| Indian Chieftain, February 22, 1900 Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.] 1882-1902 | THE STATE OF SEQUOYAH Another Name Suggested by H. E. DonCarlos. |
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| In speaking of the needs of the Indian Territory, Commissioner H. E. DonCarlos recently said to a correspondent of the Springfield Republican:
"While it is true that congress may enact many laws that would be of benefit to the people of the Indian Territory, not only to the five civilized tribes, but to white non-citizens, who form the renting class; yet if we look back over the past six years it will be seen that this country has made great strides. To begin with, the encroachment of the white man upon the Indian domain, was recognized by congress ten years ago, by the establishment of courts here with limited jurisdiction. Then the Dawes commission was appointed largely for the purpose of ascertaining what persons of the claimant class were entitled to recognition as citizens of the various tribes. Then a law providing for a territorial survey was enacted. The courts were increased in number, and were finally given general jurisdiction and the tribal laws of most of the nations were abolished. New treaties with some of the five nations have been made, while others' are under way; and a law
has lately been enacted for a general inspector for the Indian Territory. All these signs point to a territorial form of government; perhaps toward statehood. The white people in this country are from every state in the union, and each man's idea and knowledge of the territory laws is confused with the laws of his own state and home, the laws are irksome and the people of the territory are anxious for the day to come when the laws governing them will be ejected by their own votes expressed through their representatives in an independent statehood with or without Oklahoma; this
state, by the way, would be larger than several of the eastern states put together. "First—The surveying of lands in this country should be finished. "Second—The settlement of the claimant question completed. "Third—That the membership rolls of the different tribes be taken and every Indian citizen be placed in possession of his allotment. "Fourth—Laws providing for free schools should be paused. "Fifth—Provisions should be made for the insane, blind and orphans. "Sixth—Some provision should also be made whereby people of the Indian Territory could obtain titles to their realty, thus enabling necessary town improvements to be made and taxes levied so that the towns can establish protection against fire. This protection is badly needed, as the disastrous fires at Ardmore, Muskogee, Wagoner and other towns prove. "Seventh—The bill introduced by Congressman Gaines of Tennessee would aid greatly in the government of this country should it become a law; as it would relieve the district courts of a large amount of business, thus giving the judges more time to devote to their crowded dockets and to dispose of the business of the court of appeals of which they are ex-officio members. This bill gives commissioners jurisdiction in forcible entry and detainer cases. As the laws are now a land owner had better give the renter of a cheap farm or rental property two years rent Tree rather than to undertake to oust him by law; provision is also made in this bill for the arrest and trial of persons charged with misdemeanors, many of whom under the present law are not prosecuted for the reason that the deputy marshal would be money out of pocket, in making, arrests caring for and conveying prisoners. A section giving commissioners power to act as coroners, and hold inquests and bury the pauper dead. As I said in the beginning, great strides have been made by the territory, and in a few years this will be found to be a healthy, thrifty state, which I would like to see named 'SEQUOYAH.'" |
| The Minneapolis Journal, January 23, 1901 Minneapolis, Minn., 1888-1939 | CALL IT SEQUOYAH Name the Indians Wish for Their Territory. |
| in congress to change the name of the Indian territory to Jefferson has excited much interest among the people of this section. Sentiment is against naming the territory Jefferson. What would be more acceptable to the natives' is "Sequoyah," the name of the great Indian who devised the Cherokee language, the only aboriginal written language of America. The Cherokees are being urged to unite as with one voice and ask congress that when tribal governments shall cease to exist and a state be formed on moldering ruins of Indian' governments it shall be called Sequoyah. In the, event that, Oklahoma and the Indian territory should be taken in as one state, the Cherokees will ask that the name Sequoyah be given the new state. They cite the fact that a good portion of Oklahoma was formerly Cherokee territory, and that the name of Sequoyah would be perfectly applicable to that section. They will rebel if an attempt is made to saddle the name Oklahoma on the new state. |
| Indian Chieftain, January 16, 1902 Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.], 1882-1902 | ARDENT APOSTLE Of the Oklahoma Statehood Doctrine is Ex-Governor A. J. Seay. OPPOSES MEASURES For Delaying Statehood for Oklahoma, Pending Settlement of Indian Territory Affairs, but Says the Twin is all Right. |
| Ex Governor A. J. Seay of Oklahoma, en route to Washington to preach the doctrine of immediate statehood for the heavenly twin, has been visiting L F. Parker, Jr., for several days. Incidentally, he has been telling why Oklahoma should receive recognition of her claims for admission to the union, without the Indian territory. The ex governor is a combination spellbinder and diplomat, and while he is eloquent in his admission of the greatness of the Indian Territory, believes that Oklahoma should be allowed to play solitaire in the statehood game. He points to this following excerpt from the memorial which will be presented to congress, as infallible proof that Oklahoma should be welcomed into the union this winter: "With a population greater than that of any territory ever admitted to statehood and greater than that of twelve different states of the Union at this time; with a taxable valuation greater than any state of the Union at its admission; with a school population almost double the average population of all of the states when granted self government; with an area almost equal to that of the state of Ohio, and greater than that of thirteen states; with a free school within easy distance of every home and a higher college or university education offered without price to all of the youth of the territory, of whatever race or sex or condition; with well governed cities and counties and laws enforced in every way, with a people 96 per cent American born and all loyal and patriotic citizens; with annual production of 25,000,000 bushels of wheat, 60,000,000 bushels of corn, 150,000 bales of cotton and other agricultural products in proportion, and herds that pass the million mark, with a financial record without a stain of default or repudiation; with a financial, commercial and business growth equaled by no other state or territory, is not Oklahoma clearly entitled to admission to the sisterhood of states?" The ex-governor says, "yes," and will do some vigorous missionary work among the unfaithful at Washington. | SINGLE STATE SCRIBES Met at Oklahoma City Yesterday and Organized Association, |
| The single Statehood Press Association, composed of the editors of the twin territories favorable to single statehood, was organized at Oklahoma City yesterday. The following officers were elected by the association: W. H. Walker, Purcell, president; Robert Neff, Blackwell, vice-president; Roy Stafford, Oklahoma City, secretary; Mrs. W. H. French, Chandler, treasurer. The president was instructed to appoint a committee of five to arrange for an excursion to Washington when the statehood question comes up for final action. The committee to draw up resolutions to be forwarded to Washington will report tonight. Papers on matters pertaining to statehood were read by L. G. Niblack, of Guthrie, H. P. Robbins, of South McAllister, W. H, Walker, Purcell, H. B Gillstrap, of Chandler, and Roy E. Stafford, of Oklahoma City. |
| Indian Chieftain, February 13, 1902 Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.], 1882-1902 | FIRST SKIRMISH In the Great Battle for Statehood Won by the Territories. HOUSE COMMITTEE Will Report Favorably on Statehood Bills and Will Recommend a Territorial Form of Government for the Indian Territory. |
| The first skirmish in the pending struggle for statehood, has been won by the territories, and the house committee will report favorably on the bills providing for the admission of Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico to statehood, and will also report a bill recommending a territorial form of government for the Indian territory. The report of the committee will be submitted February 21st and it is thought, will receive the immediate endorsement of a majority of the members of the house. In the senate the admission of the territories, which would make the political prestige of the east insecure, will be fiercely contended, but the partisans of the several measures, are confident of their passage. There is a wide divergence of opinion among the members of the committee concerning the disposition that shall be made of the Indian territory case. There is no sentiment in favor of admitting the territory into the Union as a part of Oklahoma, the differences being confined to the character of the government that shall be provided for the territory. The Moon bill has been strongly urged. The objection to it is that it provides for a full territorial form of government with the consequent expense in taxation that must be borne by personal taxes until such time as the Indians' lands are made subject to taxation. Some of the members of the committee urge that the territory cannot afford to assume such a burden and they are making an effort for the adoption of the Curtis bill, which provides for a governor, secretary of the territory and a delegate to congress, to be appointed by the President, and the expense of the government to be borne by the federal government. This matter is now in the hands of a subcommittee, which will report to the full committee next week. |
| Indian Chieftain, February 27, 1902 Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.], 1882-1902 | STATEHOOD BILL Is Amended to Provide for Final Addition of Indian Territory, MUCH CONTENTION On the Question of the Form of Government for the Territory, Pending Its Absorption by Oklahoma. |
| As anticipated by those who have been watching the devious course of territory legislation at Washington, the bill to be reported by the house committee on territories providing for the admission of Oklahoma to statehood will contain a provision for the final addition of the Indian territory. The subcommittee charged with the duty of revising the bill and preparing a report, has been in consultation upon the measure, and several amendments, agreed upon by the committee, will be reported. The original bill, as presented by Mr. Flynn, delegate from Oklahoma, contained a clause giving congress power to annex the Indian territory to the new state at such time as the lands of the Indians are subject to taxation and had in fee. This clause was the subject of considerable discussion, and it was suggested, as an amendment, that before the Indian territory could be united with Oklahoma it would be necessary to have the proposition ratified by a vote of the inhabitants of the territory. This proposed amendment bas been rejected, however, and the bill to be reported will leave the annexation proposition with congress. By another change in the bill, Oklahoma, if admitted, will be entitled to two representatives in congress instead of three, as provided in the original bill As soon as the full committee reports the three territorial bills to the house it will take up the question of a government for the Indian territory. On this point there is much contention and the widest divergence of opinion. Some of the members are urging the adoption of the Scott bill, providing for a system of appointive officers, who shall be paid by fees. The strong argument in support of this measure is that the residents of the territory, without taxable lands are not able to bear the tax burdens consequent upon the support of a full territorial from of government. The democratic members of the committee are opposing the measure and urging against the point that it places too much federal patronage in the territory. The democrats will urge the adoption of the Moon bill, which provides for a regular territorial form of government. It is possible now that the Moon bill may be accepted, with some of the provisions of the Scott bill added. A report on the Indian territory bill is expected within two weeks. |
| Indian Chieftain, May 08, 1902 Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.], 1882-1902 | STILL JUGGLING. Henderson Party to New Scheme to Sidetrack Statehood. |
