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DEVELOPMENT OF THE TWO TERRITORIES
mitted as one state. The struggle between the partisans of these two plans did not end until the final passage of the Enabling Act which provided for the admission of Oklahoma as a state.
The Crazy Snake "Uprising" .- Considerable excite- ment was occasioned in the Indian Territory in the early part of 1901, by rumors of an "uprising" among some of the Creek Indians led by Crazy Snake. Although the dan- ger of an outbreak probably originated in the mind of a newspaper correspondent, it caused the Government to send troops to the Creek country.
Discovery of Oil and Gas .- Early in 1901, prospectors who had been boring for oil and gas in the vicinity of Red Fork, Tulsa, Sapulpa and other towns in the Creek Nation, began to secure results which exceeded their most sanguine expectations. The development of the oil and gas industry in Eastern Oklahoma dates from that time, though considerable prospecting work had been done some years earlier.
William M. Jenkins Appointed Governor .-- At the expiration of Governor Barnes' term, President McKinley appointed as his succes- sor William M. Jenkins, who had been secretary of the territory for four years.
Opening of the Kiowa-Comanche and Wichita-Caddo Reservations. -The long delayed opening of the WILLIAM M. JENKINS reservations of the Kiowas, Comanches, and Apaches of the Plains and of the Wichitas, Caddoes and affiliated tribes. embracing 3,460,000 acres of land, was finally consummated in the summer of 1901. In order to prevent the disorders which had attended former land openings, the secretary of , the Interior directed that all persons desiring to take up homesteads on the surphis lands of these reservations should
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HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA
be allowed to register; that the names so registered should be written on cards and enclosed in envelopes, which envel-
BOXES IN WHICH ENVELOPES CONTAINING NAMES REGIS- TERED FOR HOMESTEAD LOTTERY WERE SHUFFLED
opes were to be thoroughly shuffled and then drawn out and numbered, the applicants being allowed to file on claims at the land office in the order which their names were thus drawn. Two general registration offices were opened, one at El Reno and one at Fort Sill. Registration began July 9, and the drawing began August 6. Over 160,000 persons registered. The whole proceeding was carried on in an orderly manner and in striking contrast with some of the scenes which characterized earlier land openings.
Ferguson Succeeds Jenkins .- Charges having been preferred against Governor Jenkins, he was removed from office by President Roosevelt, November 30. 1901. Thompson B. Ferguson, of Blaine County, was immediately ap- pointed as his successor.
The Sequoyah Constitutional Convention .- In the summer of 1905, the principal chiefs of the five civilized tribes united in issu- ing a call for a convention to THOMPSON B. FERGUSON frame a constitution under which it was proposed to ask for
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DEVELOPMENT OF THE TWO TERRITORIES
the admission of the Indian Territory into the Union as a state. The convention met at Mus- . kogee. The session lasted for sev- eral weeks. A constitution was framed for a state to be composed of the reservations then included in the Indian Territory, the same to be known as the state of Se- quoyalı. It was submitted to the people of the Indian Territory for ratification but the vote was dis- appointingly small.
McGuire Elected to Congress. . -The Republicans of Oklahoma BIRD S. McGUIRE nominated Bird S. McGuire, of Pawnee, for delegate to Congress, on a platform favoring immediate statehood for Oklahoma Territory, independent of any action that might be taken with reference to the admission of the Indian Territory. The Democrats nominated Wil- liam M. Cross, of Oklahoma City, their platform favoring sin- gle statehood for Oklahoma and the Indian Territory combined. The campaign, which was a hotly contested one, resulted in the elec- tion of Mr. McGuire by a plurality of less than four hundred. The Republicans elected a majority of the members of the upper house of the Territorial Legislative As- sembly, and the Democrats se- cured a majority of the members FRANK FRANTZ of the lower house. In 1904, Delegate McGuire was re- nominated by Republicans. The Democrats nominated Frank Matthews, of Greer County. Mr. McGuire was re-
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HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA
elected. The Republicans also elected a majority of each branch of the Legislative Assembly.
Frank Frantz Appointed Governor .-- Governor Fergu- son's term having expired, President Roosevelt in January, 1906, appointed Capt. Frank Frantz, of Enid, to succeed him.
