Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-11
THE STATEHOOD BILL
Sparring Between Senators
Beveridge and Quay.
LATTER WANTS A VOTE
FORMER DESIRES FIRST A DIS
CUsSIoN OF MEASURE.
Messrs. Lodge and Hale Go to Indiana
Senator's Relief and Make Plea
for Expression Of Views.
LATTER WANTS A VOTE

| Intense interest attaches to the status Of
| the statehood fight in the Senate Far
| more than the admission of the territories
| Is involved. Harmonious relations between
| the republican factions In the Senate and
| especially between them and the President
are at stake.
The statehood contest also has a bearing
| upon all general legislation for this session.
| and bound up in 1t is the fate Of antitrust
| legislation and possible extra session OF
| Congress. The contention over the demand
| ed admission Of three territories Is very
| bitter.
Senators and representatives returning to
the Capitol today from the White House
| brought the information that President
| Roosevelt would be glad IL compromise
| could be effected by the admission of New
Mexico and Arizona as one state and Okla
| noma and Indian territory as another
| state. President Roosevelt is described as
| being opposed to the omnibus bill. providing
| Tor three separate states Whether he
would carry his opposition to the point Of
| Vetoing the bill, IL 1t is passed, is problem
atical 1t is thought that his course
| probably would be affected by the ngmber
or republicans who should vote for the om-
| nibus bill and their prominence IL the party
councils.
The President Worried
| The President, it is said by statesmen
| who have talked with him is worried over
| the continuance of the warfare between the
| advocates and opponents of the tri-state bill
In the republican party. He does not want
the hight over statehood to bring about a
| deadlock in the Senate which would shut
out all other general legislation and afford
an excuse for not acting upon his recon-
| mendation for the regulation of trusts
The opinion Is entertained in some quar-
tiers that there are number of senators
who view with complacency at least a
deadlock that would afford an excuse for
failure of antitrust legislation. The i'm
preston Is just as strong in well-informed
| circles that If such a program should be
carried out the President would seriously
| consider the advisability of calling an eNra
| session of Congress to handle the trust
| question.
1t is known positively that the President
| would agree to compromise on the state-
hood fight, which would admit Arizona and
New Mexico as one state and Oklahoma and
Indian territory another Such would not
be his original choice, it is said as he fa-
vors the Oklahoma bill reported by the Sem
ate committee on territories. He would,
however, 1T is stated. in the interest Of
harmony and to expedite legislation which
he deems essential sign the compromise bih.
Compromise Not Acceptable.
Inquiry today among the leaders of the
Two StdleuOOQ ldCtlOuS lnQlcateS tndI SUCH
compromise is far from acceptable at this
time, although no one will say that it u
beyond the range of possibility. Delegate
Marcus A. Smith of Arizona, who is one OF
the leaders in the tri-state movement In
the House. said to a Star reporter today
that his people would rather be deprived OF
| statehood for an indefinite time than to
come In with New Mexico as a part of the
new state. He said that such a junction OF
the territories would make state as large
In orloa Ma Nnrk "
land and Virginia, would greatly Increase
the expenses of the new commonwealth ana
would be altogether oblectionable
Delegate Rodey of New Mexico also s
understood to be bitterly opposed to merg-
ing Arizona with New Mexico.
Senator Quay, who Is the leader OF the
tri-state movement in the Senate, is willing
to defer his opinion to the wishes of the
applicants for statehood in the two terri.
tories. If such compromise would be ac-
ceptable to them he would not, II Is UNDER
stood, interpose serious objection.
Senator Beveridge, who is conducting the
fight for the admission OF Oklahoma and
Indian territory alone, is decidedly opposed
to compromising on the basis suggested.
Change in Parliamentary Status.
Just before adjournment of the Senate
last evening Senator Nelson withdrew the
pending Oklahoma bill in order that 1t
might be perfected in committee That
action changed the parliamentary status
of the fight considerably. Until the
substitute is again before the senate
it will be difficult for Senator Quay to get
a test vote. and while 1t is being held up,
it is pointed out that the opponents of tho
omnibus bill can use persuasion on repuo-
licans of the other side to forsake the Quay
column. Senator Quay is understood to be
anxious to secure test vote, and ne COM
f1dentlv claims that he has the votes sum-
Client to demonstrate that his bin com>
mand the vote cf majority of the Senate.
Pretty Sparring Today.
There was some very pretty sparring be-
tween Senator Quay and Senator Beveridge
when the statehood bill came up at 2 o'clock
this afternoon. The bill proposed by the
committee on territories had been with
drawn, as stated. and the only measure
before the Senate was the omnibus bill.
backed by Senator Quay. The presiding Of
ficer announced 1t as the order of business.
There was silence for few moments in
the chamber, no one suggesting anything,
whereupon the presiding officer said the
bill was open to amendment. Still no sena.
tor made a move. until after an awkward
pause Senator Quay arose and said that the
friends Of the bill were ready for a vote.
That move was easily checkmated by
Senator Beveridge, who came forward with
a protest. He said that a number of sena-
tors desired to address the Senate upon the
bill. but were not ready to proceed at this
time. He desired that opportunity should
be given for senator's to explain the two
measures and to support the contention OF
the committee on territories against the adj
Senator Quay sarcastically observed that
he did not apprehend that the discussions
would throw any new light on the subject.
and that the friends Of the bill were suf-
fcently intelligent and well appr.zed Of all
the conditions to be ready to vote at this
time.
However" continued Senator Quay. very
biandly and In way that caused a general
smile to go around the chamber, "if my
colleague can name any reasonable time In
which he is ready to take a vote on this
bill am willing to wait. But IL we have to
fight every day for vote we might well
begin to fight this afternoon"
Senator Beveridge was not ready to be
drawn into the position Of fixing day for
q. vote. aad he skillfully lodged the lead o1
the tactician Of the other side.
Senator Lodge came to Senator Bevex-
idge's rescue with a protest against what ho
termed the unusual proceeding OF hxin9
time for a vote before discussion had even
commenced, and addressed the Senate ae
some length upon that topic.
Democrats Enjoying the Fracas.