Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-02-10
SITUATION
SUMMED UP
The Outlook for the Passage Of Enabling Acts
for the Territories Very Bright.
THE HOUSE IS FAVORABLE
In tho Senate However Strong Flight viii Have to Be
Made BY the Statehood Advocatss-Eistsru Ssn-
ators Are Opposed to Having More
Western Senator's

/
good progress In congress. The house
committee on territories, last week af
ter hearing the advocates for state.
hood, decided to report favorably tc
the house on Friday. February 21 or
the bills providing for the admission OF
Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico
The Washington correspondent of the
st. Louis Globe Democrat who Is well
posted on national affairs at the capt.
tai, writes very conservatively on the
| subject of statehood for the territories
| as follows:
There seems to be but little doubt
| that the house committee will report
favorably upon the bills admitting the
also report bill granting territorial
form of government for the Indian Ter
ritory. Nothing has developed in any
of the hearings to indicate that there
is any opposition in the committee to
statehood for Oklahoma, Arizona and
New Mexico. While the meetings at
which the advocates of statehood have
presented their arguments have not
been attended by the full committee
the deepest interest has been shown in
all Of the statements made and the
majority of the committee Is unques-
tionably in favor of the passage of the
bills
"There is wide divergence Of opin-
ion among the members of the commit
tee concerning the disposition that
shall be made Of the Indian Territory
case. There is no sentiment in favor of
admitting the territory into the union
as part of Oklahoma, the differences
being confined to the character Of the
government that shall be provided for
the territory. The Moon bill has been
strongly urged. The objection to 1t is
that it provides for full terrific
form Of government with the conse
quent expense in taxation. that must be
borne by personal taxes until such time
as the Indians lands are made subject
to taxation. Some of the members of
the committee urge that the territory
cannot afford to assume such a Burden
and they are making an effort for the
adoption of the Curtis bill, which pro-
vides for a governor, secretary of the
territory and a delegate to congress, to
be appointed by the president, and the
expense of the government to be borne
by the federal government. This mat
ter is now in the hands of sub-com-
mittee, which will report to the full
committee next week.
"While there will be some opposi-
ton to the bills in the house, the indi-
cations now are that they will all pass
by good majority. The work Of Mr..
Flynn of Oklahoma, and Mr.. Rodey Of
New Mexico. on the Republican side.
and Mr.. Smith of Arizona, on the DEM
ocratic side has been most effective,
and it is claimed that considerably
more than majority of the current
members have agreed to vote for the
bills. The outlook Is not SO cheering on
the senate side. AS yet the committee
on territories of the senate has not
granted any hearings on the bills and
has not given them any extended con-
sideration. It is known that some of
the senators from the eastern states
are radically opposed to the admission
of the territories for political and Sec
tional reasons. The increase Of the
number Of senator's by six, with inter-
ests and sympathy in the development
of the west and southwest, Is not de-
sired by some Of the members Of the
senate One of them expressed this
view today and declared that he was
not in favor of adding six votes in the
senate that would be in favor of nat
ional irrigation projects and measures
of that character. However. as soon as
the measures have passed the house
the statehood advocates from the three
territories will transfer their work to
the senate and make concerted effort
to secure favorable consideration of
their claims"