Statehood for Oklahoma .- At the beginning of the first session of the Fifty-ninth Congress, statehood bills were in- troduced in both houses of Congress. The House of Repre- sentatives passed a bill which was known as the Omnibus Statehood Bill, providing for the admission of two states, one to be composed of the Indian Territory and Oklahoma · combined, and the other to be formed by uniting Arizona and New Mexico. The Senate passed a bill which provided for the admission of Oklahoma and the Indian Territory as one state. A compromise was finally effected, by means of which the question of single statehood for Arizona and New Mexico was left to a vote of the citizens of those territories. Thus amended, the Omnibus Statehood Bill passed both houses and became a law June 14, 1906. This Enabling Act, as it was called, authorized the people of Oklahoma and Indian Territory to form and adopt a state constitution.
Election of Delegates .- The elec- tion of delegates to the Constitu- tional Convention was held Novem- ber 6, 1906. Although local ques- tions entered into the election in a few districts, party lines as a rule were closely drawn. Out of a total of 112 delegates. 100 were Demo- crats and 12 were Republicans.
The Making of a Constitution .-- The Constitutional Convention met at Guthrie, November 20, 1906. William H. Murray was elected president of the conven-
WILLIAM H. MURRAY
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DEVELOPMENT OF THE TWO TERRITORIES
tion. It was in session continuously, with the excep- tion of a brief Christmas recess, until the latter part of April, 1907, when it adjourned subject to the call of President Murray. Reconvening in July, the conven- tion modified some parts of the text of the Constitution already drafted and adopted an ordinance providing for an election to be held September 17, at which state officers were to be chosen at the same time the Constitution was to be voted upon.
The First State Campaign .- Each party held a state convention and put a full state ticket in the field. The Democratic ticket was headed by Charles N. Haskell of Muskogee, for governor. Its platform was a strong en- dorsement of the Constitution and the party made the adop- tion of that instrument its one great issue. The Republicans nominated Frank Frantz, territorial governor of Oklaho- ma, for governor of the state. The Republican platform de- clared for statehood, but condemned the proposed Consti- tution. The campaign which followed was distinguished for earnestness and enthusiasm, several party leaders of national prominence participating. The election resulted in the adoption of the constitution by an overwhelming ma- jority and a signal victory for the Democrats, who elected their entire state ticket, four of the five congressmen, and a large majority of both branches of the State Legislature.
The Constitution Approved .- President Roosevelt ap- proved the constitution which had been adopted by the people of Oklahoma and set Saturday, November 16, 1907, as the day for the inauguration of state government, thus ending the long probationary period of the new commnon- wealth.
Prohibition .- Besides accepting the conditions with ref- erence to the prohibition of the liquor traffic in the Indian reservations, imposed by the Enabling Act, the Constitu- tional Convention submitted the question of state-wide pro- hibition as a separate constitutional proposition to be voted upon at the same time as the Constitution. This separate
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clause was adopted by a majority of over 18,000 votes and the prohibition law went into effect the day that state gov- ernment was inaugurated.
Summary .- This closes the story of the making of a state. It differs in many respects from the territorial his- tories of other states. Oklahoma is the first and only state to be formed by the union of two territories. No other state had half a million inhabitants at the time of its ad- mission into the Union; Oklahoma had nearly three times that many. Some states had longer territorial periods; others were admitted after shorter terms of territorial ex- perience. Not one of them has a more interesting story or one more worthy of the attention of the student.
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DEVELOPMENT OF THE TWO TERRITORIES.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS
Eighth Period.
1. What was the Organic Act? When was it passed? Tell about the organization of the Territory of Oklahoma. Who was the first governor of Oklahoma?
2. How many counties did Oklahoma have when it was first organized? How many members did each branch of the Territorial Legislative Assembly have? Where was the temporary capital of Oklahoma established? Tell about the fight for the removal of the capital.
3. Who was the first delegate to Congress from Oklahoma ? Who was the second governor of the Territory? What is the differ- ence between a delegate from a territory and a congressman from a state?
4. What Indian reservations were opened to settlement in Sep- tember, 1891? In April, 1892? When was the Cherokee Strip opened to settlement?
5. Who was the third governor of Oklahoma Territory? Who was the second delegate to Congress from Oklahoma?
6. When was the first United States court established in the Indian Territory? When did tribal courts cease to exist ?
7. What was the Atoka Agreement? To what great changes in the Indian Territory did the operation of the Curtis Act lead?
8. When did the agitation for statehood first begin? What was the difference between "single statehood" and "double statehood?" Tell about the struggle for statehood.
9. When was the Kickapoo reservation opened to settlement ? When were the Kiowa-Comanche and Wichita-Caddo reservations thrown open to settlement? In what particular did the method of opening the last reservations differ from the previous land openings?
10. Tell about the leasing of the school lands. What was the Free Homes Bill? When did it finally pass Congress and become a law? What did it mean to the people of Oklahoma ?