| Speaker Henderson, who is trying to side track any legislation looking to the admission of Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona as states, has a new proposition before him for consideration. Mr. Tawney, the republican whip, after a canvass of the house, informed the speaker that probably fifty republicans would vote with the democrats for the omnibus bill, but that, even if a few of these were whipped into line, enough republicans were pledged to the bill to pass it, Mr. Tawney suggested another way out. It was to recommit the bill reported by the committee on territories, with instructions to report three separate bills. The Oklahoma bill could then be passed and the New Mexico and Arizona bills defeated. The senate would then proceed to kill tho Oklahoma bill. It now looks as if the promised development of the southwest will be sacrificed for politics and graft. |
| Indian Chieftain, May 08, 1902 Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.], 1882-1902 | OKLAHOMA ALONE Of All the Territories Has a Chance for Statehood. |
| Some of the leaders of the house believe the omnibus bill granting statehood to the territories of Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico will be passed by the lower branch of congress at this session, not withstanding the strong opposition to granting statehood to Arizona and New Mexico. The basis of representation under the apportionment for the last census is, in round numbers, 194,000, and the population of Arizona is only 122,031. New Mexico has a little more than enough population to entitle it to one member, the number being 195,931. But the character of the population of New Mexico and Arizona and the other qualifications of a state are generally lacking. For this reason there is considerable opposition to the admission of these territories at the present time. Representative Landis and other members of the house who have expressed themselves on the subject favor separate bills providing for the admission of the territories on their merits. It is argued that if this course is adopted the members will be given an opportunity to vote intelligently and will not be forced to vote to keep out Oklahoma in order to deprive the other two territories of statehood for the present. There is some opposition even to Oklahoma, such members of the house as Representative Cannon of Illinois contending that Oklahoma and Indian territory should be combined and admitted as one state. The combined population of these two territories is 790,391, which would entitle them to four members of the lower house and two senators. If the omnibus bill is adopted by the house, it is likely to encounter considerable opposition in the senate and would, in all probability, go over until the, next session. |
| The Guthrie Daily Leader, August 28, 1905 Guthrie, Okla., 1893-1996 | WORSE THAN FREAK KANSAS PROPOSED INDIAN TERRITORY JOKE BECOMES SERIOUS SUFFRAGE FOR WOMEN Any Old Thing to Prevent Immediate Statehood. |
| Special to Dally Leader. Muskogee, I. T., Aug. 28. There is some agitation of woman's suffrage for the proposed new state of Sequoyah, not so much among the women as among certain delegates to the separate statehood constitutional convention, who believe the purity of the ballot would be best conserved were the women permitted to vote. The question originated in a joke, but is now being taken seriously. Delegate Whitaker of the Tahlequah district. In conversation with some women the other day, remarked that he hoped he would be placed on the suffrage committee, and, if he was, he would urge woman suffrage. During the evening, when the committee were announced, he was surprised to learn he was on that committee. He related the incident to some friends, also delegates, and in the way the matter was given prominence, and the suggestion has been made that women be permitted to vote, at least on school matters. There is no organized effort among the women to secure the privilege of ballot, but a number of them have suggested the be given the power of ballot. Women are taking much interest in the work of the convention and its several committees, many of them being well versed. Mrs. C. N. Haskell, wife of the vice chairman of the convention, with a party of friends, was in interested spectator at all the sessions of the general convention, occupying boxes and watching the proceedings with close interest. As the plans for separate statehood are maturing there is more or less gossip as to probable nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, other state offices, United States senators, members of congress, etc. Among the men most prominently mentioned by the Democrats for governor are Mayor F. B. Fite of Muskogee, Vice Chairman C. N. Haskell of the convention, Gov. Douglas H. Johnstone of the Chickasaw nation, Gov. Porter of the Creeks, Green McCurtain of the Choctaws, W. C. Rogers of the Cherokees, and Gov. Brown of the Seminoles. For senator, C. N. Haskell, Judge John R. Thomas, H. M. Furman, D. C. McCurtain, Joseph LeHay, Thomas H. Owen and others are mentioned, while for congress there are numerous candidates or possible candidates. Sentiment seems to be crystallizing around Dr. Fite, who is regarded as the strongest man in the party. He was elected mayor of Muskogee last year by a handsome majority.He is not, in any sense, a candidate for the office, but his friends say he would accept the nomination if tendered him. He has resided in Indian Territory sixteen years, and Mrs. Fite, a leader in Muskogee society, is a Cherokee Indian. Dr. Fite is one of the best known men in the territory and is popular with the Indians and whites alike. He is a young man and an ardent separate state adherent. Among the Republicans, who are prominently mentioned for office are Judge John R. Thomas, R. L. Owen and others prominent in the ranks of the separate advocates. |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, August 28, 1905 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | THE INDIAN'S LAST DITCH. |
| The Muskogee no statehood convention session and proposes to remain in session until a constitution is framed. This convention is in the hands of the Indian element and that element is managed by the leaders and they want no change because they are making fortunes out of the present conditions. This is the last protest of the Indian's against accepting the white man s form of government. They have made a long fight and thus far a successful one but now they are marked for failure in spite of the fact that they are skillful lobbyists and use money freely. However congress has already indicated that they must soon accept the common conditions of American citizens. The law already provides that the tribal relations shall cease to exist on March 4th and on that date the Indians shall become citizens and accept the responsibilities which go with this change. The leaders of the Indians see all these things and know that the change is inevitable, but they hope to postpone the move a few years. They raise the objection that, to unite them with Oklahoma would be to overwhelm them by a strange people. This is a mere subterfuge. The Indians are a very small part of the people of the Indian Territory. They would have no more to say about the government of the state if it includes only the Indian Territory than they would if the two territories were united. In either case they would get what the white people saw fit to give. They undoubtedly would fare well as the two great parties in order to secure Indian votes would nominate leading Indians for office. The Indian will appeal for all these things which they know congress will not grant, which they think the white people would not accept. At last failure await these shrewd manipulators of affairs for the Indian tribes. Congress will grant statehood to the million white people in the two territories and while guaranteeing the rights of the Indians, the white man will not be forgotten.——Times Journal. |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, August 30, 1905 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | PLAIN, BRIEF AND EXPLICIT IS THE CONSTITUTION FOR THE NEW STATE SEQUOYAH. Preamble Consists of Thirty-one Words, There will be Separate Schools for the Negro—Judges Cannot Use Passes on the Railroads. |
| Muskogee, I. T.. Aug 29.—(Special.) The constitution for the new state will not be encumbered with unnecessary words. Directness and explicit expression will dominate. The preamble will contain just thirty-one words, but it gets to the point. It is "Invoking the blessing of the Almighty God, and reposing faith in the constitution and treaty obligations of the United States. We the people of the state of Sequoyah, do ordain and establish this constitution." Greater strength could not have been assembled in so few words. It states at once that the people of the Indian Territory believe that the United States will stand by its treaties with as solid a front as it will its constitution. The makers of the new state know full well what the treaties contain and they want congress to know that they regard such treaties as a compact sacred in its obligating force. Every treaty with the Indians sets forth that they shall not be admitted as a part of any other state nor under the domination of any other state without their consent. A preamble as long as a presidential message might have been written, but it would have been less strong than the thirty-one words quoted. There will be no mixed schools in the new state if it comes in under the constitution now forming. The first provision in the section on education states that there shall be Joint schools for white and Indian children but there shall be separate schools for the Negroes. The provision further is that the school fund shall consist of all public lands granted to the state by the United States government; all efforts that may accrue to the state by escheat, or from the sale of estrays, or from fines, penalties and forfeitures. There shall be an annual poll tax of $2 per head on all male citizens between the ages or 21 and 60 years. The state, school tax is fixed not to succeed two mills on the dollar. Each county is empowered to vote a school levy not to exceed five mills. There shall be a state university for the higher branches of learning, and the state has the power to establish normal, agricultural and mechanical colleges. The board of nine regents is to be appointed by the governor and affirmed by the senate. The constitution for the new state will provide that no member of the judicial system, from the judges of the supreme court to the county Judges, shall receive a pass from any railroad or steamship line. The salary for the supreme court Judges is fixed at $3,500 per year and circuit Judges at $3,000 There will be a fight made in the convention for higher salaries for state officials. |
| The Muskogee Cimeter, August 31, 1905 Muskogee, Indian Territory [Okla.], 1901-19?? | The new state will not bear the name of "Sequoyah." |
| The double staters are worried over the prohibition question and the suffrage part of their constitution. We are particularly anxious to see what they will do on the suffrage part of their constitution. We are particularly anxious to see what they will do on the suffrage question as touching the Negro in the new state. We are informed that there are nine republicans and forty-two democrats on the Constitutional Committee. Now wouldn't that be sufficient to convince a Republican Congress that the Constitution is Democratic from hell to breakfast and that the fine work is being done to make a Democrat state? The fellows who dominate the Double Statehood Convention are Democrats and prohibitionists. Is not this a combination seldom seen? Is it not laughable to see an unwashed democrat voting to make the sale of liquor a felony? It is often said that politics make strange bed fellows and it is undoubtedly true in this instance. A republican is as much out of place in this gathering as a saint would be at a convention in hell. |
| New-York Tribune., August 31, 1905 New York, N.Y., 1866-1924 |
| The Indian Territory now wants to come into the union as a state with the outlandish name of Sequoyah. Such a baptismal misnomer ought to put any statehood project out of the running. |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, August 31, 1905 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | THE DOUBLE STATEHOOD SUB-COMMITTEES OF VARIOUS BRANCHES REPORTING. Shows In Part What Will be Embraced in Detail In the State Constitution. No Outside Convict Labor and No Prize Fighting. |
