The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-01-10

Is thoroughly organized into districts,
school houses are already built, and
we have seven great state educa-
tionai institutions.
I'VE have a state school fund belong
ing to the entire state Of from sixty
to seyentyfve million dollars. This Is
princely school fund. equal TO any
in the world This school fund when
properly invested will yield six dol
lars per capita for every child in the
state. II VIII now yield, improperly
rented as it is, in the neighborhood
of two dollars per capita for every
child now living in the state. We
nave more than five million dollars
in cash on hand; it is my purpose and
the purpose of the administration to
build three great normal schools in
that section of the state formerly
known as Indian Territory state
school for the deaf and dumb, state
school for the blind and perhaps a
state school for destitute orphan
children. This will give us six state
educational institutions in that end OF
the state against seven In old Okla
homa.
1T is also our purpose to lay of ey-
erv new county into districts, bond
the districts. sell the bonds to the
state, aud build a school house In ev
cry district in the state. II was ny
foEd hope to do all this durlaE the
year 19GS, and open all these schools
in Sepfember, 1908. Under the con-
stitution our Indian citizens and our
white citizens are classed as one, and
provision is made for us all 10 send
our children TO the same schools to-
ge;her. the negroes being placed in
separate schools ! believe this TO be
wise provision OF the constitution
and vastly to the interest OF both
races.
I'VE have been seriously oDstructed
in the organization of school districts
in Indian Territory by John ID Bene-
dict, superintendent OF the national
schools and the representative OF the
interior department at Washington
City, and his assistants. They have
obstructed us in laying off and or
ganizing districts; and ! believe that
these people have not only violated
the fundamental principles of our gov
ernment by invading the school rights
of our state, but | believe they have
broken the law of the land and are
guilty of a violation of the law for
which they should be handled in the
courts. II is my deliberate opinion
that they should be removed from the
state as obstructionists ana offensive
partisans
II believe that it Is 10 the interest Of
the Indian citizens of the state and
not only the whites that the schools
run by the Interior Department among
the whites cease, but that they take
their hands off the Indian schools and
that these schools be turned over 20
/ the State Of Oklahoma. We have
statehood now and the great State OF
Oklahoma is aDle to attend 10 It's own
business. There can be but one head
70 the educational spstem In Okla
homa ana that head should be the
/ state superintendent of public in
struction, and not a representative OF
/ the Interior Department in Washing
| ton City more than fifteen hundred
miles away.
II write this letter for the purpose
of asking you to pass resolutions &C
the effect that the national govern
ment withdraw its hand from the
school work In Oklahoma, and that
these schools, Indian and white. bs
turned over to the State OF Okla
hoina. Oklahoma Is not a beggar, ans
we do not approach The national gov
ernment as a sappliant ior anything
The state superintendent Of public Ia
struction elected by the people Of Ok
lahOma Is a believer IN the doctrln'
OF states rights and local selfgos
ernment We stand on the frndamen
tn principles OF this republic tina
every STATE is sovereign state IN
union cf sovereign states that can no
be- broken. Oklahoma has the right {