Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-12-13
WASHINGTON BUDGET.
Statehood and Other Matters Of Mo-
ment to New Mexicans-The
Interstate Commerce Act.
Special Correspondence New Mexican.

Special Correspondence New Mexican.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.--Little has as yet
been done by congress except to caucus
on both sides and to appoint "steering
committees" In the house this commit
tee will remain; The speaker, Mr.. Benton,
Mcmillan and Mr.. Thos C. Catchings. In
the senate on the Democratic side it will
probably consist of Senators German,
Carlisle, Vest, Mcpherson and Gray. At
the caucus of the Democratic senators
held Dec. 7, in the senate conference
room, Senator Gorman, of Maryland,
! presided, and Senator Faulkner, of West
Virginia, acted as secretary. There was
general discussion on the question of at
tempting to force the admission of New
Mexico and Arizona as states during
the present session, and it was decided to
exhaust all parliamentary efforts to secure
the admission of these two territories to
the Union. Whether or not this is bun
combe time alone will tell.
Gov. l.. Bradford Prince, and Hon.
Chas. II. Gildersleeve are here urging the
question on the attention of congress
both in the senate and house, ana these
gentlemen are awaiting the reinforcement
of the committee composed of Hons. 7.
B. Catron, John H. Riley and H. L.
Pickett, who are expected to arrive on
the 14th instant. grand onslaught will
then be made.
Senator Platt informed Gov. Prince
that "as at present advised am not in
favor of the admission of New Mexico at
this session and think that with two or
three exceptions that is the attitude of
the Republican senator's" This position
of Platt's is very annoying. 1t seems
that the anti-silver feeling of the east
permeates every branch of business and
politics. The goldbugs feel sure now
that with Clevelands veto they can con-
troll legislation and the order seems to
have gone around to take no chances. 1t
is not New Mexico that Platt fears so
much as it is Wall street. However, the
sentiment of a majority of the senate
and of the house is unquestionably for
the admission to statehood of New Mex
leo; and the question is can the forces
scattered through both parties in the
DC SolHDlllcu. ue VI
New Mexicans will have delicate diplo-
matte mission to perform, but notwith
standing Mr.. Platt's assumption of au-
thority to speak for his colleagues the
fact remains that majority OF the votes
in congress are for statehood, if the meas
ure can be got up for consideration.
Of course the decision of Judge Gres-
ham anent the interstate commerce act, is
the sensation of the week.
Senator Cullom, chairman of the senate |
committee, said yesterday: "Some per-
sons are inclined to hold that the decision
affecting the vadility of one section ap-
plies to all, and thatif the one is unconsti- |
tutional the law in its entirety must be. |
There is nothing in such an argument.
There is one thing about which there can
be no doubt, and that is that if the law |
can be amended so as to withstand the |
decisions of the courts it will be. Wheth- |
er such result can be reached it is hard |
to determine"
Commissioner Veazy takes optim-
istic view of the matter. He thinks there
are other methods left for compelling
witnesses to answer the questions of the
commission, and he believes congress can
SO amend the law as to get over the con-
stitutional difficulty pointed out by Judge
Gresham