The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-12-13
FIGHTING THE SENATE
OLIGARCHY
How Young Western SeBa-
tors Have Lined Up
With Quay

Washington D. C.. Dec. lS.-~rhe de-
bate over statehood has begun and
the personal animoaijies which have
largely decided what position con
cerning influential senator's have
taken has added local color to the
fight that increased the Washington
interest Not one of The visiting
statesmen from the itorles has
grasped the significance of senatorial
differences on the statehood bill. The
senatorial positions have been geter-
mined without reference to the events
of the controversy everyone knows.
but just why certain senators who
know nothing about territorial condi
tions have become aggressive in theif
idea of statehood is puzzling as the
attitude of other senators who seem
determined 70 resort to every possible
parliamentary means to prevent all
statehood legislation.
There are in the senate six or eight
Republican senators who copsatule
what has been popularly called the
Senate oligarchy.' They are Spoon
er, Aldrich. Allison, Hanna, Lodge,
Hale and Platt of Connecticut. Two
or three names might be added to the
list. but these are the senators who
do things They have become as OBJ
jectionable to some of the Republi
can senator's as Speaker Hender-
sons organization to the house mem
bership. These senator have deter
mined to prevent all statehood legisla
ton. Heretofore they have been in
vincible. rhey said what policy
should prevail, and the argument was
ended. Young senators did not have
the nerve to protest They knew
they would be run over These young
senators. especially from the west,
have rallied around Quay the Penn
sylyanian and can be neither intimi
dated nor deceived The admission
Of new states is now and always has
been a question of political advisable
ity.
Mr.. Quay Strong Fighter.
A senator less secure than Quay
would fear to put his judgment
against that Of 'SDooner, Allison or
Lodge. But in the game Of national
politics. however, Quay represents
more votes than all the enators who
are fighting him. Hanna excepted. If
he succeeds in getting the support OF
Platt OF ew York, the two are more
potent in national political affairs
than the combination which uns the
senate Spooner is powerful as a sen
ator, but he can only perform in Wis
consin when LaFollette consents to
give him place on the program. Al
lison Il not a dominant foctor in
Iowa
If Quay succeeds in bringing three
new states into the union he will have
twenty votes in the next national
convention to add 70 the sixty -eight /
from Pennsylvania. Hanna sees this
and he knows that no votes Quay con /
trolls win ever support any measure
in which Hanna's affairs are involved.
With Hanna. the issue is surely a
personal one. Beveridge. although
spoke man for the majority report of
the committee on territories, is the
fly on the wagon wheel He Is not
even to be taken into account in the
matter Of getting senator's votes. lie
has the ear OF ihe president, perhaps.
but the senate cares nothing for Bey-
eridge Unless the president makes
tho statehood fight his own, Bever-
idge can be dismissed from consider
alton He may add 10 the gaieiy OF
the occasion by some sarcastic refer
ence
The only person who can get votes
from Quay is the president ali for
this reason the senator will acquaint
no one with lhe names of Republi-
can senators who viii support his .
contention. He doesn't want TO sub
iect the matter to white house inhu-
ence. and be does not want the Sen
ate obligarchy'' to take them on the
mountain top and promise them the
legi alton world