The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1903-02-07
" ASHINGTON LETTER.
ITEMS OF INTEREST FROM THE
Nations Capital. Things Being
Done and Talked About.
STATEHOOD FIGHT IN SENATE
Passage of Appropriation Bills Alaskan
and Colombian Isthmian Canal Trea-
ties and Other Matters Of Interest.
Warrington. Feb. 2, 1908.

Warrington, Feb. 2, 1908.
Political attention IN Washing
ton during the past week has been
centered on the Statehood fight in
the Senator Quay has scored sever
al points IN the way of Iegisla-
tive jockYlng and gained an ad'
vantage which now seems to pres
sage an extra session of Congress.
By one of those subtle moves, tor
which the Pennsylvania Senator Is
famous. he secured the introduction
and reference to his own committee
of the Statehood bill, as an amend
ment to the agriculture and snndry
civil appropriation bllls. On Satur
day he secured the adoption Of the
measure by the committee as an
amendment to the agricultural bill
and in that form will be able 10 Sc
cure 4 vote in the Senate, unless
the appropriation bill Is permitted
to fail, which failure would mean
an extra session.
Senator Quay said yesterday that
as the circumstances were most un
usual he considered that he was
warranted IN resorting to unusual
methods. "PersonaI notice has been
served on every senator favorable
to Statehood" said Mr.. Quay, "that
the Statehood bill would be talk d 10
death" One New England Sena
tor told me that he would drop
IN his track. debating the measure
before he would permit it to be-
come a law. Under these circum
stances | consider that | need no
excuse for resorting to drastic
measures to secure the enactment OF
the will Of the majority of the Sen
ate.'
Senator Hama, when reen by
your correspondent, said: ''Wait
aud see. l am m king no predictions
except that the Statehood bill will
not become law during the Fifty
seventh Congress" Another prom
iLent senator who is opposed TO the
measure SAID, 81 consider that 20
permit the Statehood bill to be-
come a law az an amendment TO an
appropriation bill, TO winch it is in
no way germane, wo lid be to es-
tabllsh a most pernlcious precedent
and If the opponents Of the measure
find II necessary to cause the failure
of the appropriation bills TO which
it is attached and thus preclpitate
an extra session of Congress, they
will not hesitate to do so. 1t would
certainty be their duty" 1t is the
hope, however, of the opposition,
TO wean away = sufficient number of
the democrats who are supporting
Mr.. Quay to defeat his program.
The House during the past week
has devoted itself assiduous!y &c
the passage of regular appropriation
bills and has sent to the Senate the
agricultural and Indian billie. To
day 1t will take up the sundry civil
bill and will probably spend large
portion of the week in its considera
ton. Later IN the week it will
pass the Llttlefield antitrust bill.
The Senate committee on Foreign
Relations has ordered the Alaskan
and the Colombian isthmian canal
treaties iavorabls reported. Sen.
ator Morgan has determined to do
all in his power to defeat the latter,
but as he stands alone IN bis op-
position it 10 not believed he will
be successful. Senator Morgan to-
day told your correspondent tina,
be was certain the Colombian gov
eminent was not legally authorized
and that the credentials of DR.. Her
ian, the Colombian charge d. affairs,
were not worth the paper on which
they were written. Senator Cullnm,
to whom Nj. Morgan's srgumen,
was referred, said: at is not the
business of the United States to 90
into the legality of the governments
with which it has OCCASION to treat.
Ii 1t did that it would be compelled
to spend most of Its time investlgat.
ing the government Of the South
countries with which II
has rel lions. 1t has always been
held, IN information all law, that th.
action OF de facto government,