New-York tribune., 1903-01-31
QUAY'S TACTICS AMAZE.
TO HOLD UP THE SENATE.
Statehood Fight Hay Cause an Er-
ira Session of Congress.

lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
Washington, jan 30-The legislative jockey
ing Of Mr.. Quay and his Statehood allies in the
Senate Committee on Agriculture. as told ex-
olusively in The Tribune this morning. caused
amazement to the Republican leaders to-day
an amazement which changed TO CONSERVATION
as the day wore and the ramifcations and
rnonstrosity OF the Statehood programme be-
came known. Tomorrow morning a majority
Of the Committee on Agriculture will override
their chairman. and, under the leadership Of
Senator Quay, will firmly afix the Omnibus
Statehood bill 10 the Agricultural Appropriation
hill in the form of an amendment, and instruct
the chairman to report 1t to the Senate on Mon
day.
Another feature Of the Quay programme, here
tofore wholly unsupported. was discovered to-
day in the action of the Military Affairs Com
rnittee Of which majority is committed to
Statehood in attaching TO the Military Appro-
priation bill the General Staff bill in the form
Of an amendment 1t is now known that this
action taken advisedly, with the hope OF
establishing precedent at this session for
acting new legislation in the form of amend
raent to an appropriation bill. IF the Quay pro-
granme is carried out, the Military Appropria-
ton bill Will be taken UP first, point of order
will be made on the ground that the Staff bill
is new legislation discussion of the question
viii pertain TO the Military bin, and when it is
passed, the Agricultural bill will be brought
forward
The committee, Of which Senator Quay is
chairman, has authorized a favorabl report on
the Statehood amendment. and the intention
expressed to-day Of also attaching it to the
Sundry Civil bill, in which almost every Senator
IS personally interested. and to the Postoffice
Appropriation BILL. which is reported by a COM
mittee Of which the chairman and considera-
F,1a IN
The flaw in the programme outlined above
as pointed out by influential Senators who are
opposed 10 Statehood. lies in the fact that the
most elastic Interpretation Of the Senate rules
viii not permit the conclusion that the State
hood amendment is germane TO any Of the bills
10 which il is proposed TO attach il. certain
wide latitude of Interpretation has been per-
nnitted with regard to rules prohibiting new
legislation, where the amendment qualified the
method by which the funds appropriated were
10 be expended. as in the case of the Army APP
preparation and the General Staff bill, but the
enactment Of an appropriation bill carrying an
amendment in no sense germane is regarded
as preposterous Il would in the opinion of
the Senate leaders. establish a most dangerous
precedent.
If the Senate were to permit appropria-
tion bill, weighted with the Omnibus Statehood
bill, TO pass" said prominent Senator to-day,
there would be no limit TO similar attempts
Every time a measure containing a deal OF
provisions obnoxious to the Senate was de-
feated on its merits or lack Of merits its pro-
rrorers would attach il TO a regular appropria-
Jion bill and thus attempt TO tie UP the govern
rnent- In my opinion. Senators would be dere-
lict in their duty were they TO abstain from go
ing 10 any lengths 70 prevent the establishment
Of such q precedenI- AS an amendment to an
appropriation bill the Statehood measure is far
more obnoxious than when il stood on its own
merits and will never be permitted TO pass the
Senate even though the appropriation bills
lost and an extra session Of Congress thereby
caused
While the leaders generally declare that they
will not shrink from the responsibility OF pre-
cipitating an extra session if il becomes neces-
sary to protect the integrity Of the Senate rules,
they still believe the more conservative Republ1-
cans and Democrats in the Statehood ranks
viii abandon Their fight rather than violate the
rules 10 the extent that would be necessary to
carry out the programme Of Senator Quay.