| Muskogee, Aug. 30. (Special.)—Today there was the first meeting of the full committee on constitution held for the purpose of hearing the report of the sub-committees on various branches assigned to them. Of the provisions for the Judiciary and education there was no change from the vital matters which have already been forecasted in these dispatches. The reports were practically accepted as they stood. The question of a name of the state came up and it was practically decided that It will be Sequoyah. Two other names were suggested, Indianola and Tecumseh. Neither of the latter names received but two votes. The remaining fifty members of the committee voted for Sequoyah which means that the convention will adopt that name when it reassembles one week from today. Some important matters in the bill of rights are as follows: The military authority of the state shall always be subject to the civil authority. There shall be no prize fights or brutal sports. The bill of rights in fact is almost a copy of the Missouri constitution on this subject, It follows the Missouri form verbatim on the subject of free speech and free press. The committee on legislation fixed the compensation of members of the general assembly at $6 per day, the sessions at ninety days. There is a provision which prohibits all state, county and Judicial officers from receiving railroad passes while in office and making the penalty for so doing a felony. Another gives the state power to receive a per cent, not less than two, of the gross earnings of corporations in lieu of taxation, this being within the discretion of the state. The state school tax shall not exceed two mills and the local school tax not more than five mills. The committee on prohibition recommends prohibition forever with dispensaries in each county for the distribution of liquor for medicinal and mechanical purposes, these dispensaries to be under the control and supervision of a state board of commissioners who shall enforce the law. It is recommended that there shall be no convict labor within the state that is not done within the walls of the state penitentiary and that In public work there shall be no distinction between the union and non-union laboring man. The committee on counties and county seats reported forty-nine counties, so arranged that no present recording district is precluded from the possibility of becoming a county seat. The smallest county contains 430 square miles, the largest 1750 square miles and the average area is 653 square miles. The average population is 16,000. The counties have not yet been named. The people must choose their own county seat. The vote cast in each county on the constitution will be taken as a basis of population and will fix the future representation of that county in matters political until the next federal census is taken. There are a number of committees that have not yet reported. The committee of the whole will continue in session until all have reported. Then the proposed divisions of the constitution will be taken up section by section and passed upon. The committee proposes to have a complete draft of the constitution prepared and ready to submit to the convention when it reassembles September 5. |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, August 31, 1905 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | COMMITTEE ADOPTS MAP. Proposed State of Sequoyah to Have Forty-Eight Counties. |
| Muskogee, I. T., Aug. 30.—( Special ) After a night which lasted twelve hours, the committee on constitution, consisting of fifty-five members, has adopted a map of the proposed new counties of the state of Sequoyah and it is fairly certain that this map will be adopted by the constitutional convention when it re-assembles September 5. The map shows forty-eight counties. The smallest has an area of 430 square miles; the largest has 1,750 square miles and the average is 666 square miles, Average population 16,000. A three cornered fight was made. Some of the committeemen thought there were too many counties and wanted the number reduced to 35. Others wanted the constitutional convention to pass the matter up entirely, recognize the present 20 recording districts as counties until after the first legislature assembled and then pass the matter up to that body for dividing up into counties. The sub-committee stood pat on its report, however and after an all-days fight succeeded in getting the map adopted. They declared that under the constitutional provision that any person desiring to vote either for or against any section of the constitution must first vote for the constitution as a whole and that if the county map incurred opposition the people who would naturally be against the constitution would be forced to vote for its adoption first in order to be able to vote against any county provision to which they were opposed. This theory won and the map was accepted. The same committee recommended the election of four congressmen to be voted on at the same time the constitution is voted upon. These members to be seated in congress by the acceptance of the constitution, they being delegated to present tho constitution to congress and work for its adoption. This measure was also fought by a faction which wanted a provision for one delegate who should represent the Territory in congress in case that body refuses statehood and grants territorial form of government. The four congressmen proposition won out and the committee went on record as favoring separate statehood immediately and no provisions for negotiations for a territorial form of government until congress turns the statehood proposition down. The entire day was consumed in these discussions. The committee is holding night sessions. |
| The St. Louis Republic, September 03, 1905 St. Louis, Mo., 1888-1919 | CONSTITUTION OF SEQUOYAH COMPLETE Document Represents Best Efforts of the Brainiest Men in the Indian Territory. WILL BE RATIFIED ON TUESDAY Provisions Are So Popular That the Movement for Separate Statehood Is Gaining Tremendous Headway. |
| REPUBLIC SPECIAL Muskogee. I. T.. Sept.—The Constitution of the State of Sequoyah has been completed and will be ratified by the convention proper when it convenes Tuesday. The document contains about 18,000 words and represents the best efforts of some of the brainiest men In the Territory, who have spent a month in making it. The Constitutional Convention has demonstrated that, outside of the politicians, the business Interests of Indian Territory are for a separate state, and know how to create one. It has defined the policies that will prevail in this State, whether it comes in alone or with Oklahoma. There have been formed alliances that will control the future politics of the state. The Constitution that has been drafted has drawn from all other State constitutions those articles that were considered suitable to the conditions in this country; then were added new and original ones that were demanded by the peculiar conditions that exist. The committee has named the state, decided on a capital location, divided the state into counties, senatorial and judicial districts. Forty-eight counties have been created, where old recording district provided but twenty-six. A PROHIBITION STATE.
The state shall declare for prohibition and make the law as strong as possible. It has decided that the rate of taxation shall never exceed 3 cents except upon a direct vote of the people in counties and municipalities.It has been decided that no State, county or municipal officer shall ride on a free railroad pass. There must be separate schools for negroes, and there shall be no race, educational or property qualification on suffrage, and white and Indian children shall attend the same schools. Four Congressmen shall be elected at the same time the Constitution is voted upon, and two shall be Democrat and two Republicans. They shall take their seats the moment Congress passes an enabling act creating the new State. The Constitution has left all local questions to a vote of the people and to decide these questions by vote, they must first declare in favor of a State by voting for the Constitution. One hundred thousand votes are expected. The number of Representatives in the General Assembly shall be limited to seventy-five and every county shall have one, even though, by reason of small valuation, it cannot maintain a county government and is a part of another county temporarily. CORPORATION LAWS.
The corporation laws are made strict and all corporations are under a State Board of Supervision. There shall be no convict labor outside of the State prison and there shall be no distinction between union and nonunion labor in public works.These are the principles laid down in the Constitution. So popular are they that the separate-state movement has grown to such proportions that the single-state element in Indian Territory and Oklahoma are calling mass conventions to check it. It has further created a movement in Oklahoma for a similar separate State constitutional contention, that Oklahoma may appear before Congress this winter as an applicant fully as well equipped for Statehood as Indian Territory. The Constitution will be presented to Congress and that body demanded to fulfill its treaty obligation with the Indians, which provide for a separate State. |
| The Guthrie Daily Leader, September 05, 1905 Guthrie, Okla., 1893-1996 | Fort Gibson Selected |
| Muskogee, I. T., Sept. 5.—Fort Gibson has been selected as the capital of the proposed state of Sequoyah. The subcommittee report was adopted by the constitutional committee last week. Fort Gibson is only eight miles east of Muskogee and was for many years the chief post of the United States army in the Southwest. It was there that Jeff Davis was stationed before the Civil War. The citizens of the little town pledge themselves to give all the land necessary and erect all the buildings for the government if separate statehood is granted, and, being so near Muskogee, the belief is expressed that the business men of this city will aid the business men of that town. Fort Gibson has ample railroad facilities and is located near the confluence of the Gran and Verdigris rivers. The surroundings are very picturesque and many of the old fort buildings remain. Many of them are owned by the Muskogee Town and Country club and are utilized as a pleasure resort. The constitution committee draw the prohibition lines tighter, amending the provision, as submitted by the subcommittee of five. The dispensary plan remains, but this will be operated by the state instead of each county, as originally proposed. This section recommends that liquor shall never be sold in Sequoyah except as provided for in the dispensary system. The report of the corporations committee was adopted today. The law is taken from the new state constitution of Virginia almost in toto, the phraseology being changed to meet conditions here. |
| The St. Louis Republic., September 06, 1905 St. Louis, Mo., 1888-1919 | FIGHT ON WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE Constitutional Convention Leaves Problem to Popular Vote |
| REPUBLIC SPECIAL Muskogee, I. T., Sept. 5.—The Constitutional Convention did not have a session to-day,m on account of the Constitutional Committee not being able to conclude its report. The convention will assemble at 9 o'clock to-morrow. The committee finished its work this afternoon and has a constitution drafted and ready for ratification at the convention. There was a fight on the woman's suffrage clause this morning, which took up several hours, and delayed the committee. A compromise was reached by agreeing to let the people vote on the question after the first legislature assembles. |
| The Guthrie Daily Leader, September 06, 1905 Guthrie, Okla., 1893-1996 | SAFEGUARDS THE INDIAN SOME ORIGINAL AND UNIQUE FEATURES IN CONSTITUTION OF THE PROPOSED STATE Framers Think Very Highly of Their Work. |
| Special to Daily Leader. Muskogee, I. T., Sept. 6.—There are many features embodied in the constitution for the proposed state of Sequoyah that are both original and unique but in the main the instrument is considered an admirable product that speaks for the intellect of the territory. Among other provisions, the legislature is authorized to provide for the teaching of agriculture, horticulture, stock raising and feeding in all the schools of the state. This was done in the interest of the Indian who, unlike the white child, does not know by nature of custom. One provision of the constitution is the repeal of the fellow-servant law where it applies to transportation companies. This law is in force in every state in the Union, and where a laborer is injured through the negligence of a fellow workman, he can not recover damages, but, under the constitution as framed here, the company is made liable for damages. The homestead exemption law is the same as that of Texas, except that it limits the land to eighty acres of the value of not more than $3,500 and not less than forty acres, irrespective of its value. This excludes all improvements. The home in a city or town is fixed at one acre of the value of not more than $5,000, exclusive of improvements, and not less than one-quarter of an acre, regardless of value. Provision is made for the protection of birds, fish and game, making it a felony to willfully slaughter them. The sale of lottery tickets is prohibited, nor will the operation of a lottery be permitted. Prize fight, bull fights and other brutal sports are prohibited. This provision applies to all sport based on cruelty or torture of man or beast. No provision is made prohibiting horse racing, Sunday baseball, football or sports of similar character, but hazing will be deemed a felony and punishable as such. This provision was suggested by Joe LeHay, a Cherokee Indian and received the unanimous support of the members of the constitution committee. The libel law is similar to that of Louisiana. A man is held responsible for his utterances, while an editor is held responsible for his writings, but must be able to prove hi allegations, submitting the printed article as evidence. In civil cases the jury will render a majority verdict. This is done to prevent unnecessary delay, but in criminal cases it will require a unanimous verdict to convict. In criminal cases the accused shall be furnished with an abstract of the evidence adduced before the grand jury upon which he is indited. This is a new departure, but received the unanimous support of the lawyers in the convention hall. The legislature is empowered to enact the Torrens land system, which is in force in Massachusetts, This system provides for inexpensive transfer of abstracts. The transfer of property under this system is is said to be as simple as the transfer of bank stock. The system originated in Australia in 1858. No provision is made for a lieutenant governor, the president of the senate being next in line of succession. Then comes the speaker of the house and secretary of state. This is similar to the constitution of Rhode Island, which is the only state in the union at this time without a lieutenant governor. One provision of the constitution is that a state officer using the public funds for personal investment is disqualified for holding office for a period of five years. |
