Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-01
RINGS DEATH KNELL
Statehood Bill Said to be
Doomed.
ADJOURNMENT MADE 1T A CORPSE
Attempt Will be Made to Finish Up
immigration Bill This Session
Some Respects 1t is Fight Between
Labor and Capital.
IBY H. j. MAH1N.l

$4,000 S''0 SoPiscis
[BY H. j. MAHIN.1
Washington, D. c., Dec 29.-The
holiday adjournment without an agree
ment to vote on the statehood bill
sounds Its death knell unless the I'M
expected happens. Its advocates are
not so earnest that they will risk an
extra session of congress to push it
through. In this way the statehood
bill is sharing an exactly similar fate
to that met by the subsidy bill at the
short session two years ago. In this
Senator Allison of Iowa had much to
do. AS chairman of the committee on
appropriations he reported long hol-
iday recess resolution and had it pass
ed. Pettigrew, then senator from
South Dakota, walked over to the
desk of the Iowa senator as soon as
the senate had acted and said:
Allison, you are against the subsidy
bill"
81 have not said anything of the
kind" replied Senator Allison, and,
truth to say, he had not, nor had any.
one guessed his position.
But know you are against it, con-
tinued Pettigrew.
what makes you think so?" asked
Allison.
Because you would never have to
put through that long holiday adjourn
ment resolution unless you wanted to
kill the subsidy BILL" answered Petit
grew.
''Pettigrew, you think you are pretty
sharp, don't your" answered Mr.. Alli-
son with a little wink and in his usual
unfathomable manner. Nevertheless
the subsidy was killed by being side
tracked in the short session and Mr..
Allison voted against it when it came
up in the following congress. In this
same manner it is declared that the
omnibus statehood bill will be pushed
aside. Most of the republican menu
bers of the house, including Senator
Allison, are determined that Senator
Quay shall not pull Arizona and New
Mexico in along with Oklahoma. No
compromise seems possible. Even the
Oklahoma people are standing by the
other two territories, saying they have
pooled their issues up to this point and
will now stand or fall together.
An attempt will be made to finish
up the immigration bill shortly after
congress reconvenes. AS the contest
goes on it is easy to ascertain where
the opposition comes from. In fact,
it seems to be in some respects fight
between capital and labor. The steam
ship companies do not want immigra--
ton restricted because it will cut off
portion of their revenues; the rail-
roads say plainly that they do not
want immigration restricted because
they want the Europeans as laborers.
On the other hand the labor unions
and those interested in raising the
wages Of worlmen want a strict i'm
migration law and some go so far as
to advise practical prohibition of i'm
migration because the immigrants as
rule are willing to work for such
small wages. The farmers have not
yet formally declared themselves, but
those who employ farm hands at
high wages would no doubt favor i'm
migration if it meant lower wages to
pay. Railroads which carry emigrants
to the far west and across the border
do not want the educational test ap-
piled to immigrants because this
would shut out the Italians, French,
and other Latin races which now sup
ply a part Of the labor market.
Congressman Lacey interviewed the
President recently in regard to APP
pointing prominent Iowa man, who
formerly resided in his district to a
place on the canal commission. The
gentleman's name is withheld as yet,
since it is not certain that he will for
Hlally declare himself a candidate for
the position. Representative Hepburn
the day congress adjourned introduce
ed resolution directing the secretary
OF state to furnish statement of the
expenses of the Isthmian canal COM
mission to date. There have been
whispers of a possible scandal in this
direction and it is said that the mem
bers Of this commission have been re-
ceiving thousand dollars month
for some time and some large allow
ances for expenses, whereas their per-
sonal service has amounted to almost
nothing. Many think that this is why
Col. Hepburn has introduced such a
resolution. The resolution provides
that the statement shall show all al
loWances for personal service, wages,
travelling expenses, board, etc.
-
Those who are beginning to think
that there is UNLIKELY to be any salts
factory agreement with Panama as re-
CARDS a canal, are urging that the
United States turn to Nicaragua. APP
prehension is being expressed that if
the United States does not avail itself
OF the opportunity to build canal by
the Nicaragua route none will be built
at all. If not used previous to June
~, 1904, the appropriation of $780,
100000 for the construction of the ca
nal can probably be received into the
treasury at that time Action is con-
sequently being urged at this session
since it is matter that should be Civ
en- full discussion and to leave it I'M
touched would allow only, one more
session before the appropriation ex-
pres. Attention has also been called
In the fact that ,,pdar +bo (,oJox.l>;...