The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-07-28
COMPETENCY OF A STATE
Probably the Only Instance Where an
Enumeration Has Been Taken to
Establish a States Competency
Before Admission.

its special census of Oklahoma and
Indian Territories. but those who
have been in touch with the statehood
situation announce It is for the pur.
pose of determining the charge that
"A legislative disfranchisement and
gerrymander has been perpetrated in
the proposed constitution. As the gov.
ernment asks for none OF the miscel-
laneous information usually required
In a general enumeration. but only
wants the name, relation to house
hold, color. sex and age. it Is plaiu
the order seeks at nothing but
house-to-house count of the people.
This is. perhaps. the only instance
where an enumeration has been TAX
en to establish states competency
before being admitted into the union.
/ There is a remote precedent for it
in the case Of Minnesota. just hali
a century ago. when census was
/ ordered for the purpose Of determir-
| ing how many congressman it should
| possess upon coming into statehood
This was done by a clause in the en-.
abling act instructing the United
| states marshal to do the work Min
/ nesota's act was about the only one
containing such a feature. In num-
her Of instances where doubt seemed
to exist over territory's population
/ the resolution OF admission merely re.
cited that It was apparent the terri
/ tory being accepted possessed tho
requisite number of people" according
to the standard of that day. II was
usual TO give new state two house
members as n minimum. thus balanc-
ing its presentation in the senate;
however, in one or two instances only
one was allowed.
There did not appear to he much
/ anxiety as requisite population
in Minnesota's case for the enabling
act only mentions in doubtful way
congressional representation. The
census of 1850 gave the Territory but
G,O77 people. the basis for each mem-
ber then being about $4,000. The
special census of 1857 showed
Mnnesota's population to be 1873 900,
and the following year 1t was ad-
mitted with two congressman. to be-
elected from districts which the peo.
| pie should form for themselves, and
/ two senators. or enough representa-.
tion for 10000. Three years later
the regular enumeration gave the
state $4,000 population. its represen.
tation being unchanged, although the
basis for that period was $4,000.
No doubt is said to have existed in
congress as 10 a sufiiciency of people
being in Oklahoma and Indian Terri
tory for statehood but from sugges
tions made TO the statehood commit
tee in Washington there did exist
some question, as in the case of Min
nesota over the new states quota in
congress. Senator Beveridge of Indi-
ana successfully opposed the move
ment to take n special census of the
two territories on the ground that It
was unnecessary while the figures of
1900 were available aud believed 10
be correct That census gave the two
territories 790.39l. In making the con.
gressional apportionments and laying |
out the districts in the statehood bill |
an unusual course, even for congress /
the committee made an arbitrary al. |
lowance for only 90 per cent increase
I'm six years, and made FIVE districts .
for a presumed population of 971 900 |
The 1900 enumeration gave Oklaho, l.
ma 39N,331, and Indian Territory 800, .
0G0. The census taken in the ordi- .
nary course OF administration of Ok
lahoma county assessors in 1906 show
cd this territory to have GG2 PSF. or
an increase Of 60 Ia per cent. The
constitutional convention accepted
such increase as also true of Indian |.
Territory as official reports and the
delegate election vote have shown the
two territories 10 be Of almost equll
population, and in arriving at a basis
placed the Indian Territory figures at
G5j,720. The Usage nation was estl-
mated at 5000 thus making the total
presumed population Of the new ,
state l.333007, from which the con
stitution's legislative apportionment
was made. The convention does not
believe the federal court will show
there to be less population in either
territory Some think the total will |
reach 100000.
While the matter OF congressional