11. What was the Dawes Commission? Tell what you know of the duties which it had to perform. When did the Federal Gov- ernment assume control of the schools of the Indian Territory ?
12. When did the era of rapid development in railway con- struction in the two territories begin? When were the first discov- eries of oil and gas made in the Indian Territory ? What effeet did these discoveries have on the growth and development of the ter- ritories?
13. Name the governors of Oklahoma Territory which have not already been mentioned. Name the delegates to Congress which have not already been mentioned.
14. What was the Enabling Aet? When did it become a lawi When and where did the Constitutional Convention assemble? When was the constitution adopted by vote of the people? When was it approved by President Roosevelt? . When did statehood become an accomplished fact?
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NINTH PERIOD
(1907)
OKLAHOMA UNDER STATE GOVERNMENT.
Statehood Ushered In .- On November 16, 1907, the day appointed for the inauguration of state government, a great concourse of people gathered at Guthrie from all parts of the state. All of the state officers were sworn in and, amid general rejoicing, the two territories were reunited to form a single state of the American Union.
The First Legislature .- The First Legislature of the new state assembled at Guthrie two weeks after the inauguration of the state officers.
Election of United States Sena- tors. - Robert L. Owen, of Mus- kogec, and Thomas P. Gore, of CHARLES N. HASKELL Lawton, who had been nominated in the Democratic state primaries, were elected by the Legis- lature as the first United States senators from the new stato.
Political Campaign of 1908 .- The people of Oklahoma took part in a national election for the first time in Novem- ber, 190S, the seven presidential electors chosen being Demo- crats. Of the five congressmen elected from Oklahoma at
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HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA
the same time, three were Republicans and two were Demo- crats. A majority of the members of both branches of the Legislature were Democrats.
Second Legislature .- The Sec- ond Legislature convened at Guth- rie, in January, 1909. Thomas P. Gore was elected to succeed him- self as United State senator for the full term of six years. The Legislature met in extra session in January, 1910.
Removal of the Capital to Okla- homa City .- Initiated bills having been petitioned, a special election was called for June 11, 1910. One of these measures proposed an THOMAS P. GORE amendment to the state constitu- tion providing for the location of the permanent capital of the state. The other proposed the cities of Guthrie, Oklahoma City and Shawnee as candidates for the permanent capital of the state. The election closed a hard fought campaign. The amend- ment was adopted and Oklahoma City was chosen as the permanent capital by a substantial majority.
Political Campaign of 1910, --- The state primary election re- sulted in the selection of Lee Cruce, of Ardmore, as the Dem- ocratie candidate for governor, while the Republicans selected Joseph W. MeNeal, of Guthrie, as LEE CRUCE their nominee. The election in November resulted in the choice of Mr. Cruce and the entire Democratie ticket. The Democrats also elected three out of five congressmen and a majority of the members of each branch of the legislature.
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OKLAHOMA UNDER STATE GOVERNMENT
Special Legislative Session .- The initiated bill by which the capital had been located at Oklahoma City having been invalidated by the courts, the Legislature was called to convene in Oklahoma City in December for the purpose of locating the permanent capital of the state. By a large ma- jority the members of the Legislature voted to locate the permanent capital of the state at Oklahoma City.
The Third Legislature .- The Third Legislature held its regular session at Oklahoma City. One of the most im- portant measures passed was the one by which the control of all of the state educational institutions (except the agri- cultural schools) was placed in the hands of the State Board of Education.
Political Campaign of 1912 .- By the new apportionment, . Oklahoma was given eight representatives in Congress. Three of these were to be elected at large. The election re- sulted in the return of six Democratie congressmen (includ- ing the three representatives at large) and two Republican congressmen. The Democrats also elected a large majority of both branches of the Legislature. The electoral vote of the state was given to Wilson and Marshall, the Democratic nominees for presi- dent and vice-president. An ini- tiated bill, proposing the removal . of the capital from Oklahoma City back to Guthrie, was defeated.
The Fourth Legislature. - The Fourth Legislature convened in regular session in Oklahoma City ROBERT L. OWEN in January, 1913. Robert L. Owen was re-elected to the United States Senate. Having received a majority of the popular vote, he was accorded the unanimous vote of all members of the Leg- islature. As the Legislature did not complete its work with- in the time allowed for its regular session, it was called in
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HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA
special session immediately after the regular session ad- journed. The state was re-districted into eight congres- sional districts and a commission was selected to supervise the work of building a state capitol. The funds derived from sale of the unused portion of the state building lands were set aside for consolidated rural schools. A complete code of school laws was adopted. For the first time in the history of Oklahoma, impeachment proceedings were re- sorted to by a legislative body. Formal charges having been entered, impeachment proceedings were instituted against three state officials. Two of these resigned and the trial of the third resulted in his removal from office.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS
NINTH PERIOD
1. When was the state goverment of Oklahoma inaugurated? Where did the inauguration ceremonies take place? Who was the first governor of the state?
