The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-02
A DrscREDrrABLn pUsrrpss

A DrsCREDrTABLE BUSINESS.
 That there is a determined effort to prevent Oklahoma and Indian Territory from enjoying the blessings and privi- leges of Statehood is becoming more and more apparent as time passes. That the movement against 1t is both sec- tional and political is equally plain. This item from The Oklahoma State Capital is significant:
 There is no question but that the Constitution can be defeated If the Re- publicans and Democrats opposed to 1t will go after 1t with determination to do their duty.
 That sentence exhibits the political animus of the movement. as The Capi- tai is Republican newspaper and voices the sentiments of it's party as whole. we have little doubt. The req son for this animus is plain when we remember that the Constitutional Con- vention was wholly controlled by the Democrats, and the Constitution itself may properly be regarded as Demo- cratic document. That explains the course of the Republicans who are bit- teriy resentful because they could not dominate the convention.
 Then there Is a sectional prejudice, because it was largely through the in- fuence of Indian Territory that the Democrats were so largely in the ma Jority. and Oklahoma resents playing second fiddle to the other. To all this may properly be added some racial prejudice, arising from the fact that large number of the delegates, and some of the most influential ones from | Indian Territory were Indians of whole | or mixed blood. All these causes com bined will account for the opposition. which is largely confined to Oklahoma, to the ratification of the constitution. sectionaIism, politics and racial preju- dice all have their part in the fight But the would-be State has a source of danger in quite another quarter. and | very serious one. It Is being openly talked that there is now being formed | 6 combination of prominent Republi- cans, headed by Speaker Cannon. des- | ignated to influence the President against the admission of the new State | and to refuse its admission if it lies in his power. The reason given for this movement is typically Republican. It l Ia explained by these conspirators that If the State is now admitted into the Union 1t will be Democratic, and will send Democratic Senators and Repre- sentatives to Washington and a solid Democratic delegation to the next Presidential Convention.
 | All this Is to be made plain to Roose- velt. It Is to be shown him that by | permitting Oklahoma to come into the Union he will be admitting a Demo- cratic viper that may help to drive the c. o. P out of business. Thus. if ritories vote to ratify the new Con stitution, as now seems more than probable, the attempt is to be made to so influence the President that he will prevent the new States admission, l if possible to do so Whether he can | be used Is another question. but that is the program as now set forth. First determined fight against ratification by the voters themselves, and If they fail in that they propose to make an appeal to Caesar at the White House. The evident hope of the enemies of Statehood is that if they can delay 1t year or two. longer, they may change the politics and put the Republicans in 1 power-a hope which Is not we'll founded, in our judgment, and is not creditable to those who are depending on it.
 l The Advertiser has more than once criticised the new Constitution. and has expressed the firm conviction that 1t will not be satisfactory if adopted, but that Is immaterial now. It Is their Constitution. framed and endorsed by delegates regularly elected and quail | fled, and if 1t fails to work well in practice, 1t will be for them to correct. Whatever opinion we may have of that instrument, we have nothing but a feeling of contempt and condemnation for the efforts being made to defeat 1t, or for those engaged in the business.
 Now, we have no doubt that there are those who will wonder why Speaker Cannon should lend himself and his in- fluence to such a piece of business as this, but the reason will be apparent to all who will think back few months. They will remember that when the Statehood bills were before | Congress, MT. Cannon wanted to write Arizona and New Mexico into one State and Indian Territory and Oklahoma in another. For some reason, which has never been made quite plain, he l opposed the passage of the Oklahoma measure unless the other was con- nected with it. He used all his per sonal, political and official influence 10 carry out his will and when he found that Arizona and New Mexico could not be forced into union, he did all that was in him to defeat the Oklahoma bill In all this he had the backing of | Roosevelt, but it all failed, as 1t richly deserved to do.
 Here was some more dirty politics. It was known, or generally believed. that if Arizona was admitted as a sepa- rate State. 1t would send Democratic delegation to Congress and Democrats would control 1t in the Presidential | a1a bt,t MaviCn at