The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-05-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.


From our regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON, May 7, 1902.
There are probably no happier men in
the national capital this week than dele
gates Dennis T. Flynn, Bernard S. Rod
ey and Marcus A. Smith, whose untiring
efforts have accomplished what promises
to be signal victory for the Omnibus
Territorial bill, which was called up in
the House of Representatives OIL Tuesday.
Speaking of the campaign which he be-
lieves will result in statehood for Okla
homa and Indian Territory as one state,
Mr.. Flynn, "the future Senator from
Oklahoma" as his friends call him, said,
ut has been hard fight because of the
numerous misconceptions i'll regard to
my territory which existed in the House.
have labored early and late, in season
and out, and now l believe large ma
jorty of the members have some appre-
citation of the gigantic strides which Ok
lahoma has made. With total indebted
ness of $500, 900 she has $500, 900 in the
treasury. She has $500 school houses
and the largest educational fund of any
state in the Union. She has larger
assessed valuation than Wyoming. By a
RIDE of the House the last census must be
taken as basis for Congressional repre-
sentation and even on that basis we will
have two representatives, something no
other territory has had at the time of its
admission, and if the actual population
were taken we would have three" In
reply to a question, Mr.. Flynn said
that had the party leaders been keenly
alive to their opportunities, they might
have admitted Oklahoma on strictly party
lines, but they were not and he was oblig
ed to effect coalition with the friends of
New Mexico and Arizona i'll order to get
the bill before the House. Recently he
had been urged 10 abandon the advocates
of statehood for the other territories and
push his own separately, but he had re-
fused to go back on his friends and they
would sink or swim together" Mr..
Flynn is most hopeful of favorable action
by the Senate
~
Mr.. Rodey is enthusiastic as to the
prospects of statehood for New Mexico.
g 1t has been long fight" he said ''for
filty-hve years we have been pleading for
statehood. We have seen other territories
with not half our claims admitted into
the sisterhood of states and they have
prospered as we will. Every false state
ment which has been made in regard to
to my territory, which has come to my
notice, l have corrected and l have
written hundreds of letters to the press.
Think of it; New Mexico furnished more
soldiers to the Union army than any other
state. Two thirds of the Presidents reg
iment came from New Mexico. All our
generous revenues have gone into the
Federal treasury and without such assur-
ance as has been given TO Porto Rico that
an equal amount would be expended
within our borders. But victory is now
IN sight and territory which is equal in
area to New York, New Jersey and all Of
New England, which built 500 miles of
railroad last year, will soon become one
of the fairest and most prosperous states
in the Union"
~
Mr.. Smith being member of the
minority, had perhaps less influence in
bringing about the success of the bill than
the other delegates, nevertheless he has
succeeded in marshalling the solid dem
ocratic vote in its support, notwithstand-
ing the fact that the passage of the omni.
bus bill will add four republican and but
two democratic votes to the Senate. at
is not party question:" said Mr.. Smith,
lit is case of simple justice and one to
which both parties are committed by their
national platforms. Ninety-three repub.
lican and all the democratic votes are
pledged to support the bill and we believe
success is insured.'
~
All last week the democratic senators
spent in condemning the policy of the
administration in the Philippines, with
the exception of Friday when Senator
Pritchard of North Carolina expounded
the republican view. Monday at two
O'Clock Senator Lodge delivered the first
republican broadside and Senators Spoon
er and Beveridge are preparing speeches
TO be delivered this week. 1t is the hope
of the republicans that vote on the bill
can be secured next Monday although
there are many who declare that the
leaders are over-sanguine. Nothing par
ticularlv new has been brought out since
my last letter. The Senate adopted SEN
ator Culberson's resolution calling on the
Secretary of War for a statement of the
expenses which the Philippines have been
to the United States since their acquisi-
ton, and it is most likely that the figures
will prove revelation to the taxpayers
Nv
The investigation of the Committee on
relations with Cuba has not developed
anything sensational in regard to the
possession by the Sugar Trust of Cuban
sugar. In fact, the President the Treas
urer and the ''raw sugar buyer of the
Trust have all been examined and have
stated under oath, that the Trust held no
Cuban sugar. 1t would appear from their
statements that reciprocity with Cuba
would affect them little, one way or the
other, aud they positively deny having
lobbied to procure Cuban reciprocity.
The indications are that the adoption of