STATEHOOD. It is the earnest wish of a large number of our intelligent and influential citizens that a State government be accorded to Oklahoma without further delay. The platforms of all political parties at their latest conventions have declared in favor of statehood upon such terms and with such boundaries as Congress may in its wisdom see fit to prescribe, and, tested by the standards that have heretofore prevailed in the admission of new States, Oklahoma is certainly entitled to all the rights and privileges of a State government. No fair-minded man can read the foregoing report of the opening, settlement, and development of this Territory without being convinced of the truth of this statement. And yet there are many thoughtful people who have invested their capital and made their homes here who believe that it would be to the best interest of all, both now and for the years to come, to wait until such time as the Indian Territory, lying to the east and south of Oklahoma, can be united with us in one strong and wealthy commonwealth. We realize the fact that immediate statehood with our present boundaries would largely increase the expense of government, and that the additional burden must be borne by the taxpayers. At the present time only about one-fifth of the land entered and taken for homesteads has been patented and placed upon the lists of taxable property; and this constitutes less than one-fourth of the taxable valuation, showing that the burden of expense of the Territorial government is now borne by the railroads and by the property in the cities and towns. The present taxation averages from 4 to 5 per cent per annum upon an assessed valuation of about 60 per cent of the actual cash value. To create a State of Oklahoma with its present boundaries would necessarily more than double the expense of government without commensurate benefit, and I agree with the larger and more conservative part of our people that it is better to wait a reasonable time and eventually, by a union of the two Territories, establish one grand State which would be a pride and gratification to its people for generations. Respectfully submitted. C. M. BARNES, Governor. Washington, D. C. The SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, |