| The Guthrie Daily Leader, September 08, 1905 Guthrie, Okla., 1893-1996 | CONSTITUTION ADOPTED. Embryo State of Sequoyah Now In the Incubator. |
| (By Associated Press.) Muskogee, I. T., Sept. 8. The constitutional convention of proposed state of Sequoyah completed its work at noon today and adjourned. The constitution as a whole was adopted by unanimous vote after a few amendments, were made. An appeal to congress was adopted asking that tribal schools, which cease to exist after March next, be cared for by the national government until the state government is established. |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, September 08, 1905 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | BROTHERS, LET US PRAY CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF SEQUOYAH RIOTOUS. Sensationalism Marks the Proceedings During the Reading of the Constitution of the New State–Prayer Proves Oil of Friendship. |
| Muskogee, I. T., Sept. 7—The Committee reported that the estimated taxable valuation of Sequoyah is $118,000,000. The campaign committee was organized by electing C. N. Haskell, chairman; and J. G. Bennett, secretary. Mrs. Zoe Duckworth, a Delaware Indian, dedicated a song of her own composition to the new state. It is called "Wahona," an Indian lament. The song was adopted by the convention. Tonight when the county map for the state came up for adoption a fight started. It was proposed to reduce the number of counties from forty-eight to thirty. This came from the counties which were not suited by their boundaries. The debate continued for four hours and reached a stage of sensational personalities and threats. S. M, Rutherford and C. N. Haskell were repeatedly restrained by friends from personal encounters and the charge was freely made that the committee that had drafted the map has been subject to mercenary influences. These charges were as fiercely denied by members of the committee; motions were made to adjourn but they were howled down. The delegates climbed over seats and the press men stood on the tables. Rutherford made a movement as if to draw a gun and found Leo F. Bennett, United States marshal and a delegate looking him squarely in the eye. He did not draw the gun. In the mean time it took five men to keep Haskell in his seat. Pleasant Porter, the Creek chief, with his eagle eye watched proceedings, and with his big gavel pounded for order. The Indian was surely, in politics. The proceedings tonight demonstrated that he is civilized in politics and procedure of deliberative bodies and entitled to statehood. The Missouri legislature was not in it with the Indian in rough house politics. A Grant Evans, president of Henry Kendall college, with a great big voice, demanded attention and suggested that he would offer prayer if necessary. The effect was marvelous. The convention quieted down and the motion to draft a new map was withdrawn. After all the furor it was not necessary to take a vote. The map will stand with forty-eight counties. The fight over the counties had to be made, and it was settled. Boisterously, it is true, but for all the time. The convention is still in session at midnight. |
| The Guthrie Daily Leader, September 09, 1905 Guthrie, Okla., 1893-1996 | SEAL OF THE PROPOSED STATE |
| Special to Daily Leader Muskogee, I. T., Sept. 9.— the great seal of the proposed state of Sequoyah is probably the most unique of any state in the union, as it represents the three races now living in the territory, the five tribes, and contains a star for every state in the union. It was designed by Rev. Dr. A. Grant Evans, who has long been a resident of Indian Territory, and is conversant with the lore of the Indians. At the top is a picture of Sequoyah holding a tablet, on which is written in Cherokee, "We Are Brethren."Directly under Sequoyah and upon which his right arm rests, is a pole red, white and black, representing the Indian, white man and negroe. In the center is a star, in one ray of which is and plow and a sheaf of wheat, which is the Creek seal. Directly beneath it is a Seminole Indian paddling his canoe toward a school house and factory, representing his transformation to civilization. At the bottom is the figure of an Indian with bow and arrow, representing the Chickasaw warrior. In the ray to left is a bow, three arrows and a tomahawk, representing the Choctaws, while the next ray representing the Cherokees, is a wreath of olive encircling a five-rayed star. This star represents the seven clans in the Cherokee nation. Surrounding this large star in the center are forty-five smaller stars, representing the forty-five states in the Union, while the larger one, representing the Indian Territory, makes the forty-sixth. On the margin of the seal, in large letters, are the words, "Great Seal of the State of Sequoyah, 1905." | CONGRESSMEN AT LARGE. |
| Special to Daily Leader. Muskogee, I. T., Sept. 9.—John B. Thomas, of Muskogee; C. L. Long, of Wewoka; Joe La Hay, of Claremore; and C. D. McCurtain, of South McCalester, were nominated for congressmen at large from the proposed state of Sequoyah. Two of these, Judge Thomas and Long, are republicans, while La Hay and McCurtain are democrats. Party lines are smashed and Capt. McKennon, a Confederate veteran, seconded the nomination of Long, who was a Federal soldier in the war of the states. C. N. Haskell, a democrat, seconded the nomination of Judge Thomas White; republicans seconded the nominations of democrats named on the ticket. Judge Thomas was for several years United States judge in the district. He is a native of Illinois, while Long is from Ohio; La Hay and McCurtain are Indians, the former a Cherokee and the latter a Choctaw and son of Green McCurtain, chief of the Choctaw nation. In the fight for the capital, Fort Gibson was selected over Eufaula and several other towns. |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, September 10, 1905 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | THE NO-STATE CONVENTION HAS COMPLETED ITS CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. The Last Days Session Was Pacific. Fort Gibson to be Capital—Congressman-at-Large Selected. Ratification Vote Nov. 2. |
| Muskogee, Sept. 9.—The constitutional convention of the proposed state of Sequoyah completed its work at noon and adjourned. The constitution as a whole was adopted by unanimous vote after a few amendments were made. An appeal to congress was adopted, asking that tribal schools which cease to exist after March next be cared for by the national government until the state government is established. Muskogee, I. T., Sept. 9.—The constitutional assembly completed its work tonight and the constitution which will be presented to the people for ratification is completed. The session today was devoid of features of a sensational nature. The belligerents of last night apologized to the convention this morning. The chief matter of interest tonight was the fight over the question of the state capital at Fort Gibson for six years, as was recommended by the committee. Eufaula made a fight to have that place substituted for Fort Gibson. There was no other candidate, there was no other candidate,the other towns preferring to take a chance on a vote of the people. The convention decided to locate the capital at Fort Gibson. The committee on nominations reported the following for congressmen-at-large: J. R. Thomas, Muskogee, Republican; C. L. Long, Wewoka, Republican; Joe M. LeHay, Claremore, Democrat; D. C. McCurtain, South McAlester, Democrat. Mr. LeHay is a Cherokee and Mr. McCurtaln is a Choctaw. The report was accepted. These candidates are to be voted on at the constitution election and if congress admits the state they will at once take their seats in congress. A resolution was adopted disclaiming and repudiating the claim put forth by the single state advocates that by their notion the chiefs of the five nations had gone on record as forming a statehood and that they were not opposed to single statehood. The chiefs made public statements declaring themselves forever opposed to any act or word looking to statehood with Oklahoma and that before this convention they wished to so go on record. The date of the vote of ratification of the constitution was changed from Oct. 18 to Nov. 2. It is proposed by the campaign committee to have a polling place at each of the 615 post offices of the territory when this vote is taken. The qualification that a county Judge must have been a practicing lawyer for five years was removed to-day so far as the first election is concerned. The term of office of prosecuting attorney was fixed at four years. A supreme election board for the first election was created. This board is composed of D. M. Hodge, Broken Arrow; D. N. Robb, Atoka; Carl Pursel, Muskogee, and A. H. Cunningham, Tahlequah. Two of these are Democrats and two are Republicans. They will canvass the constitution returns and also the first state election. |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, September 25, 1905 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | CHECOTAH ON STATEHOOD CITIZENS OPPOSE MUSKOGEE CONVENTION. They Pass Resolutions Declaring For Single Statehood and Unalterably Opposed to Constitution of the Proposed New State. |
| Checotah. I. T., Sept. 21.—The citizens of Checotah met in the commissioner's court room last night to take action as to what attitude Checotah will take on the statehood proposition. About 300 leading citizens of the town were present, Ben F. LaFayette was selected chairman and R. B. Huffman secretary. Upon motion the chairman was authorized to select a committee of five on resolution and named J. B. Lucas, N. G. Turk. Dr. W. J. Henson, D. N. Scott and N. S. Jones. During the time this committee was engaged in framing the resolutions an informal discussion of the statehood question occurred, the principal speakers being J. B. Morrow, Chessio McIntosh, W. A, Reid, and others. When the committee on resolutions submitted their report a hot time occurred. The chairman announced the adoption of the resolutions on an aye and nay vote, but a division of the house was called for and granted, which developed the fact that fully four-fifths of those present favored the adoption of the resolutions, which were as follows: "We, your committee on resolutions, respectfully submit the following report : "First—We are unalterably opposed to the adoption of the constitution as promulgated by the separate statehood convention called at Muskogee on August 21, 1905, as said convention does not represent the will of the whole people, but only the interests of the favored few. "Second—We are opposed to the designation of counties as prescribed by said convention for the reason that said counties as designated were made to observe the personal interest of the few as against the best interest of the whole people. "Third—We are opposed to all forms of absolutism and condemn the dictatorial policy shown in the action of said convention in nominating our representatives in congress without consulting the wishes of the people. "Fourth—We are opposed to the restrictions thrown around the ballot in voting for the ratification or rejection of said constitution as it compels the elector to vote for its ratification before voting on any other question however vital it may be to our interests as it is in direct conflict with Section 8 of said constitution which says that no power shall interfere to prevent the free exercise of the rights of suffrage. "Fifth—We pledge ourselves to use our best efforts to defeat the aims of this autocratic convention that seeks to thwart the will of the people or delegating to itself powers belonging to the legislative department of the state. Sixth—We pledge ourselves to work for Joint statehood with Oklahoma, believing it is the best interests of the people to be a part of one grand commonwealth where the voice of the people shall prevail and their interests protected against the will of the few who seek to dominate the policy to be followed by the people of the Indian Territory." DON'T EXPECT STATEHOOD. W. H. Murray Divulges Some of the Separate Staters' Plans. Davis, I. T., Sept. 25.—(Special) At last the real issue has come to light and W. H. Murray of Tishomingo, the advance agent for C. N. Haskell, the double, or no statehood champion, has given the snap away. Mr. Murray is a relative of Gov. Johnston and has been his political manager for several years. When seen today by your correspondent, Mr. Murray said: "The fullbloods are not in favor of any kind of statehood. They remember their experience away back in Georgia, and are suspicious of white men and their ways. The mixed bloods and inter-married citizens' are in favor of immediate statehood but are not willing to join hands with Oklahoma. If the Oklahoma convention had made proper overtures to the leading Indian politicians and workers and had "Jollied" them as we think they should have done, things would have been different today. Our Muskogee convention consisted of 165 delegates, and the Oklahoma City convention only had 936. The newspapers are publishing all sorts of lies about our double statehood movement, but we propose to show then our strength at the polls on Nov. 7th. "Yes. Mr. Haskell owns about $250,000 worth of property in Muskogee, and he is vitally interested in the question of taxation. Every mixed blood and "intermarried citizen" is anxious to defer taxation as long as possible. Joint statehood means high taxes to all of us. 'Yes, J. A. Norman was the father of this movement, but we give the credit of the convention to Mr. Haskell. He arranged the details and has worked faithfully for the plan. He pledged himself to General Porter before the second call was issued. Norman got Chief Rogers to sign the first call but signed McCurtains name to it, which he (McCurtain) denounced in the Dallas News. When Porter had been assured by Haskell that the plan would have the support of a few such leaders it was decided to make an official call. "As a matter of fact the Indian Territory is not ready for any kind of statehood and it would not surprise me to see congress refuse to even entertain the proposition at present." |
