West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-02-12
.FILIBOSTERIAG SENATE
Juggling With the Statehood
Bill to Kill Time.
BsTRAyAL OF PARTY PLEDGES

nsp~siicsa pistferm Nuiiiasd IT
was MADE oniy to Catch the votes
ef s~c,sev~-uow Important Lcat--
t~siea IL ncing sidctrackcd.
The old mossbock Republican soma
tors have troubles OF their own these
days. The oilgarchy whose word has
been Law In the United States senate
nnd themselves opposed by majority
who Az intent on giving statehood to
tho territories. Tho bill admitting tho
tsrrftotfes passed the house OF repro
seutrtves by . largo majority and owl
DENLY has a majority In the senate.
but the olfsarchy and It's followers arc
hnbustering TO prevent vote. Tho
Republican national platform OF 1000
declared for statehood for tho terrific
rfss IN tho following plain language;
I'VE favor the homo rule for and tho
early admission 90 statehood OF tho
territories OF New Mexico, Arizona and
Oklahoma"
But this national declaration OF pur-
being ignored by It's leaders, and Sen
ator Hanna said In the debate on the
bin that tho admission OF the terrific
rfes was not political issue and no
Republican senator should be held ac-
countablc for the wording OF tho plat
form before II ~ an issue and had been
discussed. Thls nulllncation OF planks
I'm platforms by the chairmen of ma
tional organizations II new move I'm
politics and may prove boomerang
after tho next Republican national
platform " adopted. Senator Hanna's
statement, which appears TO have becn
indoraed by the Republican olignrchy,
puts the public on notice that planl1s
I'm Republican platforms are not con
sidercd binding on Republican con
gressmon who can invent any slight
excuse for ovadlng the. samc.
The statement of Senator Hanna that
the admission OF tho territories ls not
political issue II the more extrnordinn.
ry when Il ~ known that every Demo
cratic senator fnyors the bill and a MAJ
jority Of the Republican senator's are
opposing II in spite OF the expressed
declaration OF their pldtform. If that
does not make n political issue. there has
never been one before tho senate. The
history Of the United states shows that
the admission OF territories has always
been burning political Issue based on
the expectation that the party favoring
admission expected the now states TO
vote with thcm. These political ex-
pectations have not always been real.
lied, and la the casc OF Nevada, which
was admitted for oxpress partisan pur-
poses, the chickens have come homo To
roost, and the Democrats now have
the advantage OF the vote OF that stntc.
There are. however. other political
exigencies hack or this prolonged ngbt
for the admission OF tho territories. m
the time OF the senate N occupied with
this bill, II will exclude antitrust legls.
latlon and other house bills that are on
the senate calendar that the same Re
publican majority do not want Co sec
enacted. The Republican senators arc
killing time with tho hope that the
pressure OF the appropriation bills VIII
force tho bill 60 admit the territories
on the track and also defeat for the
lack OF time tho other legislation 20
which they are opposed. but which
some OF them do not dare openly 60 op
pose.
Tho Democrats have declared their
readiness TO vote at any time, 80 that
the whole blame for delay rests with
the Republicans.