The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-23
Tlu PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA IN 80.


saturday April 90, the original oklahoma
was opened for white settlement In all the
thrilling, lurid history OF tho great west there
IS no incident moro dramatic than that which
brought home seekers from every point of the
compass onto the borders OF tho new state to be.
In earlier times tho homestead acts OF
benevolent government had made It pos'ble
for tho crowded east to dsgorgo quietly and
easily It's surplus population. little further
west there were lands In plenty And 80 for
decades tho struggle OF civilization with tho
wilderness went on and on, the aggregate
achievement constituting historical epic that
Will ever stand as one OF the most brilliant In
the life OF tho great republic.
But there came time. almost before men
realized e.. when good land scarce. when
there was longer n frontier to adventure to.
when tho west and Its native children had at
last been conquered. And stll tho population
in tho older sections increased. Here. where
Oklahoma now proudly ralsos her head,
adorned with all the jewels OF opulent nature,
there Indeed an emrlre without an em-
peror. Vast stretches of fertile lands basked In
virgin purity beneath the Indians summer sun.
The conquering race looked on. tho Israolites
in that other day viewed tho promised land;
their hearts became covetous and they sot their
influence steadily against congress that imped-
ing treaties. although OF great solemnity. might
be crcumvented and the lands of tho fair god
opened to settlement
Germany was not the first nation to con-
slider It's treaties more scraps of paper. II ono
disregard the high law OF evolution ana Its
coroilary. which recognizes sound tho theory
that only the fttest have a right TO survive. tho
history OF no nation contains darker spots than
that OF our own in respect to the manner in
which It dIsregarded honorable engagements
with the first owners of America.
so tho lands OF Oklahoma were at last thrown
open to settlement. The prizes were to go to
the swift rather than the strong. And the race
was to begin at high noon, April 22. 1899, when
a cannon's shot would release all contestants
There are those still active in Oklahoma at
fairs who will never forget the scenes presented
by the great pilgrimage Just prior to the run.
They indelibly stamped upon memory's
plastic tablets. To the vast majority the line OF
travel lay through the Indian reservations now
known as Eastern oklahoma--the lands of tho
Cherokees, Creeks, seminoles, Choctaws. Chick
asaws, ard the five or elk all but extinct tribes
which had been given sanctuary In the
tremo northeast part of the Cherokee reserva-
ton.
The mode OF transportation was that used In
peopling and> subduing the west. The great
arteries OF travel and trade. comparatively few
IN number which had first been marked Gu. by
the ever westward trend of travel. were filled
for weeks and weeks with wagon caravans
Their onward march was marked by n cloud
of dust by day. while at night myriad camp
fires stabbed the desolation of the desert and
marked the momentary resting places of the
last OF the American pioneers Journeying bold
hearted into land OF romance TO wrestle
elngiehanded with the fickleness OF fortune
For every quarter section OF land available.
every town lot TO be secured. there were
roughly three or more claimants gathered
awaiting the race when the sun roso on that
memorable April 2c. And yet all were strong
OF heart and full OF faith. 1t was motley as
sembase. In the congregation were sclons OF
aristocracy. to The purple born, rubbing shoul-
ders with bold men of the frontier who had
never yet felt the chill of fear, no matter how
menaclngly circumstanced; while goodly
number foregathered were leaving behind them
in the older settlements unsavory regulations
which they hoped would never follow them and
which they in good faith were determined 10
live down. And. as in all such affairs, there
was somewhat moro than a fringe OF the scum
OF hell, the dissolute, the immoral. the criminal,
moving into new fields simply because OF the
goodly company which promised ample mate
rial to prey off of.
Never before n state peopled In a day.
Never win that he seen again. when the sun
went down that day, oklahoma territory
established fact, The desert had not Vet
been made TO bloom. but It had been populated
1t had established towns and the conveniences
of a civilized people, mail was being delivered
hundred thousand people had arrived home!
The next day there was Oklahoma press
10 influence local political affairs and impress
the peculiar necessities of the new territory
upon the national congress For time the
Colt As was the most eloquent persuader OF
right and justice but very speedily order came
out OF chaos and tho genius OF q new American
commonwealth was finding expression.
And the precedent OF Its origin has followed