| The Guthrie Daily Leader, September 26, 1905 Guthrie, Okla., 1893-1996 | CITIES AT WAR IN SEQUOYAH AMBITIOUS COUNTY, SEATS IN THE COMIC OPERA STATE CONTESTS ARE SPIRITED Town Posts Bonus of $16,000 (Stage Money?) |
| Special to Daily Leader. Muskogee, I. T., Sept. 26.—The supreme election board of the proposed state of Sequoyah is daily receiving applications from towns which seek to be county seats. It is believed that there will be contests in all but six counties in the state. There are already twelve counties in which it is known that strong fights will be made. The applications filed with the election board must all be in before October 15, in order to get the name of the town printed on the ballot. In Coweta county, Broken Arrow has made application and agrees to put up $16,000 for county buildings if she gets the county seat. Coweta and Porter are rivals for the same honor. Broken Arrow backs up her claim with a separate statehood club of 250 members. Kingston, in Overton county, has made application for a county seat. It also has a separate statehood club with 200 members. Madill has given notice that it will be an applicant in this county, but has not yet filed formal application. Okeemah has made application to get on the ballot In Arbeka county, and Paden, in the same county, is getting ready to make its claim. In Thomas county, Kingston has made application, and so far there has been no opposition. In Rutherford county Spirot and Howe have each filed formal application. Poteau is the present recording town in this county, and will of course be in the fight to hold the county seat. In McCurtain county, Harrigton and Idabel have made application to get on the ballot. It Is believed that those two towns will have the field. Porum is the only town that has applied from Breckinridge county, but Webber's Falls and Russell have both informally notified the board that they would make application to get in. Roff has made application in Byrd county. Ada is the present recording town and the biggest town in the county There will be a lively fight in this county as there will be in Garvin county, where Wynnewood has made application, and Paul's Valley is the present recording town. They are about ten miles apart and are or about the same size. Bixby and Okmulgee will have a hard fight in Okmulgee county, and in Push-ma-ta-ha county Antlers and Tuskahoma have locked horns. Summerfield and Heavener are rivals in Wade county, and Vian, Marble City, Muldrow and Salisaw, in Sequoyah county. |
| The Guthrie Daily Leader, September 27, 1905 Guthrie, Okla., 1893-1996 | STATEHOOD THE ISSUE Chairman of Sequoyah Comic Opera Committee Replies to Weaver. |
| Special to Daily Leader. Muskogee, I. T Sept. 27.—H. H. Baker, chairman of the Sequoyah campaign committee, in his reply to Otis Weaver of the single statehood executive committee, regarding the proposed joint debate, declines to accept the offer of the single staters for two reasons. The first of these is the fact that he could not comply with the terms, suggested without violating the provisions of the constitution to be voted on. and second, because he thinks the people in Indian Territory, by framing a constitution to be submitted to the people for ratification, is in the lead of Oklahoma and joint state movement for statehood. He says the opposition may have inspectors at each of the polling booths to watch the count of the votes, but owing to the fact that the constitution names the election boards, it is impossible to give the single staters representation on the boards. |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, October 09, 1905 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | SENATOR BLAIR ON STATEHOOD OUR EXCLUSION CANNOT LONGER BE TOLERATED. More or Less Friction May be Expected, but the Longer the Delay the More Aggravated This Will Become—Wrong Done Us. |
| The following letter from Senator Blair to Mr. J. T. Coleman will be interesting reading to all: Washington, D. C., Oct. 7, 1905 J. T. Coleman, Esq, Ardmore, I. T. Dear Sir:—I will attend to the business matters referred to in your letter of Sept. 25th, without delay. You allude to the desire of your people for admission to the Union as a sovereign state. I do not wonder at this and admit that although a citizen of the eastern part of our country, still have a sense, almost as of a personal wrong, that those two great territories with their vast natural resources, extraordinary development and great population have so long suffered for the want of that home control and homogeneous self-development which can alone come from statehood, I feel that the American people, as a whole, will no longer tolerate your exclusion, and that a better informed public opinion will compel your admission by the present congress. There will no more or less friction occasioned by the transition from the territorial condition to that of statehood. This friction must occur when ever you are admitted to the Union, and it will be only increased and aggravated by delay. All the evils of non-statehood will grow greater the longer they are allowed to exist, and this must be apparent to the inha?? states, delay will be equally injurious they are to come, in as one or two sates, delay will be equally injurious. During the last summer I spent the greater part of six weeks among you, visiting many important points in both territories, having the privilege of witnessing the proceedings of your great convention for joint state hood at Oklahoma City in July, and forming the personal acquaintance of a large number of your leading men, chosen without respect to party affiliations and representing every acre of your 70,000 square miles of territory, I feel it to have been one of the great opportunities and revelations of my life. No one could look at your more than one thousand delegates without feeling that he was in the presence of a tremendous sovereignty, already formed and fully organized for complete notion in statehood life. You are a state in everything but name, and as I looked upon that convention and witnessed its proceedings, I felt as though. I was in the presence of one of the great national political conventions of our country, with this difference, that your convention, while of similar presence and commanding ability in its personnel, occupied a still higher level of patriotic, non-partisan action. It was the highest manifestation of American citizenship, representative of the masses of the people that I Have witnessed since the sublime exhibitions of patriotic action during the civil war, whether North or South. It is certainly a very wonderful and elevated motive which can blend the prejudices of opposing political parties in our country, during a time of profound peace. This, that convention with about five hundred members from each of the great political parties, actually did; and I feel satisfied that they represented the genuine union of the territories in single statehood; but whether that be so or whether the public good requires the admission of both territories as separate states, the question should now be met and patriotically decided I have not the slightest doubt that the statehood would double the valuation of real estate throughout your whole 70,000 square miles, and increase your population to 3,000,000 within ten years time. My study of your resources and power of Industrial production deeply impressed my mind with the similarity of your relation to the great Southwest, to the position occupied by Pennsylvania east of the Mississippi river. You have everything that Pennsylvania has and vastly more, with the possible exception of iron, and that is likely yet to be developed, while your rice and cotton culture constitute an asset unknown to her of very great magnitude, In coal, oil, natural gas, and agricultural productions generally you far surpass her. I was so impressed with these ideas and your geographical position that, in the brief remarks I made in response to the convention, I epitomized my feelings by pronouncing you the "Keystone state of the great central Southwest." Such you are. This I believe to be the inevitable decree of fate. I have lying on my table the last edition of the senate manual published Feb. 1895. From It I take the following matter which shows the gross injustice done you by withholding statehood. "Of the original thirteen states at the time of their admission to the present union by the ratification of the constitution, only one, Virginia, contained a population of over one half million and her population was seven hundred, and forty-seven thousand, six hundred and ten, less than the present population of either Oklahoma or Indian Territory, which combined have a population in round numbers of sixteen hundred thousand. At that time five of the original states had a population of less than two hundred thousand, and three less than one hundred thousand. Not one of the original states contained an area of sixty thousand square miles while these two territories contain an area of seventy thousand square miles and the smallest of them thirty-two thousand. Of the original thirteen, six had less than ten thousand square miles and three less than five, while Delaware has two thousand and fifty and Rhode Island twelve hundred and fifty square miles. Of the thirty-two states admitted to the Union since the formation of the Constitution, not one contained a population of three hundred thousand except West Virginia, which was formed by dividing the old state of Virginia, and had a population of three hundred and seventy-six thousand, six hundred and three. North and South Dakota combined had but four hundred and sixty thousand. Twenty-four contained a population of less than two hundred thousand, seventeen less than one hundred thousand, and three less than fifty thousand. Of these thirty-two states admitted to the Union since the ratification of the Constitution, eighteen contained less than seventy thousand square miles and nine less than fifty thousand. Ohio, at the time of her admission had a population of forty-one thousand, nine hundred and fifteen, Indiana, sixty-three thousand, eight hundred and ninety-seven, Illinois, thirty-four thousand six hundred and twenty, Missouri sixty-six thousand, five hundred and eighty-six, Arkansas, fifty-two thousand, two hundred and forty, Florida, fifty-four thousand four hundred and seventy; Texas , two hundred and fifty thousand, Iowa, eighty-one thousand, nine hundred and twenty; Oregon, fifty-two thousand four hundred and Sixty-five; Kansas, one hundred and seven thousand, two hundred and six; Nebraska, sixty thousand, Nevada forty thousand, and so on. The state of Washington contains sixty-nine thousand, one hundred and eighty square miles. With this one exception and West Virginia no new state has been admitted to the Union since 1850, which did not contain more than 70,000 square miles. But I have written enough. You have long since become of age. To exclude you from the Union longer is like with-holding the right of suffrage from the American citizen who has arrived at his thirty or as compared with some states, his forty or fifty years. The time has passed when any political party can afford to further deny statehood to this great commonwealth. It is time to give her the garments that go with it, and her front rank among her sisters in the Union. Welcome then to this sovereign Union of sovereign states. Come in as one if you can as two if you must. It is better to be one great state than the divided halves of a natural whole. If you must have a new name to unite upon, go further back and higher up than both Indian and white man—to the gods themselves—for your great commonwealth will be born no suckling into the Union, but full grown, panoplied and majestic as his greatest daughter sprang from the brain of Jove. Call her MINERVA. Truly yours,
(Signed) HENRY W. BLAIR THE SEPARATE STATERS. The Leaders at Pauls Valley Prove a Sad Disappointment.
