wooing. Just now she
IS undoubtedly the proudest Of all our
commonwealth. In view Of what she
has achieved in her eighteen years
from the sod house and the jack rab-
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