The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-01-22
QUESTION Or STATEHOOD.
1t Was Considered at a Sena-
torial Caucus Last Night.
ENABLING ACT PROBABLE.
Another Caucus VIII Be Held Next
Week.
1t VIII Consider Utah's Claim and the
Senate May Decide to Go Ahead
Without Waiting for the House
and Pass the Utah Bill.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21.-[Special. i
Standing on the handsome rug which
lays before the open fireplace at Senator
Sherman's house tonight, Senator Fred
Dubois made ringing fifteen minute
speech in favor of the Utah admission
bill. The occasion was the Republican
senatorial caucus, which was set for sew
eral days ago, but which was postponed
on account OF the death of ex-President
Hayes. The caucus was held to consider
the question of admitting all the terri
tories and incidentally to discuss such
other measures of political interest con-
nected Herewith as directly affect the
Republicans control of the Senate.
The only considerable speech of the
evening was made by Mr.. Dubois. His
remarks were followed with deep interest
by all of the senators present. He made
the usual arguments in favorof admitting
all the territories, but he spoke with par
ticular reference to Utah. He told the
senators he was as familiar with the ma
terial that made up the social and relig-
ious conditions in Utah as any resident of
that territory. In the absence of United
States senator from Utah he desired to
speak in her behalf.
He described briefly the breaking up of
the old lines which had formerly divided
the people of the territory, and showed
that at present Utah was as well fitted for
statehood and would bear this honor as
gracefully as any other commonwealth in
the union. He touched, in his remarks,
upon the sturdy, hustling qualities of the
Utah people, on the enormous wealth OF
the territory, and showed that Republi-
can senate would make no mistake by ad-
hitting her to the sisterhood of states.
When he had finished Senator Chandler
of New Hampshire, who has been in the
past not an active opponent OF admission
but certainly passive one, came forward
and not only congratulated Mr.. Dubois
upon his speech, but added with his usual
frankness:
''You have converted me. If the bill
for the admission of Utah comes before
the senate, shall vote for it. If, how
ever, find IN the future that did wrong
in so doing, shall lay the blame at your
door, for 1 know you are thoroughly
familiar with the subject. -
Following Mr.. Chandler came Mr..
Aldrich of Rhode Island, one of the
most conservative and substantial mem
bers of the senatorial body, who also said
he too had been convinced by Mr.. Dubois
eloquence and that he no longer believed
it advisable to keep Utah out of the union
OF states.
A he i, I0I IL
with several of the senators who were
present, from one of whom 1 obtained the
foregoing information. 1 learned, too,
from this gentleman that even Senator
Platt, who has all along been an open
and persistent opponent of admission, has
also cast aside his preiudices and will
probably offer no opposition to the pas
sage of the Utah admission bill if it comes
up in the Senate.
Much now depends upon the action of
the House. If they shall pass the en-
abling bill recently introduced by Mr..
Game, with anything like reasonable
promptness, it is more than probable
that in the present temper of the Senate
the bill will be favorably reported from
the Senate Territories Commute, and it is
not improbable that the measure will pass
before the close of the session.
If this be done President Harrison will
hardly be SO ungracious to veto it and
there is therefore at this time fair prob
ability that six weeks hence an act will
be placed upon the federal statutes con-
ferring statehood upon the territory of
Utah.
am the more constrained to believe
this view of the fact that before the eau
Gus adjourned tonight it was decided to
hold another caucus next week in order
specifically to consider Utah's claims and
it is not unlikely that on that occasion
the Senate may decide to go ahead with
the Utah bill and pass it without awaiting
the action of the House.