Pauls Valley, I. T., Oct. 9.—(Special.) Messrs. Haskell and Murry of Muskogee spoke at the courthouse Saturday on the statehood question. In the course of his remarks, Mr. Haskell presented figures showing that Indian Territory now has a taxable wealth of to exceed $200,000 or four times that of Kansas when that state was admitted and twice the combined taxable wealth of Wyoming, Idaho and Nevada. In the item of railroads he showed that whereas Wyoming has less than 500 miles of railroads Indian Territory has to exceed 3000 miles of road in operation. In a comparison of the conditions surrounding the taxable land, the speaker declared it impossible to see where the exemption of the allotted land of the Indian in Indian Territory differed from the exemption of the homestead of the white settler in those states that were admitted when the bulk of their lands were homestead entries.Mr. Haskell's address in full was an able discussion of the favorable condition of the territories for statehood of any kind but was a disappointment to his audience which gathered in anticipation of reasons advanced for separate statehood. Fully 90 per cent of the citizens of the Chickasaw nation and of the entire Indian Territory are unequivocally in favor of statehood and know that conditions here are not only ripe but urgent in the necessity for state hood and the conditions of state government and local jurisdiction and local representation and government. Not 10 per cent however, are inclined to consider favorably any plan that has a division of the territory and the confusion of territorial and sectional interests that separate statehood would entail to say nothing of such county segregation and political geography as is embraced in the so-called constitutional convention recently held at Muskogee. No little dissatisfaction and disappointment was felt and expressed here at the evident evasion of the discussion of these primary and vital features of the so-called Sequoyah sentiment, by its promoters, and agitators, Mr. Haskell and Mr. Murry. |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, October 16, 1905 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | AGAINST SEQUOYAH. Large Mass Meeting at Tulsa Advises Territory Voters. |
| Tulsa, I. T., Oct. 15.—At a large mass meeting here a joint single statehood club was organized with H. R. Clint president and W. H. Randolph secretary. By a rising and unanimous vote a resolution was adopted urging all the voters of Tulsa and Indian Territory as well, to stay away from the polls Nov. 7, the day set for voting on the adoption of the Sequoyah constitution. A petition was started which will be circulated throughout the territory to ascertain by signatures the sentiment for joint statehood. This petition will be presented to congress at the next session. |
| The Guthrie Daily Leader, November 10, 1905 Guthrie, Okla., 1893-1996 | THE SEQUOYAH FARCE. |
| The Sequoyah separate statehood movement is a thing of the dim misty past. The quiotus was placed on the gang at Muskogee by the election, Tuesday. That the people of the Indian Territory take very little interest in this so-called one state propaganda is conclusively shown in the fact that less than, 16,000 votes were polled. The claquers beat the bush for weeks trying to get out the vote, but less than 12 per cent of the voters of the territory responded. Only 70 towns held elections. When it is considered that there are nearly 200,000 voters in the Indian Territory the "interest aroused" can readily be seen. As a matter of fact the election was, really an over whelming victory for the advocates of joint statehood, who remained away from the polls. The Sequoyah "constitution" carried but it does not follow
the flag, nor will Sequoyah get a place on the flag. The separate statehood incident is closed. |
| The Guthrie Daily Leader, November 14, 1905 Guthrie, Okla., 1893-1996 | ELECTION COST $9,000 AMOUNT EXPENDED BY SEQUOYAH PEOPLE LAST WEEK THEIR FIRST EXPRESSION Amounted to Nothing, But Left Strong Organization. |
| Muskogee, I. T., Nov. 14.—Regardless of whether the vote has been 50,000 or whether it has been 100,000, and whether the Sequoyah movement results in one state or two, the election which has just been and the result of which is now compiling, has been a remarkable chapter in the history of the country. The people of an absolutely unorganized territory demanded statehood. They have proceeded entirely upon their own volition and at their own expense to form a constitution and ratify it. They asked for a state for Indian territory alone, not because everyone wanted it, but because a majority seem to want it that way. Yet there is not a man in the Sequoyah organization, and fef who favored the movement with their vote, that would not without a moment's hesitation say, "Give us statehood with Oklahoma if necessary to get statehood." The Voice of the People.
The people of the territory have spoken. Most of the men who favor joint statehood remained away from the polls. They say that it was not a fair election, but be that as it may, all were invited to participate. It is now up to congress. There will be two petitions, but they will differ only in the matter of form and not as to the ultimate result—statehood.It was no easy task to hold an election in a territory where there are approximately 600,000 people and an area of 31,000 square miles. This, too, where there had never been a vote of any kind on any question. The natives did not even know what it meant to vote. The territory had to be divided into election precincts and there were no counties, no townships and no voting places. There were no county clerks to order the elections nor to supply election supplies. Yet despite all this, organization was perfected. The First Election.
The results show that it was an admirable piece of work. There were 610 voting precincts mapped out. In some of the large and sparsely settled counties there were as many as twenty-five voting places. In each of these places judges and clerks had to be appointed and they served without pay. There was no money for them. There were no corporate interests from which to draw funds and there were no candidates to draw personal support nor to make contributions The finance committee in its last report today shows that the entire campaign, forming a constitution and all, cost less than $9,000, not as much as would be necessary in a ward campaign. There was no politics in the movement from a party standpoint, as republicans and democrats alike participated in the constitutional convention and in the campaign, no regard was paid to whether a man was a democrat or a republican. The political work came in in the manner and means of getting interest where such a thing had never before been proposed. In this there was some remarkable astuteness displayed.An Organization Established.
The movement was started by the five Indian chiefs representing the tribal government. They are the only authority recognized in this territory and the only authority with which the government can treat. This and the voluntary action of the people is all the authority that can be laid claim to.What has been accomplished is no more important than the results will be in Indian Territory, even in case of the first object of the Sequoyah movement. It has made an organization. In case congress decides that one state is better than two, and a new constitution must be formed for the two territories then the organization that has created the Sequoyah constitution will be able to elect practically every delegate from the Indian Territory side of that convention. This for the simple reason that it would take months for any other party or policy to organize. No Favors to Oklahoma.
In every precinct in every county in the territory there is an organization that corresponds to the township organization. The vote that they succeeded in getting out at the recent election shows that they cm control more than one-half the votes of the territory.The vote which has been cast also shows that Indian Territory has fully as many votes as Oklahoma and any further talk of legislation of a joint nature in which the two territories are not given equal representation will be folly. |
| The Washington Times, November 15, 1905 Washington, D.C., 1902-1939 |
| The recent vote in the Indian Territory on the adoption of a constitution for a separate State, Sequoyah, by no manner of means expresses the sentiment of our people," said William Johnstone a banker of Bartlesville, I. T., at the Raleigh. "About 20,000 out of 160,000 votes were cast in favor of a single Statehood and in many of the counties not a vote was found in the ballot box. The people of the Indian Territory are for joint Statehood and we will insist on it. We have the population, the taxable property and do a business that entitles us to Statehood. We have the largest oil fields in the country, if not in the world. Why, oil is so plentiful that it gushes out faster than we can can sell it. Of our population, which is a million only 80,000 are Indians. And the treaty with the Indians ratified in 1902, by which they agreed to take the lands in severalty, becomes operative on March 4, 1906, and then the tribal government will cease to exist. Under the act of 1902 the consent of the Indians to Statehood is not necessary. I have nothing to say about Arizona or New Mexico, but I do say that Congress ought to listen to our appeal admit us to Statehood. We have plenty of data to sustain our claims and all we want is a square deal." JOINT STATEHOOD DEMANDED AS JUSTICE TO OKLAHOMA We want Joint Statehood for Oklahoma and the Indian Territory. We are not asking it on sentiment but on the ground of right and justice." said C. G. Jones of Oklahoma City at the Raleigh today. Mr. Jones is chairman of the joint committee from Oklahoma and Indian Territory now here to present a memorial to the President asking him to recommend to Congress joint Statehood for the two Territories. "We have a population of 1,500,000 of the best people to be found anywhere in the United States. They come from the North, South, East, and West, and they came to build homes for themselves and families. Our claims for Statehood will bear the closet inspection and we feel that if the question were submitted to a popular vote of the people we would be admitted to the sisterhood of States by an almost unanimous vote." |
| The Muskogee Cimeter, November 16, 1905 Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla., 1901-19?? |
| And President Roosevelt has come out straight for single statehood and against the Sequoyah movement. What will become of the county seats and the embryo congressmen? The poor deluded cusses can now perambulate to the rear and recline gracefully. "Go way back and sit down." |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, November 16, 1905 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | REASSURES DELEGATION PRESIDENT REITERATES STATEMENT FAVORING SINGLE STATE Chairman Jones Presents the Single Statehood Memorial to President Roosevelt No Mention Is Made of Prohibition. |
| Washington, Nov. 15.—President Roosevelt reiterated today that he was in favor of Joint statehood for the territories of Oklahoma and Indian Territory. He made this statement to a delegation from the two territories concerned. C. G. Jones, of Oklahoma City, as spokesman, informed the president that a non-partisan joint statehood convention had been held at Oklahoma City on July 12, comprised of 1.000 delegates elected by the people of both territories. Resolutions were unanimously adopted demanding the admission of the two territories as one state and the committee now present was instructed to present the resolutions, which was done. The delegation did not touch upon the question of prohibition. WILL CANVASS THE VOTE.
