Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1902-05-15
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON. May 9th, 1902

lhere are no happier men In the
national capital this week than dele
gates Dennis T. Flynn, Bernard s.
Rodey and Marcus A. Smith, whose un-
tiring efforts have accomplished what
promises to be signal victory for the
omnibus territorial bill, which will be
called up in the house Of representatives
tomorrow. Speaking Of the campaign
which he believes will result in state
hood for Oklahoma and Iudian Territory
as one state, Mr.. Flynn, "the future
senator for Oklahoma" as his friends
cal! him, said yesterday: at has been
a hard fight because Of the numerous
misconceptions in regard to my terri
tory which existed in the house. have
labored early and late, in season and
out, and now | believe large majority
of the members have some appreciation
OF the gigantic strides which Oklahoma
has made. With total Indebtedness OF
S400 900, she has $500 900 in the treas
ury. She has 2500 schoolhouses and the
largest educational fund OF any state in
The Union. She has larger assessed
valuation than Wyoming. BY rule OF
the house the last census must be taken
as basis for congressional representa-.
tion, and even on that basis We will have
two representatives, something no other
territory has had at the time of It's ad-
mission; and il the actual population
were taken. we would have three " In
reply to question, Mr.. Flynn said that,
had the party leaders been keenly alive
to their opportunities, they might have
admitted Oklahoma on strict party lines,
but they we're not and he was obliged to
effect a coslitlon with the friends Of New
Mexico and Arizona in order to get the
bill before the house. Recently he had
been urged TO abandon the advocates Of
statehood for the other territories and
push his own separately, but he had re-
fused to 20 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 10 the
prospects oil statehood for New Mexico.
at has been a long fight, said he. "For
fifty five years we have been pleading for
statehood. We have seen other terri.
tories with not half our claims admitted
into the sisterhood Of states, and they
have prospered, as We will. Every false
statement which has been made in re.
gard TO my territory, which has come 10
my notice, have corrected, and have
written hundreds Of letters to the press.
Think of it New Mexico furnished more
soldiers to the Union army than any
other state. Twothirds OF the presi.
dents regiment came from New Mexico.
All our generous revenues have gone
into the federal treasury. and without
such assurance has been given to Porto
Rico-that an equal amount would be
expended within our borders. But VIC
tory is now in sight, and territory
which is equal in area to New York q,
New Jersey and all OF New England
which built 500 miles of railroad last
year, will soon become one OF the fair
est and most prosperous states in the
Union"
Mr.. Smith, being a member OF the mi
nority, had, perhaps, less influence in
bringing about the success OF the bill
than the other delegates, nevertheless
he has succeeded in marshalling the
solid democratic vote in its support, not
withstanding the fact that the passage OF
the omnibus bill will add four republican
and but two democratic votes to the sem
ate. at is not party question, said
Mr.. Smith. ut is case of simple JUS
tce, aud one to which both parties are
committed by their national platforms.
NinetY.three republican and all the dem.
ocratlc 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. Today at 2 O'Clock
Senator Lodge will deliver the first
broadside, and Senators spooner and
Beveridge are preparing speeches to be
delivered this week. II 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 oversanguine. Nothing par
ticularly new has been brought out since