2. When did the First Legislature meet? Who were elected United States Senators by the First Legislature ?
3. For whom did Oklahoma cast its first electoral vote for president of the United States? Who was elected United States senator from Oklahoma by the Second Legislature? When was the special election held for the removal of the capital from Guthrie to Oklahoma City?
4. Who were the party nominees for governor of the state in 1910? Who was elected? How was the capital again located at Okla- homa City? What was one of the most important aets of the Third Legislature ?
5. How many representatives in Congress were given to Okla- homa under the new apportionment in 1912? For whom was the state's electoral vote cast for president in the general election of that year? What was the result of the second election on the location of the state capital?
6. Who was elected to the United States Senate by the Fourth Legislature? Mention two important acts passed by the Fourth Leg- islature.
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APPENDIX
THE GREAT SEAL OF OKLAHOMA
Each of the Five Civilized Tribes had a great seal, which was attached to its official documents just as such seals are used by the public officials of the various states and territories. When the Terri- tory of Oklahoma was organized, the first session of the Legislative Assembly made provision for a great seal, which was in use con- stantly up to the change from Territorial to State government.
While the Sequoyah Constitutional Convention was in session, at Muskogee, Rev. A. Grant Evans, who was then president of Henry Kendall College, was asked to suggest a design for a seal for the pro-
S
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1907.
posed state of Sequoyah. Dr. Evans designed and had carefully drawn a five pointed star. In the angles of the star were placed the tribal seals of the Five Civilized Tribes. Above the star and between the two upper points was a half-length figure of Sequoyah holding a tablet upon which appeared the words "We are Brothers" in the Cherokee text. In the other spaces between the points of the star were placed forty-five small stars, emblematic of the constellation to which a forty-sixth was to be added.
During the session of the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention, among the members of the committee which was named to design a great seal for the new state was Gabe E. Parker, a Choctaw Indian, a graduate of Spencer Academy (one of the oldest Choctaw schools),
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HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA
and of Henry Kendall College. Mr. Parker wrote to Dr. Evans for suggestions. The latter responded by calling attention to the design of the great seal for the proposed state of Sequoyah, and suggesting that the adaption of the same might not be in- appropriate. This suggestion was sub- stantially followed in the designing of a great seal for the state of Oklahoma wherein the great scal of the proposed state of Sequoyah was combined with that of the Territory of Oklahoma. The position of the star was so changed that one point stood vertically upward in- stead of one point being vertically downward, as was the case in the seal of Sequoyah. The five tribal seals were placed in the angles of the star as be- fore, with the seal of the Territory of GABE E. PARKER Oklahoma in the center. This design also admitted of a more symmetrical ar- rangement of the forty-five stars in five groups in the spaces between the points, putting nine in each group. In the surrounding circle were placed the words, "Great Seal of the State of Oklahoma," and the date, "1907."'
THE STATE FLAG OF OKLAHOMA
The flags of no less than six nations have waved over Oklahoma, in part at least, at various periods of its existence, namely, France (kingdom), Spain, France (republic), Mexico, Texas (independent republic), and the United States. During the Civil War, the Indian Territory saw much of the Con- federate flag. Stand Watie's Cherokee regiment carried a ban- ner bearing as its device the seven-pointed star of the Chero- kee Nation and there may have been other tribal flags in use at that time though definite infor- mation is lacking as to that.
The Third Legislature passed an act in 1911, adopting an offi- cial state flag for Oklahoma. The device is as follows: A white star edged with blue in a red field, with the figures 46 in blue on the star. It was designed by Mrs. W. R. Clement, of Oklahoma City, Who brought the matter to the attention of the Legislature.
S-O. IL.
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APPENDIX
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Reports of the Secretary of War.
The Rebellion Record.
Reports of the Secretary of the Interior.
Reports of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
Publications of the Bureau of American Ethnology.
Collections of the Kansas Historical Society.
Collections of the Missouri Historical Society.
Collections of the Arkansas Historical Association.
Publications of the Texas Historical Society.
Journal of Jacob Fowler.
Nuttall's Travels.
Journal of Maj. S. H. Long's Expedition.
Journal of Lieut. Zebulon M. Pike's Expedition to the Rocky Mountains.