Muskogee, I. T., Nov. 15.—The Sequoyah supreme election board will meet here Saturday to canvas the vote cast in the constitutional election last Tuesday. At the same time there will be a meeting of the Sequoyah campaign committee, the finance committee, the committee that is to present the request to congress and the president, asking an enabling act recognizing the constitution of Sequoyah and creating a state of Indian Territory.Sequoyah Election Board to Meet Saturday to Count Ballots, The supreme election board is composed of: D. M. Hodge, Sapulpa; A. R. Cunningham, Tahlequah, and D. N. Robb, Atoka. Carl Pursel of Muskogee is secretary. It would have been impossible to have canvassed this vote sooner, though the people are clamoring for the totals. The committee which will be sent to Washington this winter to try to push the Sequoyah constitution to a successful issue consists of twenty of the most active men in the territory. They are C. N. Haskell, Muskogee; W. M. Murray, Tishomingo; D. M. Hailey, Halleyville; G. W. Benge, Tahlequah; W. P. Thompson, Vinita; Sam Hayes, Pryor Creek; Captain W. A. Welch, Claremore; Cheesie McIntosh, Checotah; Sol Homer, Caddo; Dr. H C. Nash, Antlers; Judge J. H. Shephard, South McAlester; F. R. Brennin, Bixby; Leo E. Bennett and A. Grant Evans, Muskogee; Charles Bagg, Pauls Valley; Silas Armstrong, Poteau; D. M. Faulkner and Judge J. G. McCombs, Salisaw. In addition to this committee there will be the four gentlemen elected to congress in case of success of the movement. They are Judge John R. Thomas, Muskogee; Joe M. LaHay, Claremore; C. L. Long, Wewoka. and D. C. McCurtain, Kinta. |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, November 20, 1905 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | GETS MUCH ENCOURAGEMENT STATEHOOD DELEGATION STARTS HOME IN FINE SPIRITS. Three Court Districts Instead of Two to be Asked for Removal of Restrictions Most Important Matter Before the Secretary. |
| Washington, Nov. 18.—The members of the Oklahoma-Indian Territory statehood delegation, who came here to start the statehood movement before the opening of congress, left for home last night, elated over the prospects of favorable action on the single statehood bill. They consulted the Attorney General Moody, and Secretary Hitchcock yesterday relative to proposed statehood legislation of especial Interest to the department of justice and the interior department, and Speaker Cannon and Representative Sharp Williams, the democratic leader, concerning the statehood bill's chance of passage by the house. From all of these source they received substantial encouragement. With Mr. Moody the delegates discussed the legislation they will urge, bearing upon the sale of liquor the creation of United States court district in the new state. The proposed legislation relating to the liquor question, as outlined to Mr. Moody, does not regulate the sale of liquor so far as Indians are concerned. A section they submitted to the Attorney General, and which they will ask the house committee on territories to insert in the statehood bill, provides that "the sale, barter or giving of intoxicating liquors to Indians is forever prohibited and the courts of the United States are given jurisdiction in all prosecutions for the violation of this act." This proposition is a concession to the demands of the Indian Rights' association. Prosecution in Federal Courts.
Without expressing his views on the subject of prohibition for the new state Mr. Moody favored the plan on prosecuting those who sell liquor to Indians in the Federal courts as likely to be more effective than the prosecution of such offenders in the state courts. The delegation discussed in detail with the Attorney General and the assistant Attorney General, Mr. Russell, the Federal court business in the two territories, and Mr. Russell, who has charge of court matters coming to the department of justice from those territories; expressed the opinion that there should be three federal court districts in the new state, instead of two, as proposed by the bill passed by the house in the last congress. The delegation decided to urge the enactment of legislation that will divide the new state into the Northern, Central and Southern districts, the court town of the Northern district to be Tulsa, Guthrie and Enid; those of the Central district Muskogee, Shawnee and Oklahoma City, and those of the Southern district, South McAlester, Ardmore and Lawton.The removal of restrictions upon Indian lands was the most important subject discussed by the members of the delegation with Secretary Hitchcock. They submitted to the secretary the following section, which they will ask congress to incorporate in the statehood bill: To Remove Land Restrictions.
"That any restrictions upon the alienation of allotted lands within said state, except so far as such restrictions apply to the homesteads of allottees, shall, upon the admission of said state, be repealed, and all of such lands except homesteads, shall be alienable and taxable as other property."Under this section three-fourths of the lands of the Indian Territory would be taxable. Mr. Hitchcock declined to say what recommendation, if any, he will make to congress concerning the removal of restrictions, but he spoke hopefully regarding the prospects for statehood legislation. Neither Speaker Cannon nor Representative Williams would commit himself on the request of the delegation that they use their influence to separate the interests of Oklahoma and Indian Territory from those of New Mexico and Arizona, but both gave the delegation to understand that they expected legislation admitting Oklahoma and the Indian Territory. "We have learned one thing since we reached Washington," said T. H. Doyle of Perry, Ok., "and that is that the separate statehood advocates will have no standing either at the Whitehouse or in congress. President Roosevelt ridicules the Sequoyah movement and Speaker Cannon also is in favor of a single, statehood bill. We are perfectly satisfied with the statehood question." The delegation will return to Washington at the opening of congress and work for the passage of the statehood bill. |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, December 01, 1905 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | SEQUOYAH BILL READY FIRST DRAFT OF MEASURE FORWARDED TO A. P. MURPHY. It Is the First Separate Statehood Bill Ever to be Introduced—Some Provisions—Asks for Ten Million School Appropriation. |
| The bill upon which depends the hope of the separate states and the fate of Sequoyah has been drafted and tonight will be forwarded to Hon. A. P. Murphy of Missouri who will introduce the bill in congress. This will be the first time a bill has ever been introduced in congress providing for the single purpose of creating a state out of the area of the five tribes alone. It is the first separate statehood bill that has ever been presented that was not in some way
connected with Oklahoma. The bill provides that statehood shall not interfere with the functions of the federal government In completing the policies now in force for the settlement of Indian lands. Until another census is taken there shall be four congressmen elected in the manner provided by the constitution of Sequoyah. In fact, this bill is for the purpose of making the constitution of Sequoyah effective though it has been changed some from the original plan. The bill provides that the government appropriate $10,000,000 for a state school fund in lieu of public lands. This money may be used to purchase the segregated coal lands of the Indians if the state sees fit. Provision is made for a northern and southern federal judicial district, the southern to be comprised of the counties of Rutherford, Thomas, Sans Boise, Hailey, Toboxey, Cheadle, Byrd, Garvin, Curtis and all other counties south of this tier of counties. The northern district to be all counties north of this tier of counties. Court towns are made of South McAllister, Tishomingo, Ardmore and Pauls Valley. In the northern district the court towns are Muskogee, Tahlequah, Vinita and Tulsa. There is little change in the bill except some, modifications of the court provisions that are in the Sequoyah constitution, from the provisions under which the constitution asked be made effective in the state. It is understood that these provisions were inserted in the bill providing for the admission of Sequoyah under the constitution, because they are believed to be more applicable to the court business which is now in process. |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, December 04, 1905 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | BILLS TO BE INTRODUCED SEQUOYAH PRESENTS ITS FINISH TO CONGRESS TODAY. Representative Murphy Will Also Introduce a Bill to Remove Restrictions on All Surplus Lands. McGuire Will Present Bill. |
| Washington, Dec. 3.—Representative Murphy of Missouri will on Monday introduce bills to admit Oklahoma and Indian Territory into the Union as separate states. He will also introduce a bill to remove the restrictions on all the surplus land of the Indians. The bill providing for the admission of Indian Territory confers the name of Sequoyah on the proposed new state and is the measure which is intended to represent the action of the Muskogee convention. The prospect of independent statehood is altogether so hopeless that it was coming to be thought in Washington that the advocates of the Sequoyah constitution had abandoned their purpose, but Mr. Murphy declares they will make a fight before congress. But if one accept the general opinion in Washington it must be a Quixotic fight if waged with the notion that there is any hope of success. Not only is separate statehood regarded as impossible, but joint statehood is regarded as inevitable. "I have never before predicted that a statehood bill would get through congress." Senator Beveridge of Indiana said today, "but I now feel justified in saying that congress will pass a bill admitting Oklahoma and Indian Territory as one state, and Arizona and New Mexico as another." Senator Beveridge is chairman of the committee on territories. The Hamilton bill of the last session is the one which will be introduced, though it is probable that Delegate McGuIre of Oklahoma will introduce a measure differing from it in some slight particulars. Notwithstanding Senator Beveridge is confident as to the New Mexico and Arizona proposition, there are many who, though believing firmly that Oklahoma and Indian Territory will be admitted, do not expect to see the other two made into a state. N. O. Murphy, formerly governor of Arizona, and later, a delegate in congress from that territory, is in congress trying to defeat the effort to join that territory with New Mexico for statehood purposes. "While in Washington this winter I shall do what I can to prevent what I consider an outrage," Gov. Murphy said this afternoon. "No man is more anxious to see Arizona admitted than myself, but we—and I can speak for the bulk of the thinking men of my territory— are opposed to being joined to New Mexico in order to get in. If we can not get into the union any other way we prefer to stay out" |
| The Guthrie Daily Leader, December 06, 1905 Guthrie, Okla., 1893-1996 | CREATING THE NEW STATE EFFORTS BEING MADE TO HURRY LEGISLATION MAY BE CHRISTMAS GIFT Speaker Cannon Gives McGuires Bill Initial Number |
| Special Correspondence to Leader. Washington, D. C, Dec. 6.—Bill No. 1 in the House is a measure for joint statehood for Indian Territory and Oklahoma. It was introduced by Delegate McGuire and was given that distinction at the instance of the speaker. This act signifies how favorable the situation is for statehood, so far as the House is concerned.It does not follow, however, that this is the measure on the subject that will be passed by that body. The Hamilton bill will be introduced again and that is the one which the committee and the house are likely to favor. An effort will be made to send this measure to the Senate within two weeks, and, if given preference in that body, it is barely possible it may go to the President before Christmas. Republican senators will hold a caucus tomorrow to outline a plan of action before the holiday adjournment, and it is understood that Senator Beveridge will work to have the statehood bill given a place on the list of things which the Senate will set out to do before that time. Delegate McGuire's was not the only bill introduced on the subject of statehood. Representative Stephens of Texas, also introduced a joint statehood measure and Representative Murphy of Missouri, introduced two, one to create the state of Sequoyah and the other to make the state of Oklahoma. There were also several other bills relating to Indian Territory. Representative Brownlow of Tennessee, re-introduced his bill of the last session authorizing the Delaware Indians of the Cherokee Nation to bring suit against the Unites States in the court of claims to determine their rights to property in that nation, and also to authorize the Mississippi Choctaws to sue the Choctaw nation to determine their rights as citizens. Representative Stephens of Texas introduced a number of bills relating to both these territories. One of these proposes to open the Kiowa ans Comanche reservation to settlement, and a corollary resolution forbidding the secretary of the interior to lease this land for any purpose. There are 505,000 acres in this reservation. He introduced a resolution also, a joint resolution, providing for the opening to settlement of the Muscalero Indian reservation. Two other important measures which he introduced propose to confer on the court of claims the duty of determining what Indians are entitled to enrollment and to remove the restrictions from the lands of the Indians, except those lands given as homesteads. |
