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Theodore Roosevelt had a great influence on T.B. Ferguson. Not only did he designate Ferguson as territorial governor in late 1901, but Roosevelt had also been a hero for Ferguson from the time of the invasion of Cuba and war with Spain in 1898.
Reports from Cuba indicated Spanish rule in Cuba was unjust, so Roosevelt, as Secretary of the Navy, pushed for invasion. The Maine was sent to Havanna Harbor, and after several months, an explosion killed almost 300 men on board. Roosevelt resigned as Secretary of the Navy to help form an invasion force including the Rough Riders. While offered command, he deferred to Colonel Wood (think Ft. Leonard Wood up I-44 in Missouri). Roosevelt joined rough riders in Houston who were from the Territories (Oklahoma, Indian, New Mexico and Arizona). These men and their horses that boarded the ship for Cuba knew horsemanship and fighting. The National Park Service article quotes Roosevelt that the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Creeks were great fighters; one of the best was Pollack, a Pawnee. There are good photographs of the outfit at NPS.gov.
The Battle of the San Juan Heights resulted in the Treaty of Paris that gave the U.S. Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
T.B. Ferguson was like many editors who wanted first to invade Cuba and second to join the Rough Riders (I believe this veteran of the 1889 and 1893 land rushes could have done it). However, Mrs. T.B. (Elva) writes “Perhaps the greatest disappointment of his life was when because of nearsightedness, the editor (T.B.) failed to become one of Roosevelt’s Rough Riders. He later made another effort to join when volunteers were called for, but with the same result. He longed to take part in the scrap but had to be content with lauding those who were fortunate enough actually to take part in the Spanish-American War.”
T.B. had such admiration for the Rough Riders that, to his dismay, “more than one county in Oklahoma during the last campaign, a Rough Rider was defeated for office…Home pride at least should have conceded the Rough Riders a place wherever they asked for it on any ticket. Had a Rough Rider been running for office in Blaine County, he would have received almost an (sic) unanimous vote.” There are multiple ways you can support the Ferguson Home Museum. The membership drive is in full swing now. Single memeberships are $25; family memberships are $35 and business memberships are $50.
There is always an opportunity to volunteer whether you pull weeds or dust indoors. And any financial donations are not just appreciated, they are tax deductible since the Friends of the Ferguson is a 501-C-3 organization.