"The Dragoon Expedition."'
"Tour on the Prairies." Washington Irving.
"Commerce of the Prairies." Josiah Gregg.
Journal of Capt. R. B. Marcy's Exploration of the Red River.
"A Yankee Prisoner Loose in Dixie."
"Wild Life on the Plains." Gen. George A. Custer.
"With Sheridan's Troopers on the Border,"' Randolph DeB. Keim.
"Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas." John Henry Brown.
"A Quaker Among the Indians." Thomas C. Battey.
"Our Red Brothers." Lawrie Tatum.
Files of MeMaster's Magazine.
Files of Twin Territories.
Files of Sturm's Oklahoma Magazine.
Files of Wide West Magazine.
"The Plains and Their Inhabitants."' Gen. Richard I. Dodge. Autobiography of Gen. Nelson A. Miles.
"Hell on the Border," C. P. Sterns.
"The Santa Fe Trail." Maj. Henry E. Inman.
"Relations of the Cherokee Indians with the U. S. Government." Thomas Valentine Parker.
"Life Among the Choctaws." Rev. Henry C. Benson.
Files of McCoy's "Register of Affairs in the Indian Territory." "History of American Missions to the Heathen." Spooner & Howland.
"Life of William P. Ross."
"History of Arkansas." Josiah H. Shinn. Publications of the Louisiana Historical Society. Publications of the New Mexico Historical Society. "The Texas Cattle Trade." Joseph G. Medoy. "A Soldier's Honor. " (Biography of Gen. Earl Van Dorn.) "Biography of Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith. " Rev. Arthur How- ard Noll. "Indian War on the Plains." Henry M. Stanley. "Notes on a Journey to Texas in 1854,"' W. B. Parke". "Letters from the Frontier. " Gen. George A. MeC'all. "Sequoyah, the Cherokee Cadmus." George E. Foster. "Life Among the Osages." John D. Hunter.
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INDEX
Abert, Lieut. James J., 43. Absentee Shawnee Indians, 47. Adornment, Indian, 10.
Anadarko Indians, 47
Apaches of the Plains, 70, 71, 77. Arapaho Indians, 70, 71, 77.
Arbuckle, Col. Matthew, 24.
Arkansas Territory, 25
Arkansas River, Wilkinson's De- scent of the, 22.
Arkansas River, Navigation of, 30, 36, 40, 41, 46. Atoka Agreement, The, 100. Attempted Settlement, 82.
Barnes, Gov. Cassius M., 99, 100, 103. Battey, Thomas C., 73.
Beaumont, Ralph, 97.
Black Kettle, 71.
Blunt, Gen. James G., 54, 57, 58. Boggy Depot, 59.
Boomers, 82, 83, 84. Boone, Capt. Nathan, 41. Bradford, Maj. William, 23. Buffalo, 3, 4, 75, 79, 80.
Caddo Indians, 3, 47, 51. Capital Location, 95, 111, 112. Camp Supply, 71.
Camp Napoleon, 61. Canby, Gen. Edward R. S., 61.
Cantonment Gibson, 24, 25.
Cantonment Towson, 24.
Carruth, E. H., 53. Cherokee Alphabet, 35, 37, 38. Cherokee Indians, 26, 30, 33, 35, 50, 51, 61, 62. Cherokee Strip Live Stock Asso- ciation, . 83. Cheyenne Indians, 70, 71, 77. Chisholm, Jesse, 69. Chisholm Trail, The, 69, 78. Choctaw Indians, 26, 27, 33, 45, 50, 61, 62. Chickasaw Indians, 26, 30, 33, 43, 45, 50, 61, 62. Chonteaus, The, 19. Chouteau's Trading Post, 39.
Chustenahla, Battle of, 52. Chastotalasah, Battle of, 52. Cimarron Territory, 85.
City Governments Organized, 91. Cleveland, President Grover, 96. Coal Mines, First, 75. Colbert, Winchester, 61.
Comanche, Kiowa and Apache Reservation Opened, 103. Comanche Indians, 4, 45, 47, 70, 71, 77.
Confederate Government, 50.
Confederate Treaties, 50.
Constitution Approved, 107.
Constitutional Convention, 106.
Constitutions, Tribal, 36, 45.
Cooper, Gen. Douglas II., 52, 53, 54, 57, 60, 61. Coronado's Expedition, 14.
Couch, William L., S4.
Counties Established, 93.
Crazy Snake, 103.
Creek or Muskogee Indians, 26, 33, 45, 50, 51, 54, 62, 83, 103. Crops Cultivated by Indians, 3, 34. Cross, William M., 105.
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