| Durant Weekly News, December 08, 1905 Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.], 190?-1944 | Sequoyah Idea Knocked Out In His Message President Roosevelt Advises Immediate Joint Statehood For Oklahoma and Indian Territory. |
| I recommend that Indian Territory and Oklahoma be admitted as one state and that New Mexico and Arizona be admitted as one state. There is no obligation upon, us to treat territorial subdivisions. of convenience only, as binding us on the question of admission to statehood. Nothing has taken up more time in the congress during the past few years than the question as to the statehood to be granted to the four territories above mentioned, and after careful consideration of all that has been developed in the discussion of the question, I recommend that they be immediately admitted as two states. There is no justification for further delay, and the advisability of making the four territories into two states has been clearly established. ---Theodore Roosevelt. |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, December 21, 1905 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | STILL SEES DOUBLE STATE HARD TO CONVINCE CHIEF PORTER TO THE CONTRARY. Says the Territories Will not Come In Jointly, Declares It an Impossibility, and Says the People Will not Stand for It. |
| Washington, Dec. 20.—Chief Pleasant Porter, when asked today concerning the outlook for statehood made a remarkable assertion. "As far as the ultimate admission of the state is concerned, it goes without saying that it is assured, but when it comes into the union it will be as Indian Territory, the state, and not as an addition to Oklahoma," he declared. "The construction of the two territories as one state is an impossibility, for the people out there will fight it to a standstill. There would be no more loyal citizens than those of Indian Territory if they are admitted to the union, but they will never submit to the merging of the two territories. Laws which would be acceptable and just to the part of the state which is now Oklahoma would be ruinous to the other section." THE OUTLOOK IS EXCELLENT JUDGE BIERER SAYS STATEHOOD IS CERTAIN THIS SESSION. The Learned Oklahoman Says Sequoyans Have no Influence and Have Admitted that Their Plan Is Impossible. The State Capital says: A. G. C. Bierer, who has returned from Washington where he has been in the interest of statehood, reports the outlook as excellent and declared "Statehood for Oklahoma and Indian Territory as one state, and possibly for Arizona and New Mexico, is absolutely certain." Judge Bierer stated that the bill would not be reported until after the holidays but that it would probably be the first business after the new year. The bill would have been reported by this time had it not been that, in the caucus, there were sixty five votes against the omnibus bill. In regard to Oklahoma and Indian Territories the sentiment as expressed by the caucus was unanimous for single statehood. The dissenting votes were on the New Mexico-Arizona proposition. This will possibly delay the passage of the bill to some extent as the fight will be on the last named territories. The question will not endanger Oklahoma prospects however as the sentiment is to drop the Arizona-New Mexico clause if necessary and admit the other two territories. The Sequoyah representatives have absolutely no standing in Washington and their leader. Chief Pleasant Porter, admitted to the committee that statehood under their plan was impossible and that their efforts were directed to the defeat of any form of statehood. The prohibitionists are making a considerable fight but Judge Bierer does not believe that any prohibition clause effecting the whole new state will be incorporated in the bill. It is possible that the sale of liquor will be prohibited in the present Indian Territory and in the Indian nations in Oklahoma. The more probable way however, of solving the question will be that congress will reserve the right to control and prevent the sale of liquor to Indians. As soon as the fight by the prohibitionists was taken up the Sequoyah supporters began to work for such a clause in the hope of getting congress to believe that the sentiment of the people was so divided that they fought upon the different features of the bill. In this way the Indians hoped to be able to help defeat all statehood legislation. |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, January 16, 1906 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | THE SPIRIT OF SEQUOYAH SENDS A VOICE FROM THE TOMB. WOULD YET LIVE. Baker of Muskogee Now at Washington Working on the Hopeless Task of Double Statehood. Draws Comparisons. |
| Washington. Jan. 15.—(Special)—There is no denying that there remain quite a number of advocates of double statehood for Oklahoma and Indian Territory and of this number there are some representative men at the national capital. Prominent among those is Judge H. G. Baker of Muskogee, who was chairman of the campaign committee in taking the recent vote of the state of Sequoyah on the adoption of a constitution. There is no doubt in the Judge's mind that the population of Indian Territory is large enough to justify the admission of Indian Territory as a single state. He says there are today within the territory 1,000,000 people, and then delivers a knockout blow to that old chestnut of senatorial representation from the southwest by showing that the six states of the southwest, namely Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Sequoyah, Oklahoma and Texas had over 10,000,000, while tho six states of the northeast, that is, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island had only 5,500,000, so that lack of population was no argument at all against, this increased representation in the senate from the southwest. "Either Oklahoma or Indian Territory," said Judge Baker, "has a population larger than sixteen states already in the union. Either has more than four times as many people as the average population of the states admitted into the union in the last 100 years. The average size of Oklahoma and Indian Territory Is 34,660 square miles, while the average size of the states east of the Mississippi river is 32,884 square miles. Sequoyah is about as large as Indiana and its taxable property will reach $400,000,000. The right of Sequoyah to statehood, however, should not depend upon the political complexion of tho community and it should not on partisan grounds be denied the rights guaranteed by the treaties of the United States, which had in numberless instances guaranteed to Indian Territory Independent statehood. The most recent expression of this sentiment is found in the Choctaw-Chickasaw agreement an it appears in the Curtis act of June 28, 1898, whereby the Choctaws and Chickasaws were induced to allot their lands by the promise of an independent state of the lands then occupied by the Five Civilized Tribes. The Dawes commission was sent to the Indian Territory to negotiate those agreements and the act authorizing them expressly stated on its face that those negotiations wore proposed with a view to the erection of a state of the lands occupied by the Five Civilized Tribes. This was subsequent to the organization of Oklahoma in 1893 and the commissioners of the United States, led by the venerable senator from Massachusetts, Hon. Henry L. Dawes, made five separate propositions to the Five Civilized Tribes, proposing to them that if they would agree to allot their lands and give up their tribal governments congress would establish an independent government over the lands then occupied by the tribes. Of course, the United States can repudiate any contract it might make, but I do not believe that congress will willingly do so, if this matter is clearly understood." |
| Durant Weekly News, January 19, 1906 Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.], 190?-1944 | A. O. STANLEY COMMUNICATION Representing the Second District of Kentucky. He Writes to Durant Man |
| Mr. L. B. Pride, Durant, I. T. My Dear Sir and Friend: Your kind letter of recent date to hand. The situation in Congress at present is this: There is but little trouble about admitting Oklahoma and Indian Territory as a state. The trouble is that very few inhabitants of Oklahoma and Indian Territory desire to have these two territories admitted as one state. The Democrats are willing to have a bill introduced in the House admitting Oklahoma and Indian Territory as one state and another bill proposing the creation of one from Arizona and New Mexico, and then we can fight it out on the floor of the house, passing the bill making one state of Oklahoma and Indian Territory and then letting the Republicans pass the other bill if they can. The Republicans, however, persist in refusing to introduce two bills, or to give us any opportunity to vote upon the same. They propose to introduce on single bill, incorporating in it these separate and distinct measures. To that, of course, the Democrats party is not willing to consent. I am a member of that committee on Territories, and I can assure you that inn so far as I can consistently be of benefit to you I will be more than delighted to do so, as I am sure you are aware of my deep and sincere regard of yourself and family, who have always been such substantial supporters and friends. With best regards I remain, very sincerely your friend, A. O. Stanley |
| The Daily Ardmoreite, February 02, 1906 Ardmore, Okla., 1893-current | LONG IS A HUMORIST SEQUOYAH DELEGATE TO WASHINGTON WRITES HOME. Wewoka Man Enters and Leaves Capital Building Without Attracting Attention—Nothing Doing In His Line of Business. |
| C. L. Long, of Wewoka, was one of the three men elected "to congress" in the late Sequoyah campaign. He is in Washington and has been since the session commenced. Writing to a friend back home the "congressman" says: "You will observe that I do not use congressional letter heads and envelopes nor do I frank my mail. The majority of the members of congress are so stupid that I have thus far failed to convince them or perhaps a better way to put it is to say impress them with my importance, and the consideration due me as a representative of the state of Sequoyah. "My entrance into the Capitol building, so far as I can discern, attracts no special notice, although I sometimes fancy that the policeman, door keeper and other officials are disposed to observe somewhat as I pass. My imposing and lofty bearing, together with my clothes, accounts for this I presume, and yet, if this be so, I can not understand why people generally should not manifest an interest. "They don't though with the possible exception of my landlord, who inquires into my welfare at the end of each week being solicitous as to whether I have the where-with-all to pay the keep of my wife and self, I suppose. "You of course, read in the papers all about the Oklahoma delegation. They are here about 150 strong and had two or three days hearing before the committee on territories and when I sought to be heard, while there was no positive refusal, I could not get them to fix a time. "Chairman Hamilton would say now I want to be fair about this matter, but Long, what is the use, the thing is fixed and although I know how you have some "spellbinders" down there, they can't change the Deacon." |
| The Guthrie Daily Leader, March 08, 1906 Guthrie, Okla., 1893-1996 | M'CUMBER'S PIPE DREAM SOMNOLENT SENATOR WOULD REVIVE "SEQUOYAH SCHEME HAD SPEECH TO UNLOAD Whereast Wise Colleagues Sought the Cloakroom. |
| (By Associated Press.) Washington. D. C, March 8.—When the Senate convened Mr. McCumbor began a speech on the statehood bill. Only a few senators were present. Mr. McCumbor introduced his speech by presenting a substitute for the statehood bill, creating one state of Oklahoma and another of Indian Territory, the latter under tho name of Sequoyah, and entirely eliminating New Mexico and Arizona. He made arguments against the consolidation of the territories into fewer states, contending that more western states were necessary to give agricultural and other trans-Mississippi interests a strong representation in congress. He predicted that in the near future the West would have a much larger population than the East today. Even if the present boundary lines are preserved it would still be imperative to secure as many states as are east of the Mississippi and therefore balance the power in the Senate must necessarily be against the western section. Mr. McCumber declared that the time would come when the East would find its protection in the West. He also referred to the the influence of foreign immigration in eastern communities and that at its last election Chicago elected a socialist as mayor. Mr. Patterson spoke in opposition to the House bill and devoted his attention almost exclusively to Arizona and New Mexico. |
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