The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-25
CANNOT Be STATES
TERRITORIES WILL HAVE TO
WAIT A WHILE.
PRACTICALLY NO CHANCE
FOR THEM TO GET INTO THE
UNION AT THIS SESSION.

Democrats Will Have None of the
Republican, TwO-Stntes COmprO-
mise-SO Decided i'm Caucus-Statc-
hood Bill Not Fancied Rider
by Some of the DemOcrats-Mat-
ter is Passed Up to the Democrat
ic Members of the POstoffice Com
mittee.
Washington, Feb. 24-The Demo-
cratic senatorial caucus to-day reject
ed the two-state proposition for the
admission of new states, submitted by
the Republicans. The matter of fur
Their negotiations was left with the
Democratic members of the Commit
tee on Postoffices, which has charge of
the appropriation bill with the state
hood rider.
Senator Blackburn was authorized to
bring UP the Littlefield antitrust bill
and at least obtain vote on the ques-
ton of it's consideration.
Speeches were made by Senators
Clay, Bacon, Teller, Dubois, Simmons,
Foster of Louisiana, Bate, Morgan,
Pettus and others. All the speakers
took positive grounds against the com
promise proposition, and several of
them spoke emphatically against the
proposition to put the statehood bill on
any of the appropriation bills as
rider
They, at the same time, stated that
they had no intention of casting any
reflection upon the statehood support
ers on the committees on Postoffices
and Agriculture, and favored placing
the matter of determining the future
course of the party with reference to
the bill as such and a rider, in the
hands of the Democratic members of
the Committee on Postohices.
Had Joint Conference.
After the adjournment of the caucus,
the Democratic members of the Com
mittee on Postoffices met the Republi-
cans of that committee who have been
friendly to statehood. They decided to
ask the chairmen of the two commit
tees on Postoffices and Agriculture to
withdraw the. statehood riders which
the committees have placed on two ap-
preparation bills. They also decided
to continue the fight for the omnibus
bill as it came from the House, with
out amendment, but not to antagonize
appropriation bills or executive bust
ness with it. ....-
The Republicans have decided to
present their compromise bill to the
Senate The indications are very
strong that the question will receive
very little, if any, more consideration
during the session, and even the best
friends of statehood generally admit
that there is no chance for success at
this time.
Position of Democrats.
A Democratic senator, who is a mem
Der of the Committee on Territories,
upon being asked for statement OF
the reasons for rejecting the compro-
mise proposition, wrote the following,
which, after submitting to several of
his colleagues, he gave out for publ
cation:
THE Democratic caucus rejected the
proposed compromise statehood bill for
the following reasons: When arizona
and New Mexico were made territories
their areas were established for ult1-
mate statehood purposes, and all the
interests and expectations OF the peo-
pie of the two territories have been in
anticipation of the two states.
1T would be gross injustice to the
people of both to join them in one
state. From east to west, as railroads
must be built, it would be LOO miles
across them. The proposed state would
be as large as Texas, and is too large
for it's convenient government.
MANY Democrats feel that the Re
f0h
been sincere, they having used the
statehood bill as a buffer to prevent
trust discussion and legislation. For
Democrats now, having stood almost
solid body for the admission of the
three territories, to accept the proposed
consolidation, would be to have played
into the hands of the Republican anti
trust cabal /"