The St. Louis Republic., 1902-11-09
Bill to Admit Arizona, New Mex
leo and Oklahoma Set for
December 3.
HARD WORK BEFORE CONGRESS
Admission of Territories Is One of
the Most Important Measures to
Be Considered in Years
Great Interest Manifested.

washington. Nov. S-Congress will plunge
into hard work on its assembling in Decem-
ber. Wednesday. the third day of the ses-
Sion. has been set in the Senate for the vote
on the bill which has already passed the
House for the admission of Arizona, New
Mexico and Oklahoma to statehood.
This means that of the most impor-
tant questions of maIy years is to be set
tied practically without debate iii the SEN
ate and after action in the House which
was assumed at the time to be more or less
farcical. That boly wanted to do some
thing to help the Republican candidates in
the Territories at the fall elections and so
II finally decided. in a spirit of good nature,
TO let the bill pass. The Democrats were
substantially all for It, while the Republic
ans were afraid in many cases to present a
bold front against it, on account of the pos
sibilty of future revenges when the three
actually begin to send members to the cleo
toral college.
1t often happens that one House passes
bill. in the spirit of insincerity leaving
the other to correct any errors, and relying
confidently upon its doing so. A score of
such measures get through one house or
the other at every session. But the advo-
Gates of statehood, by securing an agree
ment In the Senate to vote on December 3,
which then seemed a long way off. have
brought the question to an issue at time
when the Senate is no more ready to act
than was the House.
REPORT EXPECTED.
The Committee on Territories have not
1t is believed. even made a report in this
Congress. Certainly President Roosevelt. in
his annual message, did not recommend the
admission Of these Territories although he
was strongly urged to do So and from his
Rough Rider association was expected to
have warm feeling toward the new South
west. He gave as his reason for not max
ing this recommendation that the eompli-
cation over what to do with the indian
Territory, in case Oklahoma was admitted
as State without it, seemed TO him go
serious that he wanted more time to think
about It. This same complication is no
nearer settlement now than last December
The local politicians of the region would
like two States instead Of one, and they
present some rather strong reasons to show
that gthe Indian Territory should not be
merged with Oklahoma But does the rest
of the country want four new States in that
quarter with eight Senator's?
The Senate Committee on Territories has
wisely planned a trip Of investigation. It's
AcPSfS % cSoAAupiy Uc IA TcduIUeSS IOT
the Senate on its opening day or perhaps
made public before. The Presidents mes
sage usually absorbs attention on the first
fday and the report of the Secretary of the
Treasury. with the book Of estimates. on
the second. Since the voting must take
place on the third day. unless the agree
ment be vacated by unanimous consent. 1t
might be we'll for the committee to get its
findings before the public in some form be-
fore the assemblage Of Congress, and so
give the country chance to express itself
on the question.
WILL INVESTIGATE
The Committee Of Investigation which is
to start out from Chicago on Monday will
consist Of Senators Beveridge of Indiana,
Dillingham; Of Vermont. Burnham of New
Hampshire. Nelson Of Minnesota and Bard
OF California, Republicans, with Bate of
Tennessee and Heitfelt Of Idaho. Democrats
This group, only part of the Com
mittee on Territories. profess to start out
with minds ready to be influenced by what
they find az to the material and moral re-
sources Of the would-be States and their
guarantees Of perrnanence.
Several arguments favor the admission CT
these territories. Under our system they
will have to be admitted sooner or later,
and few years one way or the other
might make little difference in the life of a
nation. The Democrats. on returning to
power. Will surely admit them, and many
Republicans feel that their party might
just as well gain favor in those communi-
ties by comforting upon them the great
boon OF statehood as to leave this ad-
vantage to Its opponent.
NEW MExICOS LONG WAIT.
New Mexico, practically promised admis-
sion. to the Union at the time of the Mexi
can cession. has for more than a half CEN
tury urged its claims upon Congress. Okla
homa Is abundantly large for a State. and
no one objects to its admission, especially IL
the Indian Territory complication could be
adjusted. Arizona must come In, If at all.
to make a clean job of it. Without doubt.
any community prospers more under state
, hood than territorial conditions Trade and
investments would be strengthened by the
change.
The objections to the admission Of three
or four new States in the Southwest relate
chiefly to the balance of national power be-
tween the small States and the large ones,
If our small States were scattered through
the Union, just as Rhode Island and Florida
are in the East, no harm would be done by
the admission OF three more. But when a
dozen or more States which will always be
small >are grouped it gives to the interests
which they have in common a very dispro-
portionate strength in the Senate, and that
body to-day Is the most powerful part Of
the Government of the United States, hav-
ing encroached somewhat on the powers of
the executive and largely sabordinated the
House of Representatives.