Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 September 1907 — OKLAHOMA GOES DRY. [ARTICLE]

OKLAHOMA GOES DRY.

Klecllon Return* fr.ua New Slat* * Indicate Sncec** «f PrnlilbjHon.ee Oklahoma has ratified the enabling act ind'JuH'oine A State so far .as Oklahoma and Indian Terr.jory nr«i,concer *d. Re.urn* from the largest cities and chub.ies of Oklahoma and Indian Territory up to midnight Tm’Sday mtik-eeed-tlttU the cons;itt;tion of t-We proposed State has been adopted by a large majority; that the prohibition clause of the constitution has been adopted and'that the I democratic Slate ticket, beaded bj C. X. Haskell of Muskogee for 'Governor. lias been elected over Frank Frantz, the present, territorial governor of Oklahoma, who was the Republican nominee. In the enabling act Congress provided for prohibition ip Indian Territory for twenty-one years from Jana 1, i 960. -The prohibition clause voted on applies the satfie provision to the Oklahoma side of the new State. V All of the"elements of a national campaign were at hand in the canvass. Secretary of War Taft was the chief representative of the Republican side and William J: Bryan was brought in to answer Secretary Taft and to lead tlie lbaiiocraAic TigbT for the constitution and the Democratic ticket. , ..The election . was / held under the terms of the act of Congress granting joint statehood to Indian Territory’ and Oklahoma Territory. The statehood bill was passed at Washington after a strenuous fight which was carried through several sessions of Congress. President Roosevelt intervened on behalf of the people of the territories, and, while each territory was anxious for separate statehood, a com promise was affected by which the friends of statehood accepted the joint bill rather than have none at all. Immediately after the statehood bill was signed by the President the battle for the po lilicaTcontroFoFtEe new State opened.